Joint 44th Walk of Honour inductees Sisters Carmel Wallis and Kaye Bryan with Mayor of the City of Wagga Wagga Dallas Tout with a framed copy of their plaque, which was officially unveiled last week. Photos: Wagga Wagga City Council.
A plaque for Wagga Wagga’s 2026 Walk of Honour joint recipients, Presentation Sisters Carmel Wallis and Kaye Bryan, was officially unveiled on Baylis Street last week.
Their plaque is located in front of the Wagga Wagga Civic Centre forecourt.
The Walk of Honour was established in 1998 and recognises individuals who have made significant contributions to the community of Wagga Wagga. Carmel and Kaye are the joint 44th inductees and were announced as this year’s recipients during the city’s Australia Day awards ceremony in January.
Mayor Dallas Tout said he was pleased to see the two extraordinary community members honoured.
“This plaque is recognition of the recipients’ dedication over their lifetimes to our community,’’ Cr Tout said.
“Presentation Sisters Carmel Wallis and Kaye Bryan are the co-founders and driving force behind ErinEarth, one of Wagga Wagga’s most important environmental and community education initiatives.
“As educators and leaders, Carmel and Kaye’s work has contributed significantly to our community, encouraging sustainable living in homes, schools and workplaces. Their influence will resonate for many generations to come.’’
The pair founded ErinEarth almost three decades ago after developing a vision for a place that would both demonstrate practical sustainable living and encourage a deeper connection between people and the environment. Their proposal was supported by the Presentation Sisters in 1997, with land and seed funding provided at the Mt Erin site.
The plaque was unveiled at a ceremony in May.
What began as a patch of land containing former tennis courts and a rubbish dump gradually evolved, with the help of volunteers, schools and community groups, into a recognised environmental education centre and native garden promoting ecological justice and sustainable living. ErinEarth today continues to host workshops, school programs, gardens and community activities focused on caring for the natural world.
Carmel and Kaye said they felt an immense debt of gratitude to the people of Wagga Wagga in the creation of the ErinEarth community.
“Gradually, the 28 years of dedication are bringing about a consciousness shift, the shift so needed today from treating planet Earth as a resource to be plundered, to an emerging sense of Earth as one global community,” Carmel and Kaye said.
The Presentation Sisters have been part of Wagga Wagga since 1874, with a long history of education, social justice and community work across the region. Carmel and Kaye’s Walk of Honour recognition continues that legacy while highlighting the growing importance of environmental stewardship in regional communities.
