24 July 2015 · Local News

Mackay Toyota National Tree Day... What a result!

Mackay Toyota teamed up with the staff and pupils of Victoria Park State School, Mackay Regional Council, Pioneer Catchment Landcare and the Green Army to celebrate the 20th year of Planet Ark's Schools Tree Day on Friday 24th July.

Mackay Toyota Community Involvement

Marking this special occasion, the members of Victoria Park State School, Mackay Regional Council and Mackay Toyota got their hands dirty with planting activities at Gooseponds Creek adjacent to the new Junior Soccer Fields in Glenella, as part of what has become Australia's largest community tree planting and nature care event. The aim was to re-establish the corridor along Gooseponds Creek between Glenella Road and Hicks Road. The aim was to reduce the risk of bank erosion, improve the water quality leading into the Gooseponds Creek and out to the Great Barrier Reef, provide an area of shade for spectators of the football, increase habitat connectivity along Gooseponds Creek and to help stop footballs from ending up in the creek.

With over 100 volunteers nearly 1500 trees were planted!!!

This could not have been achieved without the hard work of Mackay Regional Council and the Green Army. They prepped the planting site to ensure all trees were planted... and we did it!

With 50 kids and staff from Victoria Park State School and Family Day Care groups, the kids not only got out of the class rooms for the day but we able to give back to the community, learn important lessons about our environment and achieve a sense of accomplishment of the massive task they undertook.

Special guests for the day, Tautau Moga from the North Queensland Toyota Cowboys, Aleki Falapanin and Rex Johnson from the Mackay Cutters came and got their hands dirty with the kids.

Cr Morgan presented the Green Army with their Graduation Certificates. The hard work from this group not only made today possible but the group will continue to look after our freshly planted trees during the dry months to ensure they survive until the wet season.

A special thank you also goes out to Whitsunday Biscuit Factory who kindly donated morning tea for all volunteers!