Primary school
Council offers a range of primary school education programs, activities and excursions in Eurobodalla. The programs outlined on this page are just a sample of what's available to local schools.
Get in touch with us if you would like to find out more, or arrange a tailor-made workshop or activity.
Annual environment education calendar
All primary schools in Eurobodalla participate in the creation of this annual calendar.
Each year, students research a theme and develop slogans and drawings relating to that environmental theme. Twelve entries are selected, which are published in the calendar for the upcoming year.
Free copies are available for everyone at Eurobodalla's three libraries and at Council's customer service centre in Moruya.
Excursions
- School excursions to Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Garden:
This curriculum-based program is designed to cater for Stage 2 students (year 4). We provide students with a botany and biodiversity education session at the Botanic Garden. - Batemans Marine Park excursion:
This excursion provides students with a greater understanding of the marine park’s zones, its benefits and the variety of marine species living in the area. Students will learn to identify, describe and evaluate interdependent relationships between living things and the environment within particular marine park ecosystems. - Biodiversity excursions to endangered ecological communities:
Students can discover the importance of local vegetation communities such as dune systems, wetlands, littoral rainforests and Bangalay Sand forests. - Grey-headed flying-fox excursion:
Schools can learn about the grey-headed flying-foxes in their own habitat. To organise a school excursion, educational visit or teaching-resources on the grey-headed flying-fox or other Australian bats, contact Council's Natural Resource Management Officer (Flying-Foxes):
Challenges and workshops
- Water audit program:
Stage 2 students will use our water audit kits to learn how to save water and identify areas at school where water is being wasted. The water audit program provides hands-on experience that complements literacy, numeracy and science curriculum. Students can also use the kits and apply what they have learned at home. - Four-minute shower challenge:
By reducing the time you spend in the shower by one minute each day, you can save as much as 63 litres weekly, based on one person shortening a five-minute shower to a four-minute shower. This adds up 3,276 litres (over three tonnes) of water each year when using a WELS rated showerhead. The savings get more impressive with each additional family household member. We encourage students to take up the challenge at home and calculate how much water they are saving at home. - Compost kids:
Composting is nature’s way of recycling organic material, saving water and landfill space. Council provides hands-on workshops for schools that want to harvest their own compost onsite. Many schools are also growing vegetables and herbs, and enjoy eating the harvest they have grown as part of the Crunch&Sip ® initiative that promotes healthy eating. - The Tapstar Saves Water educational performance:
This interactive and educational performance incorporates singing, scientific demonstrations, puppetry and audience participation. It teaches students about being water-wise in a fun and engaging way. The pantomime is linked to the Australian Curriculum for Stages 1 to 3.
The Tapstar Saves Water performance is sponsored by Council via an annual visit from the acclaimed Eaton Gorge Theatre Company in three locations, so that all primary schools in Eurobodalla Shire can participate in the performance.
Clean-up programs
- Marine debris program:
Students will learn how to conduct marine debris clean-ups using the Australian Marine Debris Database (AMDI), why it is so important to record the debris being collected, and how we can work together to prevent the debris from entering the marine environment. - Keep NSW Beautiful EnviroMentors program:
Council’s Water and Waste Management Services sponsor annual visits by the Keep NSW Beautiful EnviroMentors®. The incursion-based workshops cover a range of environmental issues such as keeping our waterways clean, composting, waste reduction, recycling and saving water.
Workshops are designed to encourage students to become environmental stewards in their households, spreading the message to the wider community.
Clyde the Little Penguin Project
Clyde the Little Penguin Project aims to improve the habitat of the Little Penguin colony who make the Clyde (Bhundoo) River and Snapper Island their home.
This project assists schools and the broader community to:
- remove marine debris
- collect data
- monitor and remove invasive weed species.
The project also helps scientists to monitor the Little Penguin colony on Snapper Island.
You can find out more about the Little Penguins of Snapper Island and other environmental projects.
Little Penguin habitats
The Tollgates and Snapper Island have some of the largest breeding colonies in NSW. Eurobodalla Council has installed artificial nesting boxes on Snapper Island to help support the Little Penguin population.
Nicholas Carlile, Senior Scientist at the Department of Planning and Environment is assisting with a long-term study of the penguin colony. The study is helping to determine how healthy the estuary is as a source of food for the penguins by monitoring the growth of the chicks.
The Tollgates and Snapper Island have a ‘no landing policy' for the public. This policy gives the penguins the best chance of survival.
Eurobodalla Council also manages invasive weeds on Snapper Island. Our Invasive Species Team replaces weeds with native species that will benefit the Little Penguin habitat.
Students and community members involved in the Little Penguin Project can screen-print the ‘Clyde the Penguin logo’ on pre-loved t-shirts. This will help create awareness about the valuable nesting areas in the estuary. It will also encourage people to think about their use of single-use plastics and how they dispose of them.
Download
Watch
Students can watch this short video to find out what they need to do to be a part of the project:
You can also watch this video filmed during the 2021 nesting season to find out more about the Little Penguins and why we microchip them: