Let's Learn!

SCHOOL EXCURSIONS

One of the aims of our Group is to increase knowledge of local marine life, as well as an appreciation of Batemans Marine Park, and who better to start with than school children.

Quite a few years ago Nature Coast Marine Group helped the Council environment officers and Marine Park officers develop a marine excursion program for local Primary school students. So for many years a few volunteers from NCMG have been assisting with excursions to rock platforms in our area. It is a wonderful and rewarding opportunity to help our young students appreciate our marine environment as well as learning more about it ourselves. However, as schools are growing so is the program, so that we are looking for more volunteers to be able to help with the excursions.

Local primary schools that choose to take part send their Year 5 students (children around 10 years old) to the rock platform closest to their school.  All the arrangements are made by Bernadette Davis (from Council’s environment team) and Shamaram Eichmann from the Marine Park.

On the day, the class arrives at the agreed time and place and the children are separated into four groups of 6-8 students. One group goes to the rock platform to learn about the most common animals and plants and where they prefer to live.  A second group has a close look at shells and learns about the animals that made them. NCMG volunteers take these two groups. The third group learns about seaweeds and litter prevention – Bernadette usually takes this. Shamaram talks to the fourth group about the Marine Park and the way it is zoned. 

Each activity takes about 15 minutes before the children rotate to the next one. If there is more than one class, as the first class finishes the next one arrives for another four sessions.

Since Covid 19 restrictions prevented the excursions last year both Years 5 and 6 are coming in 2021.  Batemans Bay Primary is scheduled to visit Cullendulla on 17th and 18th August with 6 classes over two days.  Other schools may take up the offer later in the year.

To keep the program going NCMG needs more volunteers. It is a great opportunity to learn more about our marine environment, and rewarding to be able to inspire young children to appreciate our Marine Park. Come and join us to assist one of the leaders and learn on the “job”.

Please contact Jenny Edwards 0492 176 148 or Jane Elek 0427 197 577 to find out more.