What People Are Saying

Hi Tara and team,

I just wanted to say a HUGE THANK YOU on behalf of our kinder community.

You and the team have been nothing but exceptional in working with us amongst the challenges and hurdles we faced. You were always so helpful in guiding us and making sure we ticked all the boxes for successful delivery. Each one of your staff has been so easy to work with, so professional and they have gone above and beyond to assist us - always kind and respectful, and cooperative. It's been a pleasure working with you.

And most importantly - the children have been so thrilled with their new place space and were planting within minutes of the team leaving on Monday. Such joy for our community that we will showcase proudly. That yarning circle is just stunning, too!!!

We would not hesitate to work with you again and hope that our paths cross again.

We wish you and the team a great break when you get there - and again, a sincere thanks.

Kind regards,
Katie

President

ALFRED ROAD KINDERGARTEN

  • "Thank you so much for your work in creating such a beautiful play space at our school - the children delight in it every day, and it is wonderful to watch them absorbed in imaginative play"

    - Sophia Mundi Steiner School

  • "I was fortunate to be in the audience yesterday when you presented at the PLA Conference. As a father of 3, it put into context my 'observational' child and moreso, how I need to discover play with him. My other two are easy (as they excel at sports) but my youngest is the opposite. And I had a 'the penny has dropped' moment. Thankyou"

    - Attendee at the Parks & Leisure Australia 2025 Conference

  • "Congratulations with all of the amazing works that are coming up in the future for the Urban Discovery Team. You guys really deserve all the accolades and interest that is coming your way after all of the hard work you do… Jenn, you and your team have provided so much joy, connection and learning for the students at SFA, that they will forever have nostalgic memories of working and ‘being’ in the farm. Thank you for all you do and the joy you bring to so many in your work. "

    - St Francis of Assisi Tarneit

  • "A very big THANK YOU to Warwick and team for their hard work over the Easter break, the yard looks amazing, and the children were very excited and eager to explore the dirt and sand!!"

    - South Kingsville Preschool

  • "Thank you for you and your team for an amazing day here at Altona North, the team has come back ready to take on the year – they messaged me that same week expressing their gratitude towards our care for their learning and development and were very honored to be part of a special day, thank you for making this day memorable for the team"

    (PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY)

    - One Tree Community Services Inc

  • "The project is coming along in leaps and bounds. We are thrilled. The team are exceptional, solution-focussed, and have a deep commitment to quality."

    - Alfred Nuttall Memorial Kindergarten

  • "Wiluna Remote Community School and our students & staff want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas, and a massive thank you for the incredible work you did at our school in Term 3, building our new natural play area on our school oval. It has been an amazing new addition to our school, and the kids can't get enough of it. ESPECIALLY the ropes course with its triple-washed sand. The kids can't stop swimming in it! Thank you so much, Jenn. I am working hard to ensure we get you back up for Phase 3 next year, so hopefully seeing you back here."

    - Wiluna Remote Community School WA

  • "Thank you all for all the nurturing energy you have put into our space. I’m not sure how to put it into words.. in my culture we would call it manaakitanga – great care, hospitality and pride in caring for others and our environment. But we have loved every moment of this relationship and continue to talk about how we can work with you more. I hope next year we can look at more PD opportunities and build on our knowledge more.

    - Barry Beckett Children's Centre

  • "We can't describe in words how much we love our new playground. I can already see the benefits for our students. The excitement that they expressed in being able to play was overwhelming. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you and your crew for bringing the project to fruition. You together with Colleen have been absolutely amazing. I am so glad that you could overcome the challenges to finish our beautiful playground."

    - Leinster Community School WA

  • "My wholehearted thanks for always supporting my vision and giving me the strength and courage to make positive changes for our community"

    - Seawinds Community Hub

  • "I want to say a HUGE thank you for our new outdoor learning environment. The children love it. We did a little photography project last week, where I asked them to snap a photo of something they loved in the space. Almost all chose something that was new- the path, the plants, the treehouse, the open cubby house, etc. We had an open day with families to celebrate and all are so happy. Thank you so much. We are over the moon with the work that has been done and cannot express our gratitude."

    - Olive Philips Kindergarten

  • "I just wanted to thank you both from myself and the other educators for the amazing outdoor space you have created for us. We are loving it and will be able to provide many children with an excellent learning space. Your professional approach communication and contractors were always amazing which we were very appreciative of."

    - Brentwood Kindergarten

  • "Hi Jenn, just wanted to thank you for speaking to Committee of Management tonight. Every time I hear you speak I get so excited I cannot wait to see the process and the work. The way you have developed the work you do, the gathering of the incredibly specialised creatives - the skills! It blows my mind, we are so lucky to have you and your team. Thank you!!!"

    - Barry Beckett Children's Centre

Hello Kylie, Jenn, Tara, Casey and team,

Thank you for all that you have done for our pre-school over this very long journey. We now have a truly wonderful space for you 3yo classroom that is already making a difference to how that room operates. 

The natural and native aspects of the yard are truly striking. I happened to be posted at the front door to welcome families on the first day of the year. I received many comments about what an amazing difference the space makes to the front of our property.

However the real reason for this letter is to tell you that the space is already having a direct influence on our teaching. 

A native, blue-banded bee was spotted visiting flowers on some of the new plants. We soon discovered these beautiful solitary bees were digging their nests into soil on our property.

We discussed these bees in the classroom, including how they are both similar and different to honeybees.

We told our learners about the nests. Although these nests were in a play area, the children wanted to protect their homes, so we provided them with traffic cones they could place to protect their nests from feet and games.

Our teachers used the presence of the bees as provocation for an art activity, Now we have many watercolour images of blue-banded bees adorning the walls of one of our classroom. 

I can see this discovery will provide further provocations for inquiry about pollination, care and custodianship of our land, and animal and plant lifecycles and relationships. Ultimately, this will allow children to explore and understand their place in their world.

All of these things are happening within the first month of us using the space you have created.

Thank you again to everyone at Urban Discovery and others who have contributed to this project. We are truly appreciative of what your creation has brought to our community.

Kind regards,
Stewart

President

RANGEVIEW KINDERGARTEN

Good Morning Urban Discovery Team,

I hope you have been able to enjoy some sunshine over the January period and have taken some time to recharge the batteries.

I cannot remember the last time I provided an update about the SFA Farm so I thought it was about time I shared it with you.

We have navigated a year of significant ups and downs, challenges and wins, moments of despair, and many tears of joy. Through it all, the experience of the last 12 months has been nothing short of transformative for our community.

The most profound observation has been seeing our students truly embody the Franciscan way: learning to 'Walk gently on the Earth' and 'Sing out your joy to all the Earth.' This spiritual foundation has become the heartbeat of our program.

Our major focus has been the collaborative development of our 'Farm Vision and Mission Statement.' We have worked deeply to intertwine Franciscan values of stewardship and kinship with First Nations caretaking of the land. This is coming to life right now as we transition into the Luk and Warin seasons. The students are no longer just 'gardening'; they are practicing phenology - learning to read the natural signs of the landscape to align our hands with the ancient rhythms.

The space you built for us has become more than just a garden, it is a sanctuary where we are learning to be successful, sustainable caretakers by listening to the land's own story.

We are incredibly grateful for the environment you have designed and built for us. It has provided the perfect canvas for our students to grow not just as gardeners, but as stewards of the earth. Thank you for helping us create a space where our vision can truly take root.

Kind Regards,
Simone

Indigenous Studies and Garden Specialist

ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI TARNEIT