Robyn Smith has proudly been part of Sunbury for almost 30 years. The primary school teacher enjoys sharing her passions for sustainability and education. She chats with Serena Seyfort.
What’s your connection to Sunbury?
I’ve been part of the Sunbury community for nearly 30 years. My two daughters grew up in Sunbury, so I was involved with playgroups and kinder and dancing and schools and little athletics. For work, I’m a teacher. I’ve worked at Salesian College, St Anne’s Catholic Primary School and now I’m teaching at Killara Primary School, where I’ve been since 2000.
Tell us about your local pursuits regarding sustainability and the environment.
Last month I was named as one of four finalists for the Primary Teacher of the Year in the ResourceSmart Schools Awards, which was pretty special. I find it a privilege to be a teacher, to teach the next generation, and if I can make a difference in my pupils’ lives I’ve done what I set out to do. Since 2010, I’ve been leading the sustainability team at Killara Primary School. We look at how the school integrates sustainability into the curriculum and within the school environment in the categories of waste, water, energy, biodiversity. We involve the children. We’ve planted trees all around Sunbury. And in each classroom we have two representatives we call HEROs – heating, electricity, recycling officers. Also last month, I volunteered and was selected as a member of Hume council’s Sustainability Taskforce. It’s made up of Hume council members and a selected group of people from different parts of the community. Starting next year, we will meet with the council quarterly, acting as their conduit to the community. We’re looking at giving feedback and action on the different environmental and sustainability strategies that the council has in store.
What do you like about living in Sunbury?
Sunbury just has a great feel to me. The people are lovely. As a teacher, I know a lot of people … I can go shopping and it’s never a 10-minute shop. It’s always an hour or so because I bump into people that I know and catch up with past students I’ve taught. We have a bit of everything in Sunbury – we have the shopping centre, the restaurants, the green areas. I just love the feel of it.
Do you have a favourite local place?
My favourite place would be anywhere outdoors … the Nook with the stream running through or the wetlands up at Emu Bottom. Anywhere you can appreciate what we’ve got. I love getting out into nature and being in greenery.
If you could change anything about Sunbury, what would it be?
I don’t know whether I would change anything. I just hope that it doesn’t get too big. Sunbury has grown in the 30 years I’ve known it, but to me it still has that small-town feel. I’d like to keep that. I think it’s great – I’m happy where I am.
