Stage 2 students on the Earth’s Environment: Eucalypt forest excursion exploring bushland at Field of Mars Reserve

Earth’s Environment: Eucalypt forest | Stage 2 HSIE geography excursion

Program overview

Students investigate the natural vegetation and resources of the eucalypt forest and the value of this environment to animals and people.

Learning intention

Students acting as place detectives on a bushwalk, observing and recording characteristics of the eucalypt forest
Eucalypt forest vegetation and habitat features that students investigate during the Earth’s Environment excursion

Activities

Students will undertake a bushwalk as ‘place detectives’.  Through teacher-led and student-directed activities, students will investigate and record the characteristics of the forest, evidence of animals and their interconnection with the environment.

Fieldwork tools will include sensory observation, invertebrate hunts and recording through sketching, mapping, watercolour and tallies in their take-home field journal. Students may also participate in a number of self-led, free choice activities.

This program will retire at the end of 2026.

Location options

Bushland track and eucalypt forest in Field of Mars Reserve, main location for the Earth’s Environment: Eucalypt forest excursion

Field of Mars Reserve

Main location – including risk assessment and risk management advice, bus map and track overview.

Buffalo Creek Reserve bushland and creek environment used as an alternative location for the Earth’s Environment excursion

Buffalo Creek Reserve

Alternative location – including risk assessment and risk management advice, bus map and track overview.

Blackman Park on the Lane Cove River, an alternative location for eucalypt forest and bushland fieldwork activities

Blackman Park

Alternative location – including risk assessment and risk management advice, bus map and track overview.

Essential information

Cost and details

Cost 2026

DoE $27 per student – GST free

Non-gov $37 per student – GST free, min charge $750 per class

Term 1 – Non-gov weeks 3 to 6 cost = DoE cost – GST free, min charge $750

Classes

Recommended maximum 6 classes.

Bring

Sports uniform, backpack, medication, low-waste food, water bottle, sunblock, raincoat, hat, sturdy shoes, reusable name tag.

View

Preparing for your excursion

Eucalypt forest learning resource

Welfare

Rugged bushwalking, limited wheelchair accessibility.

May not suit recently unwell participants.

For medical or special needs notify staff prior to program.

Extreme or wet weather

Program may be modified, postponed or cancelled due to predicted extreme temperatures, bush fire danger, heavy rainfall, high winds or dust storms.

Booking policy

Confirm student numbers and classes 7 days in advance.

Cancellation fee

Less than 30 working school days – $600

Less than 7 working school days notice – full cost

Weather or fire danger cancellation – $0

Suggested timetable

Time

Activities

9.45 - 10.30

Introduction

Toilets, recess, equipment bags distributed

10.30 - 12.00 Bushwalk and activities
12.00 - 12.30 Lunch and toilets
12.30 - 2.00 Bushwalk and activities
2.00 - 2.15 Pack up, toilets and depart

Tier 2 and 3 vocabulary

interconnections, interdependent, impact, sustainable, investigate, observe, manage, eucalypt forest, canopy, vegetation, pollinators, habitat, native, invertebrate, fieldwork

Syllabus outcomes and content

Geography K-10 Syllabus (2015)

The Earth's environment

Outcomes

  • Examines features and characteristics of places and environments GE2-1
  • Describes the ways people, places and environments interact GE2-2
  • Acquires and communicates geographical information using geographical tools for inquiry GE2-4

Content

Significance of environments

  • Investigate the importance of natural vegetation and natural resources to the environment, animals and people, for example:

    • identification of types of natural vegetation eg forests, grasslands, deserts
    • explanation of the importance of natural vegetation to animals and the functioning of the environment eg provision of habitats, production of oxygen
    • discussion of the importance of natural vegetation and natural resources to people

Learning experiences will also support but not explicitly teach the following outcomes and content:

Science and Technology K-6 Syllabus (2017)

Outcomes

  • Compares features and characteristics of living and non-living things ST2-4LW-S

Content

Survival of living things

  • Describe how living things depend on each other and environment to survive

Geography K-10 Syllabus © NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2015

Science and Technology K-6 Syllabus © NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2017

Book now button linking to Field of Mars Environmental Education Centre Stage 2 Earth’s Environment excursion bookings

Book now

Book your primary excursion using our online booking form.

Social stories tile helping Stage 2 students understand what will happen on the Earth’s Environment: Eucalypt forest excursion

Social stories

View social stories that explain what to expect on an incursion or excursion.

Eucalypt forest learning resource tile linking to digital materials that support the Earth’s Environment excursion

Learning resources

View online lessons that support primary incursion and excursion programs.

Flora and fauna fact sheets tile for native plants, animals and environments in Field of Mars Reserve used to support Stage 2 Geography learning

Flora and fauna fact sheets

View our curriculum-aligned fact sheets on Australian animals, plants, ecosystems and environments for NSW primary and secondary students, ideal for research, projects and classroom learning.