Left: Pakenham Secondary College students Alicia (front) with Mat, Chris, Dave, Mark and Michael show some of the rubbish fished out of the lily pond.
By Paul Dunlop
SHOPPING trolleys, heaps of bottles, an oar, even a woman’s lacy corset were part of a haul of rubbish fished out of Pakenham’s lily pond.
Students from Pakenham Secondary College’s environment club went on a litterpicking blitz last week as they gave the centuryold lily pond a muchneeded sprucing up.
The twoday operation brought unlikely finds, environment club coordinator and college teacher Allison Jenner said.
“There were six trolleys, halfadozen chairs and tables, a mallet, all sorts of weird stuff. It’s amazing what people have thrown in there over the years,” she said.
“We used canoes to help get to some of the rubbish. The area also looks like it has been used as a bit of a haven for teenage drinking parties. We pulled down a few makeshift cubby houses that people had made.”
The lily pond, one of Pakenham’s heritage sites, has been adopted by the secondary college in recent times.
Students, with support from Cardinia Shire Council, have planted trees and created gardens and pathways to restore the oncerenowned attraction.
“The kids did a really good job,” Ms Jenner said.
“We’ve been gradually working on it for three years with help from the council and the environment club has really taken the lily pond under its wing.”
Up to 30 students from years seven to 12 belong to the club, which meets once a week and tackles problems such as litter and recycling at the school and in the community.
Ms Jenner said a treeplanting exercise was being planned for July. It was also hoped to put seats along the pathways running beside the lily pond.
“It’s a beautiful part of Pakenham but it has become a bit rundown over the years,” she said.
“The kids worked really hard, they certainly earned their sausage sizzle lunch on Friday.”
