National Kitchen Garden Awards 2026 finalists announced across Australia

Twenty-seven finalists have been named in the 2026 National Kitchen Garden Awards, selected from close to 650 entries submitted by early childhood services and schools across Australia.

This year’s finalists represent a broad range of projects supporting cultural connection, sustainability, STEM learning, creativity, wellbeing and community engagement, reflecting the growing impact of hands-on food education across the country.

Nine winners will be selected by an expert judging panel comprising Stephanie Alexander AO, Kylie Kwong AM, Connie Cao and Darren Robertson.

The winners will be announced at Stanmore Public School in New South Wales on 15 September 2026.

Entries were received from metropolitan, regional and remote communities, showcasing everything from intergenerational gardening and cultural storytelling to STEM investigations, zero-waste systems and community food initiatives.

Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation CEO Rob Rees MBE DL said the diversity of this year’s entries demonstrated the far-reaching value of food education.

“What stood out most was the diversity of stories and approaches from across the country,” Mr Rees said.

“Whether fostering wellbeing through intergenerational gardening, building STEM skills through real-world problem-solving, or creating stronger links between schools and their communities, every finalist showed the extraordinary value of hands-on food education.”

Mr Rees also thanked the children, families, educators and volunteers who entered, along with the judges and sponsors supporting the awards.

Meet the 2026 finalists

Beyond the Gate

Recognising kitchen garden initiatives that extend beyond the service or school gate through partnerships, volunteering and shared food experiences:

• Cavendish Primary School (Victoria) – Kitchen garden connections flourish through festivals, volunteering and community feasts.
• Red Gum – The Waldorf School of Central Victoria (Victoria) – Students donate more than 100 kilograms of garden produce to local families in need.
• Wongan Hills District High School (Western Australia) – A school garden becomes the heart of a rural community revival.

First Nations Foods

Celebrating initiatives that connect children and young people with Country, culture and native ingredients:

• Crystal Brook Kindergarten (South Australia) – An intergenerational cookbook celebrates native ingredients, culture and stories on Nukunu Country.
• Southern Support School (Tasmania) – A bush tucker garden supports culture, biodiversity and connection to Country.
• St Mary’s College P–12 (Western Australia) – Students grow bush foods while strengthening their cultural identity through Yawuru knowledge.

Kitchen Garden Trailblazer

Recognising individuals whose leadership and creativity inspire kitchen garden learning:

• Dalaigur Preschool and Children’s Services (New South Wales) – Aunty Sally inspires sustainable habits through creativity, care and community leadership.
• The Village School Gold Coast (Queensland) – Miss B’s Balcony to Bowl project transforms students into gardeners, chefs and restaurant hosts.
• Swan Reach Primary School (Victoria) – Volunteer Gary brings global flavours and local partnerships to kitchen garden learning.

Recipe of the Imagination

Celebrating culinary creativity, cultural storytelling and adventurous approaches to garden-to-table learning:

• Carey Baptist College (Western Australia) – Cultural stories come to life through a South Asian garden-to-table feast.
• Ungarra Primary School (South Australia) – Students transform home-grown Jerusalem artichokes into gourmet gnocchi.
• Aldavilla Public School (New South Wales) – Warrigal greens inspire culinary creativity, from the garden bed to freshly prepared wraps.

Showcasing STEM

Highlighting the use of gardening to develop scientific thinking, innovation and problem-solving skills:

• Springhurst Primary School (Victoria) – Students rebuild a heatwave-affected garden through innovation and resilient design.
• Head Start Montessori Mount Gravatt (Queensland) – Young scientists put dried beans to the test through a child-led garden investigation.
• St Francis Xavier School Corio (Victoria) – Young investigators track crop growth through practical garden experiments.

Sustainable Solutions

Recognising projects that embed environmental responsibility, resource conservation and circular systems:

• Bungwahl Public School (New South Wales) – Sustainability shapes every harvest and meal, from rainwater collection to preserving produce.
• Giru State School (Queensland) – Worm farms, chickens and food preserving combine to create a zero-waste cycle.
• Yea High School (Victoria) – Students transform an unused hockey field into a thriving circular-economy food hub.

The Art of Kitchen Gardening

Celebrating the intersection of kitchen gardening, sensory exploration and creativity:

• Story House Early Learning Pimpama (Queensland) – Children transform plants, produce and sensory experiences into creative works.
• Manning Gardens Public School (New South Wales) – Nature, culture and creativity combine to support children’s artistic expression.
• Gippsland Lakes Complete Health Early Learning Centre (Victoria) – Freshly harvested carrots inspire art, discovery and muffin-making.

The Next Crop

Recognising children and young people who demonstrate leadership and help the next generation of kitchen gardeners flourish:

• Weeden Heights Primary School (Victoria) – A senior student mentor supports the next generation of garden leaders.
• Alawa Primary School (Northern Territory) – Farm Monitors develop leadership through mentoring, animal care and community engagement.
• Albuera Street Primary School (Tasmania) – Garden Club leaders help a flourishing school kitchen garden take root.

Wellbeing Champions

Recognising kitchen garden programs that support wellbeing, resilience and connection:

• Communities at Work Galilee School (Australian Capital Territory) – A kitchen garden creates new pathways to success beyond the traditional classroom.
• Cowandilla Learning Centre (South Australia) – Garden-to-plate learning supports wellbeing, resilience and re-engagement with education.
• Devonshire Street Children’s Centre (New South Wales) – An intergenerational garden connects people through growing, learning and shared experiences.

Each category winner will receive a prize package valued at almost $5,000, including:

• a $1,000 cash grant;
• a two-year Kitchen Garden Program membership;
• a wicking garden bed;
• gardening tools;
• cooking ingredients; and
• additional kitchen garden resources.

The National Kitchen Garden Awards recognise the inventive and community-focused ways educators use kitchen gardens to support children’s learning, health and wellbeing.

For early childhood services, this year’s finalists demonstrate how gardening and food education can create meaningful opportunities for children to explore science, sustainability, culture, creativity and community connection through practical experiences.

The full list of finalists is available from the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation.