Water environments excursion program

Teacher checklist

Main location	Buffalo Creek Reserve, 117 Pittwater Road, Hunters Hill Wallumedegal Country Google maps - Apple maps
	Supply bus driver with Buffalo Creek bus information. No bus entry into Buffalo Creek Reserve carpark.
	Buffalo Creek Reserve risk management plan
	View the YouTube track overview videos. Sugarloaf Point loop track
Alternate location	Field of Mars Reserve – Pittwater Road, East Ryde Wallumedegal Country Google maps - Apple maps
	Supply bus driver with Field of Mars Reserve bus information
	Field of Mars Reserve risk management plan
	View the YouTube track overview videos. Buffalo Creek track Doyle and Warada loop track Strangers Creek loop track
Cost	2025 DoE $25 per student - GST free 2025 Non-gov school cost $35 per student - GST free, minimum charge $750 Term 1 - Catholic school Weeks 3 to 7 cost = DoE cost - GST free, minimum charge $750 Schools are to confirm the number of students and classes at least 7 days prior to attending. Schools will be charged based on the number of students confirmed or number of students who attend on the day (whichever is greater).
Welfare	Participants will be bushwalking during the day in rugged terrain. Not wheelchair accessible. This excursion may not be suitable for people who have recently been unwell.
Bring	Backpack, medication, low-waste food, water bottle, sunblock, raincoat, hat, sturdy shoes. Students wear reusable name tag and sports uniform.
View	Preparing for an excursion
Supporting resources	Animal and plant fact sheets
Bin access	All student waste to be taken home by students.
Parent/carer helpers	Optional one parent per class, no siblings. Closed shoes essential.
Medical or special needs	Notify Field of Mars staff prior to excursion. Students, staff and visitors must not attend if unwell, even with mild symptoms.
Extreme or wet weather	Days predicted to be above 35ºC, high winds, extreme bush fire danger and dust storms may result in the excursion being modified, postponed or cancelled.
Cancellations	Cancellations with less than 30 working school days notice will incur a $600 administration fee. Cancellations with less than 7 working school days notice will incur the full cost for the program based on the original booking. Cancellations due to weather or fire danger are exempt from fees.

Suggested timetable for maximum four classes

Time	Classes A, B, C, D
9.45 - 10.30	Introduction at Buffalo Creek Reserve, toilets and recess
10.30 - 12.30	Bushwalk and activities
12.30 - 1.00	Lunch at Buffalo Creek Reserve and toilets
1.00 - 1.45	Activities Nature map
1.45 - 2.15	Pack up and depart

Learning activities

Students investigate the natural and human features of the bushland, waterways and mangrove mudflats and how they are used and cared for.

Key questions

What are the natural and human features of Buffalo Creek and the Lane Cove River?
How do people use and care for the creek and river environments?

Fieldwork

Students will embark on an exciting journey to explore the diverse water environments of Buffalo Creek, mangrove mudflats, bushland ponds and Lane Cove River. They will engage in hands-on activities, observing and describing the natural and human features of these places. They will learn how these environments are used by people and animals and discover ways to care for them sustainably.

During the bushwalk, students will traverse the mangrove forest of Buffalo Creek Reserve, the eucalypt forest of Sugarloaf Hill and the riverbanks at Lane Cove River. Along the way they will stop for various sensory activities such as hunting for invertebrate hunts and exploring the mangrove forest to enhance their understanding of these unique Australian water environments.

This excursion will also provide an opportunity for students to recognize and acknowledge the ways in which Wullumedegal Peoples value water Country.

Throughout the day students will use a variety of hands-on fieldwork tools and sensory experiences to collect data including invertebrate hunts and crab hunting (tide dependant).

At the end of the day students will work in small groups to create a memory map of the area's natural features. They will present their findings, describe the features and suggest actions for caring for these precious water environments.

Syllabus outcomes and content

Human Society and its Environment K-6 Syllabus (2024)

People are connected to places and groups

Outcomes

Describes ways people connect to and care for places, water environments and each other, using geographical information HS1-GEO-01

Content

People care for Australia's water environments

Observe and describe natural and human features of Australian rivers, lakes, beaches and oceans by collecting and representing data
Compare the ways people use water environments in Australia by posing questions to collect data
Explain how people can use and care for water responsibly

Human Society and its Environment K-6 Syllabus © NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2024

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Field of Mars Environmental Education Centre

address Field of Mars Reserve
Pittwater Road
East Ryde NSW 2112

telephone 02 9816 1298

email fieldofmar-e.school@det.nsw.edu.au

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