FINALIST PROFILE NT

Good Shepherd Lutheran College
Leanyer Campus – Grade 2

About the School & Community

Good Shepherd Lutheran College Leanyer Campus first opened in 1985 as Saint Andrew Lutheran School and became part of Good Shepherd in 2014. This year, the campus celebrates 40 years of providing education grounded in Christian values. With 120 students, the school is a close-knit community where strong relationships with families are central to school life.

Nestled in Darwin’s northern suburbs, the school is surrounded by native trees and wildlife. “Our school yard is full of wildlife,” said Year 2 teacher Mrs Kitsos. “We encourage the students to look after our school environment and to watch the different animals that pass through our school grounds.”

Frill-neck lizards, possums, and a wide variety of birds regularly visit the campus, creating a living classroom that inspires curiosity and respect for nature.

Learning Outdoors

As part of their lessons, Mrs Kitsos took her Year 2 class on a nature walk around the school to observe and sketch the birds they could find. “The students had spotted Galahs, White Cockatoos, Kookaburras, Rainbow Lorikeets, Red-Tailed Black Cockatoos, Pied Imperial Pigeons, and a regular flock of White Ibis,” she said.

The school is also making efforts to restore native habitats on campus. “We are trying to encourage our frilled-neck lizards to come back by planting more trees around our school yard, which will also encourage our birds to stay,” Mrs Kitsos explained.

The daily presence of this biodiversity has become part of the school’s identity, shaping its culture and inspiring a sense of responsibility toward the environment. Students are passionate about conserving their natural surroundings and ensuring the local wildlife continues to thrive.

PROGRESS PHOTOS

The Mural – Celebrating Local Birds

The mural was inspired by the birdlife students encounter every day. From plovers guarding their nests to cockatoos cracking seed pods, galahs munching fresh leaves and berries, and lorikeets sipping nectar, the students transformed their observations into art.

Each student drew the birds they loved seeing, and these drawings were combined into a mural full of colour and movement. The artwork tells a story of coexisting with the natural world, honouring the wildlife that shares the campus, and highlighting the importance of conservation.

What It Means

For the school, being named a state finalist is both an honour and a celebration of what makes Leanyer unique: its people, its environment and its values. The mural has sparked conversations about human impact on wildlife, how we can live more harmoniously with the natural world, and the small changes that make a big difference.

Families, staff and students alike have felt a renewed pride in their community, and the mural has already become a point of reflection and inspiration.

A Lasting Legacy

The mural was an opportunity for students to share their creativity and artists strengths — and is also a lasting reminder of the school’s love for its environment. Good Shepherd hopes it will inspire students to carry forward a message of conservation, encourage families to think more deeply about their impact, and remind the wider community to treasure the flora and fauna that surrounds them.

ECO VISION

Mrs Kitsos took her year 2 classroom outside on a nature walk to see what birds they could find to draw. Our school yard is full of wildlife, we encourage the students to look after our school environment and to watch the different animals that pass through our school grounds.

On the nature walk the year 2 students had spotted Galahs, White Cockatoos, Kookaburras, Rainbow Lorikeets, Red-Tailed black Cockatoos, Pied imperial pigeons and a regular flock of White Ibis. Our School is an eco friendly school and we are trying to encourage our frilled neck lizards to come back by planting more trees around our school yard which will also encourage our birds to stay.

The mural is inspired by the birds that the students in year 2 drew and that we often see at our school. It will be a colourful nature piece to our plain metal shed without being an eyesore to our natural playground.