Congratulations to the winners of the National Kitchen Garden Awards 2026.
The Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation is proud to announce the winners of the National Kitchen Garden Awards 2026, selected from a record 647 entries spanning Australia’s bustling cities to its most remote communities.
The awards celebrate the creativity, innovation and impact of kitchen gardens in schools and early childhood services. The outstanding calibre of entries reflects the growing enthusiasm for kitchen gardens and the important role food education plays in helping children and young people develop lifelong skills.
The nine winners were selected from 27 finalists by an expert judging panel: Stephanie Alexander AO, Kylie Kwong AM, Connie Cao and Darren Robertson.
Each winner received a prize pack valued at almost $5,000, including a $1,000 grant, a membership to the Kitchen Garden Program, and a kitchen garden bundle featuring a wicking bed, garden tools, cooking ingredients and more.
“What stood out most was the diversity of stories and approaches from across the country. Whether fostering wellbeing through intergenerational gardening, building STEM skills through real-world problem-solving, or creating stronger links between schools, services and their communities, every finalist showed the extraordinary value of hands-on food education,” says Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation CEO Rob Rees MBE DL.
Winners
Beyond the Gate – Wongan Hills District High School (WA)
A small school in a rural town in WA, Wongan has been developing their School Garden for the past three years.
“Imagine a small school garden in a rural town in WA where dozens of parents, relatives, community members & even ex-students scramble to volunteer each week; where both primary & high school students are engaged in growing & enterprise, from seed to sale; and where volunteers from across the community donate their time, their plants and their knowledge to help the garden thrive! That school, population 199, is in a very low socio- economic region, where parent & community participation has been slowly dropping over the last few years…that is, until the School Garden came along!
Over the last 3 years:
• Members of the local Community Garden have volunteered their time, teaching students new skills and assisting the School Garden coordinator with small infrastructure projects
• Primary school students harvest excess produce to turn into homemade delicacies, such as sweet chilli sauce, quandong jam & basil pesto. High school students work on branding & marketing of the products to sell at the town’s annual wildflower festival
• Seeds and seedlings are raised, propagated & sold at school assemblies and to the community, teaching students about enterprise as well as supporting home gardeners
• Local families have supplied horse manure for the garden beds. It’s not just beyond the gate. It has dismantled the gate.”
First Nations Foods – St Mary’s College P-12 (WA)
“Our kitchen gardens celebrate the rich knowledge of Country by placing First Nations perspectives at the centre of learning. With more than 70% of our students identifying as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, the gardens provide a meaningful way for students to strengthen cultural identity while supporting literacy, numeracy and sharing knowledge with the wider school community. Designed, built and cared for by students, our gardens prioritise Australian native bush foods and Kimberley species suited to local conditions. Guided by the Yawuru seasons, students learn that growing on Country means understanding local ecosystems, respecting seasonal cycles and selecting plants that belong in our environment. Working alongside local Elders and community experts, students explore how different First Nations groups across the Kimberley have traditionally used local plants for food, medicine, tools and cultural practices. Students are not only growing food, they are growing pride, strengthening connections to Country and ensuring First Nations knowledge is valued, celebrated and passed on to future generations.”
Kitchen Garden Trailblazer – The Village School Gold Coast (QLD)
This award recognises an outstanding kitchen garden educator, volunteer or staff member who has shown creativity, dedication and leadership in inspiring children to grow and cook.
Miss B transformed an empty balcony in the heart of Coolangatta into a thriving kitchen garden and created Balcony to Bowl—a learning experience children and families will never forget.
Recipe of the Imagination – Aldavilla Public School (NSW)
“Our garden grown Warrigal Greens have become one of our most treasured harvests, used in place of spinach every time we cook. We make dips, pasta sauces, pasta, pastries and more. This year, students trialled our first Warrigal Greens Wraps for both our Mexican cooking unit and our Indigenous Fusion unit.”
Showcasing STEM – Springhurst Primary School (VIC)
“When a week of 40°C+ temperatures devastated our school garden, students were faced with a real-world problem: How could we rebuild our garden to be more resilient and sustainable? Rather than seeing the heatwave as a setback, students became scientists, engineers and designers. They investigated why some plants survived while others didn’t, saving Tommy Toe tomato seeds to preserve future crops while learning about plant lifecycles, germination and seed viability. They explored water conservation by investigating how wicking systems work through a simple capillary action experiment before installing a WaterUps planter to support future herb production.”
Sustainable Solutions – Bungwahl Public School (NSW)
“Our school sits in the bush and runs entirely on rainwater, so sustainability isn’t a topic; it’s how we survive. In the garden, students plant comfrey and sugar cane for compost, grow bush tucker, and fill the beds with flowers for bees and butterflies. We plant by the moon and follow permaculture principles, avoid all chemicals and pesticides, and let the land— and the moon—teach us what to grow next.”
The Art of Kitchen Gardening – Manning Gardens Public School (NSW)
“At Manning Gardens Public School, creativity begins long before the paintbrush touches the page. Every visit to our kitchen garden invites students to slow down, observe and connect with the colours, textures, sounds and stories that surround them. Nestled on Biripi Country, the garden has become a place where nature inspires imagination and every child discovers their own unique way of expressing what they see, feel and value.”
The Next Crop – Alawa Primary School (NT)
“Our Farm Monitor program celebrates students whose passion for the garden inspires our entire community. Every year, students apply for these sought-after leadership positions, giving up their lunch breaks to mentor younger children during our lunchtime Open Farm sessions. They teach younger students how to move safely around the gardens, care for animals, collect eggs, harvest produce and always lend a hand to complete projects that make our farm a better place.”
Wellbeing Champions – Devonshire Street Children’s Centre (NSW)
“We would like to introduce our intergenerational vegetable garden. Our centre is located in the heart of Chatswood, one of the most culturally, socially, and economically diverse communities in Sydney. Many of our families are from overseas and are separated from their extended families. The absence of grandparents and community mentors can lead to a loss of culture, history, and heritage, making it difficult for children to develop a strong connection to their background and community. While children build relationships through early childhood settings, senior migrants often face challenges settling into a new community, which may lead to isolation and poor mental wellbeing.
Our teaching team observed this over many years, which inspired the development of our intergenerational garden project. We invited grandparents to participate, and they have taken turns visiting the centre to help children plant and care for vegetables. The grandparents share their gardening knowledge, cultural experiences, and practical skills, helping children learn how to nurture plants and appreciate where food comes from. Through this project, grandparents feel connected to the children and the wider community by sharing their knowledge and experiences. Children greatly enjoy these visits and have formed meaningful relationships with the seniors. This project has been running successfully for several years, and we look forward to expanding it further this spring.”
