Hornsby Park now has 800 more native plants in the ground, thanks to students who travelled from around the world to help. They came as part of the Round Square International Conference 2026, hosted by Barker College, which drew more than 1,000 students and teachers from more than 150 schools. On 30 September and 1 October, delegates spent time at the park as part of the conference’s service program.
The visit was about more than planting. Delegates heard Indigenous storytelling and learned how the site went from a working quarry to a public park, a change many regard as one of the most significant of its kind in Australia. They then planted near the Quarry Loop, adding to Hornsby Shire Council’s ongoing environmental restoration work.
The activity tied in with the conference theme, “Visions of the Future from an Ancient Land”. It joined cultural heritage, environmental care, and restoration with an eye to the future. The park also suited the conference’s broader interests in leadership, service and cultural connection.
Hornsby Shire Mayor Warren Waddell thanked the students, teachers and Barker College for their enthusiasm, hard work and commitment. He said the trees and plants would stand as a reminder of the connections made during the conference, and of the shared responsibility to look after the environment.
Barker College Head Phillip Heath AM said that seeing young people from different countries working side by side for the park reflected the spirit of Round Square. He hoped the experience would leave them understanding that caring for a shared future starts with respecting and serving the places and communities around us.
Round Square is a global network of more than 270 schools that promotes experiential learning through internationalism, democracy, environmentalism, adventure, leadership and service. This year’s conference also marks the network’s 60th anniversary. The planting will help create new habitat, heal the landscape and improve water quality for future visitors.
For more information about Hornsby Park, visit https://hornsbypark.com.au
