Co-restoration of Yakai Barring
A collaboration with Friends of Yakai Barring, Living Dirt Landscapes, and Merri-bek City Council to engage students and local families in the ongoing restoration and care of Yakai Barring - a living outdoor education space on the grounds of Brunswick North West Primary School.
A tribute to loved ones and the land
A beautiful community project was brought to life by a collaboration between Tended Earth, Living Dirt Landscapes, Friends of Yakai Barring, Merri-bek City Council, Brunswick North West Primary School (BNWPS), and the local community.
Families and friends of BNWPS were invited to sponsor the purchase of new seedlings for Yakai Barring, with a love dedication - 775 ‘Tribute Tubestocks’ were sponsored!
Native grassland species carefully selected by Ian Adams, Living Dirt Landscapes, and sourced from VINC and BC4N included:
Bulbine bulbosa, Bulbine Lily
Calocephalus citreus, Lemon Beauty-heads
Chloris truncata, Windmill Grass
Chrysocephalum apiculatum ssp congestum, Common Everlasting
Chrysocephalum semipapposum (fine leaf form), Clustered Everlasting
Coronidium gunnianum, Swamp Everlasting
Cullen tenax, Emu Foot
Dianella longifolia, Pale Flax-lily
Disphyma crassifolium, Rounded Noon-flower
Geranium carolinii, Large-flower Crane's-bill
Glycine tabacina, Vanilla Glycine
Leptorhynchos squamatus, Scaly Buttons
Ozothmanus obcordatus, Grey Everlasting
Pelargonium australe, Austral Storksbill
Podolepis decipiens, Showy Copper-wire Daisy
Pycnosorus globosus, Billy Buttons
Wahlenbergia gracilis, Sprawling Bluebell
Xerochrysum viscosum, Sticky Everlasting
Additional indigenous tubestocks, plantguards, and stakes were donated by Merri-bek City Council.
On Saturday 9 August, we held our Community Planting Day. More than 30 volunteers helped plant 500+ tubestocks. Remaining tubestocks were gradually tucked into the earth by BNWPS Enviroscience classes and the Friends of Yakai Barring.
"My family and I loved being part of this event. It felt very meaningful to us, giving back to the community and school and caring for the environment. We feel a special connection to Yakai Barring, given that our sons will soon be visiting it for both bush playgroup and bush kinder." - Louise D.
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"Loved getting together with parents & kids to plant in the sunshine. It was such a nice community feeling of connection and planting felt productive and meaningful." Anonymous
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"My family and I loved being part of this event. It felt very meaningful to us, giving back to the community and school and caring for the environment. We feel a special connection to Yakai Barring, given that our sons will soon be visiting it for both bush playgroup and bush kinder." - Louise D. 〰️ "Loved getting together with parents & kids to plant in the sunshine. It was such a nice community feeling of connection and planting felt productive and meaningful." Anonymous 〰️
Testimonials
Native grassland species were sourced from VINC, BC4N, and Merri-bek City Council. Love tributes were hand written on plant guards that were used to protect our new plants. BNWPS students, staff, and families were then encouraged to wander through the space to read the declarations of love and enjoy the new plantings.
Growth 1-2 months post-planting
On 30 January 2026, plant guards were removed from our Tribute Tubestocks and everything was given a good soak.
What is Yakai Barring?
“Yakai Barring takes its name from the Woiwurrung language for “surprise track”. It is a living outdoor education area within BNWPS that follows the former Melville Creek (which once flowed into Moonee Ponds Creek). It boasts an ephemeral pebble creek and ponding area, restored grassland, stone amphitheatre, fire pit, and bushland with nesting boxes.
Yakai Baring was created 10 years ago, when Merri Creek Management Committee (MCMC) and the school community converted almost an acre of concrete, bitumen and debris, with a grant to focus on water.
Now a special place for the school, used for community events and as a space where teachers may bring their class for some quiet reading, nature immersion or scientific exploration, BNWPS is also welcoming new users, including the Montessori Children’s House (bush kinder program), and local parents (bush playgroup).”
- Ian Adams 2025 (Living Dirt Landscapes and key member of the Friends of Yakai Barring)