The SDN Events Calander highlights July 26 as Schools Tree Day. Schools Tree Day is celebrated on the last Friday in July every year and forms part of Planet Ark’s National Tree Day which began in 1996.

Participating schools (including preschools and early learning centres) are encouraged not just to plant trees, they also might build habitat for native wildlife and create bushtucker gardens.

SDN has recognised the importance of outdoor play and a healthy environment from our early days. For example, in the 1930s at the Woolloomooloo Centre, cots were set on the veranda as fresh air was deemed good for babies.

More recently, children have learned about the natural world and the importance of conservation. Trees also provide natural shade in playgrounds and for perhaps both these reasons tree planting has been on the agenda at special occasions at SDN for some time.

Below are some examples.

Picture 1: Paddington Nursery School Parent Committee working bee planting trees and building a garden in 1999.

Picture 2: Tree planting as part of celebrations of SDN Crookwell’s “Connecting with the Past Open Day” in 2012 which also celebrated the opening of their new office.

Picture 3: Wife of NSW Governor and SDN Patron Peter Sinclair, Shirely Sinclair, plants a tree in the new playground at SDN Woolloomooloo in 1992.

Picture 4: Boy plants a tree during the 70th anniversary celebrations of SDN Marrickville on 28 Oct 2014.

Video 1: A special tree-planting at SDN Paddington in 2018 in which a Lemon and Blueberry tree was planted at the centre in a large pot. With help from our friend and gardener, Nick from Thegrowingtrend.com and children got their hands in the dirt to help out and learn the practice of planting trees, helping develop an understanding and respect for the environment.

Picture 5: Goulburn Mayor, Peter Walker, plants two magnolia trees accompanied by Centre Director Anna Lamarra and children during the SDN Lady McKell 70th Anniversary Party on 16 Feb 2024.