More than 1,000 students and teachers from around the world gathered in Australia for the Round Square International Conference 2026, leaving a lasting environmental legacy at Hornsby Park through the planting of 800 native plants.
Hosted by Barker College, the international conference brought together participants from more than 150 schools worldwide. As part of its service programme, delegates visited Hornsby Park on 30 September and 1 October to take part in environmental restoration activities and learn about the site’s Indigenous, industrial and environmental history.
During their visit, students participated in Indigenous storytelling and explored how Hornsby Park had transformed from a former quarry into a public park. They also planted 800 native plants near the Quarry Loop, contributing to Hornsby Shire Council’s ongoing efforts to restore the landscape and support local biodiversity.
The activity reflected the conference theme, “Visions of the Future from an Ancient Land”, connecting cultural heritage with environmental responsibility and long-term restoration. It also provided students with an opportunity to put the conference’s emphasis on service and leadership into practice.
Hornsby Park, recognised for its transformation from an industrial quarry site into a public green space, offered an opportunity for international delegates to learn about the relationship between environmental rehabilitation, community spaces and cultural connections.
Hornsby Shire Mayor Warren Waddell welcomed the students’ contribution, thanking the delegates, teachers and Barker College for their enthusiasm and commitment to the restoration project. He said the planting activity had helped create a lasting legacy at the park.
Waddell noted that the plants and trees established through the initiative would serve as a reminder of the connections formed during the conference and the shared responsibility to care for the environment.
Phillip Heath AM, Head of Barker College, said seeing young people from different parts of the world working together to support Hornsby Park reflected the spirit of Round Square. He expressed hope that the experience would strengthen their understanding of how caring for the future begins with respecting and serving local places and communities.
Round Square is an international network of more than 270 schools that promotes experiential learning through six pillars: internationalism, democracy, environmentalism, adventure, leadership and service. The 2026 conference also marks the network’s 60th anniversary.
The planting initiative contributes to Hornsby Park’s continuing transformation by helping establish new habitats, rehabilitate the landscape and improve water quality. The restoration work is intended to benefit the environment while creating a public space for future generations.
The involvement of international students also connected the conference’s global focus with a local environmental project, allowing delegates to contribute directly to the community they visited during their time in Australia.
The native plants will continue to grow beyond the conference, leaving a visible reminder of the students’ participation and the importance of collective action in environmental conservation.
