School farm board president Dale Lester said there was a lot more to agriculture than “just milking cows”.

“It’s a pretty exciting time for the school,” Mr Lester said.

“The Liberals pledged $40,000 to finish stage two of the [irrigation] project.

“[The irrigation system] will be completed with other modifications.

“We can build on what we’ve already got and make it better.”

The North-East school currently produces grass and beef, he said.

“It’s all about learning. We want to encourage people into agriculture.

“It’s about the little kids. The main focus is to introduce them early,” he said.

The project to install the new system took place over 12 months, and officially opened on Wednesday.

“Who knows where we could go, what we could grow in the future,” Mr Lester said.

School principal David Lietzau said the project was the “glue that brought the whole community together”.

“It’s about bringing something that’s been historically available into the 21st century,” Mr Lietzau said.

The new system would show students how agriculture and technology could interact, he said.

Student Eben Crockett, 14, said he “loved the experience” of getting his hands dirty to help install the system.

“Having the new irrigation system means we can put more stock on the farm and get more money to generate more opportunities for the school,” Eben said.

Kalina Percey, 14, said the new irrigation system made things “way easier” around the farm, as staff and students no longer needed to manually turn on the taps.

Primary advisor to Bass Liberal MHA Peter Gutwein, Tony McCall, congratulated the students, teachers, and community members that were involved with the irrigation project.

“For young people, this is a technology they’re familiar with,” Mr McCall said.

“The reality is, Winnaleah has a rich history and heritage with irrigation.

“This means that heritage can continue.”

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