The partnership between dirtgirl, Get Grubby TV and National Tree Day has grown into something deeper than collaboration: a shared story about raising a generation that cares.

For creator and Emmy award-winning producer Cate McQuillen, the alignment with Planet Ark was clear from the beginning. When dirtgirlworld was looking to connect with organisations working in the environmental space, National Tree Day stood out for its authenticity and impact.

“We were looking for our people,” she says. “And it was just so obvious that Planet Ark was our people.”

Around 12 years ago, dirtgirl joined National Tree Day as an ambassador and began turning up to events on the ground with children and communities. Together with Costa Georgiadis (who plays Costa the Gnome in the series), what started as some simple positive actions soon became something much more meaningful.

dirtgirl and Costa the Gnome have been National Tree Day ambassadors for over 10 years.

For dirtgirl, those moments carry a feeling that’s hard to replicate anywhere else.

“National Tree Day feels like a big, beating green heart,” she says. “It doesn’t feel like an event, it feels like a promise being made.”

From the outset, the partnership was never just about the act of planting. It was about what that act represents and how it shapes identity.

Through dirtgirl’s presence, tree planting became something children could see themselves in. It wasn’t just a one-off activity, but the beginning of a relationship with nature. Kids weren’t just learning how to plant trees but learning about themselves in the process.

National Tree Day events are learning opportunities when dirtgirl is involved.

That sense of identity is reinforced by trust. For many children, dirtgirl is a familiar and grounded figure who represents honesty and a genuine love for the natural world. Her involvement signals that what’s happening is real, not tokenistic, helping the message land in a deeper and more lasting way.

National Tree Day’s hands-on nature is key to that impact. Planting a tree is something children feel, not just something they’re told about. It’s physical, memorable and shared. And those moments tend to stay.

“We meet people years later who say, ‘we planted a tree together,’” McQuillen says. “They remember everything.”

Part of that lasting impact comes from the simple, sensory act of digging in together, something dirtgirl believes is fundamental.

“Getting your hands dirty is everything,” she says. “The moment your fingers touch soil, something shifts. It’s like your body remembers this is where I belong.”

That physical connection helps transform understanding into care. It’s no longer abstract but lived and felt.

“That becomes part of who they are,” McQuillen explains. “They’re the kind of people who care for trees, who notice them, who understand what they need to thrive.”

Through dirtgirl’s presence, tree planting became something children could see themselves in. It wasn’t just a one-off activity, but the beginning of a relationship with nature. Kids weren’t simply learning what to do; they were beginning to understand who they were.

“That time spent in nature becomes part of who they are,” McQuillen says.

“They’re the kind of people who care for trees, who notice them, who understand what they need to thrive.”

That sense of identity is reinforced by trust. For many children, dirtgirl is a familiar and grounded figure, someone who represents honesty and a genuine love for the natural world. Her involvement signals that what’s happening is real, not tokenistic, helping the message land in a deeper and more lasting way.

dirtgirl helping children plant a tree at a National Tree Day event in 2014.

National Tree Day’s hands-on nature is key to that impact. Planting a tree is something children feel, not just something they’re told about. It’s an act that is physical, memorable and shared.

“We meet people years later who say, ‘we planted a tree together,’” McQuillen says. “They remember everything.”

It’s a powerful reminder that meaningful experiences leave lasting impressions, especially on the younger generation.

Another defining feature of the partnership is the balance between joy and rigour. While dirtgirl and Costa bring energy and playfulness to every event, there is also a strong emphasis on doing things properly. Children are trusted to learn real skills and understand the care required for trees to thrive.

“No one is too little to do it right,” McQuillen says. “That’s a life skill.”

Alongside this practical knowledge is something equally important: imagination. Children are encouraged not just to plant a tree, but to picture what it will become. That ability to see into the future transforms a small action into something much bigger.

“When I plant a tree I don’t just see a sapling,” dirtgirl says. “I see shade on a hot day, birds building their homes, kids climbing its branches. I see a quiet hero, standing there long after we’ve gone.”

It’s this sense of future-thinking that shifts the narrative from fear to optimism, giving children a sense that they are not just inheriting the future but actively shaping it. That openness, curiosity and joy sit at the heart of every National Tree Day event and help explain why the experience stays with people for so long.

On a national scale, that feeling is amplified. Each year, thousands of Australians take part in National Tree Day, creating a shared moment of action across the country.

“There’s something incredible about knowing that all across the country, people are doing this together,” McQuillen says.

As National Tree Day marks 30 years, its importance has only grown. What may once have been seen as a relatively simple day out has become something essential in our modern world, an opportunity to reconnect with nature, community and purpose.

“It was a great endeavour 30 years ago,” McQuillen says. “Now it’s an imperative.”

dirtgirl getting grubby with Planet Ark staff at a National Tree Day event in 2019.

And yet, its strength remains in its simplicity. At its heart, National Tree Day offers a moment to slow down, put hands in the soil, and feel part of something bigger, something dirtgirl believes to be a timeless act.

“Somewhere out there, your tree is stretching into the sky,” she says. “You didn’t just plant a tree. You planted yourself into the future.”

For dirtgirl and all the crew at dirtgirlworld, being part of the National Tree Day journey has always been about more than getting grubby. It’s about helping children build a lifelong connection to the natural world, one tree, one moment, and one story at a time.