The Inverell and District Family Services preschool won the Bunnings Christmas tree competition, earning them a garden bed prize that the centre converted to a sensory walkway.

“So it’s an open box to walk through with different rocks and textures and stuff for children to walk through,” early childhood educator Michele Penberthy said.

Bunnings staff Will Watson and Jay Humphreys arrived with bags of stones, bright pink and green sands, punnets of flowers, stacks of sawn logs, and timber to create the garden walkway.

They were aided by four Inverell High School Clontarf Academy students, and a host of small preschool helpers.

Miniature supervisor Charlie and Aiden stood transfixed as the men cleared the ground and dug furrows to lay timber for the footpath leading to the walkway.

“They’re making a footpath (with) rocks and sand,” Charlie explained seriously, keeping an eye on the digging.

Soon a number children worked beside the adults, enthusiastically digging holes for plants and holes in general.

Educator Lesley Tome said the children will love engaging with the sensory path and new garden

“Because we have all the garden here, so they’re gardening all the time,” she said.

“We really, really try to encourage them to look after their environment, and connect with their world.

Clontarf director Michael Watton put his shoulder into the work beside the high school students, and said he was glad the boys had another chance to offer support in community.

‘Hopefully these kids do remember the boys’ faces, and the work they’ve done here, and I guess that’s building a stronger community,” he said.

"And the boys will feel proud when they've contributed to things like this."