On the morning of Friday 24 November 2023 Grade 2 & 3 students, their teacher Miss Zoe Payne and musician Kate Adam, came to Bunjil Reserve. With them, they carried the props they had previously helped to make with their grandparents at the Panton Hill Living and Learning Centre in preparation for the performance. This performance and previous workshops have been facilitated by Paradoxa Collective artists Anna Farago and Susan Wirth as part of the ongoing project, Under the Canopy.

The performance began with mindfulness activities and then chats with the kids about what they had learnt about the interconnected relationships between plants and animals in Bunjil Reserve. Collaboratively Kate discussed ideas with the students, Paradoxa artists Anna and Susan and Miss Payne.

The Under the Canopy project received a number of grants from Nillumbik Council supporting the concept and development of the performance. Thanks to Sarah Hammond in the Arts and Culture team for your advice and interest in our work.

Our plan was to record the sounds and movements of the echidnas, butterflies and caterpillars interacting with the groupings of flowers - early nancies, hardenbergias, wax lip orchids, and golden bush peas, which are all indigenous to Bunjil Reserve.

This performance was the culmination of activities that took place in Bunjil Reserve throughout the year. The students had visited a number of times to help with weeding, planting seedlings, and learnt about the seven Wurundjeri seasons.

We ran though the order of the performance and Kate recorded the sounds for each stage. Tristan also recorded a video that was shown to the kids all together.

At the end of the performance we regrouped and chatted about the year and what had been enjoyable and meaningful. Everyone agreed the performance was very fun and planting seedlings and visiting Bunjil Reserve had helped us all connect with, and learn with, nature.

Thank you to Paradoxa artist, Siri Hayes, for taking the photos on the day and Tristan Pierce for the video filming.

We also thank all the grandparents who helped out on the day of the making workshop and Vanessa Veldman from Panton Hill Living and Learning for hosting us. We thank Brad Tadday, Nillumbik Council, for coming along and helping with plantings and weeding sessions.

Headpieces, designed by Syke Window, former student of Melbourne Polytechnic Costume Design Course, were fitted to some of the students. These headpieces had also been crafted with the students and grandparents.

Once the kids were fitted with their headpieces or grouped together with their props, the order for the performance and interactions were discussed and rehearsed.

We especially thank the class of 2023 Grade 2 & 3 students for your participation and Miss Zoe Payne for been so supportive and engaged in our process.