St Peter’s Anglican College students Ada Harris, Elsie Simmons launch op shop fundraiser for koalas

Unloved old clothes may help rejuvenate bushfire-ravaged koala habitat on the south coast, with two high school students launching a nifty school op shop to raise money for land conservation.

St Peter’s Anglican College year 10 students Ada Harris and Elsie Simmons.

Unloved old clothes may help rejuvenate bushfire-ravaged koala habitat on the south coast, with two high school students launching a nifty school op shop to raise money for land conservation.

The idea emerged when St Peter’s Anglican College Year 10 students Ada Harris and Elsie Simmons decided to help rebuild burnt out koala habitats after a school camp at Bermagui.

“We saw first hand how bad the conditions are still after the fires,” Ms Simmons said.

“A lot of people don’t realise how many koalas we have here in the Eurobodalla, especially down south.”

However, to move forward with the idea, the two girls realised they were going to need something: money.

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“We were brainstorming ideas of how we could raise money to go back toward helping our environment, then we thought it would be a great idea to start selling donated clothes,” Ms Harris said. “We took the idea to our teachers who loved it.”

Since opening the school op shop on Monday, September 4, more than $200 for land conservation, however they are still deciding which organisation to donate to.

The girls sold items of clothing for $1 each, with the items donated by school students, parents and teachers.

“It was a huge success,” Ms Harris said. “Day one was so busy, we had so many people everywhere, kids running here at lunch time so they could get the good clothes and we even had teachers buying clothes too.”

The op shop ran for one week during lunch times, however it could become an annual event.

All left over clothing will be donated to the Batemans Bay Vinnies, while denim items will be donated to the school’s textiles department.