Field of Mars Environmental Education Centre

Experience Engage Enable

Telephone02 9816 1298

Emailfieldofmar-e.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Earth's environment - Eucalypt forest excursion program

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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

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 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

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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.

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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

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Field of Mars Environmental Education Centre

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We’d like to acknowledge the Wallumedegal Peoples of the Darug Nation, the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we stand and pay our respects to Elders past and present.

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