Earth's environment - Eucalypt forest excursion program

Teacher checklist

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
Alternative location 1	Buffalo Creek Reserve – 117 Pittwater Road, Hunters Hill Wallumedegal Country Google maps - Apple maps
	Supply bus driver with Buffalo Creek Reserve bus access. No bus entry into Buffalo Creek Reserve carpark.
	Buffalo Creek Reserve risk management plan
	View the YouTube track overview video Sugarloaf Point loop track
Alternative location 2	STEP track via Canoon Road Recreation Area – Canoon Road, South Turramurra Terramerragal Country Google maps - Apple maps
	Supply bus driver with Canoon Road Recreation Area bus access
	STEP Track risk management plan
	View the YouTube track overview video STEP 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. Limited wheelchair accessibility. Email to confirm with location. This excursion may not be suitable for people who have been recently 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	Student activities Eucalypt Forest - available free from Apple Books 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 up to six classes

Time	Classes A, B, C, D, E, F
9.45 - 10.20	Introduction Toilets, recess, equipment bags distributed
10.20 - 1.20	Bushwalk and activities
1.20 - 1.40	Lunch on site
1.40 - 2.00	Concluding activity
2.00 - 2.15	Pack up and depart

Learning activities

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

Inquiry questions

What are the geographical features of a eucalypt forest?
How does the eucalypt forest provide habitat for native animals?
What are some relationships between living things in a eucalypt forest?

Fieldwork

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 will also work independently guided by task cards catering for a variety of learning styles. Teachers will be encouraged to take photographs for student use back in the classroom.

Hands-on activities describing forest vegetation layers, habitat features and animals of the forest conclude the day.

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

Other syllabus links

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

Return to program summary

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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Earth's environment - Eucalypt forest excursion program

Teacher checklist

Suggested timetable for up to six classes

Time

Classes A, B, C, D, E, F

Learning activities

Syllabus outcomes and content

Field of Mars Environmental Education Centre

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