First contacts: Awabakal country and place- Dudley Campus
History
Program
Students walk through Awabakal Nature Reserve investigating what life was like for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders before the arrival of Europeans. Students explore how the Awabakal people used the environment for food, water, shelter and making tools. Students examine tools and other evidence to discuss how we know what life was like.
Activities:
- Bushwalk through Awabakal Nature Reserve from Ocean St to Awabakal EEC.
- Examination of resources found in the environment used for food, shelter and tools.
- Gunyah building
- Dreaming story
- Paper coolamon making
- Class discussion and close look at examples of Aboriginal Tools and weapons
The basic program will be changed to suit the group size and weather conditions. For further information on curriculum links, the program and excursion information see below or contact us.
| What to bring | Students should bring lunch, recess, refillable water bottle, hats, sunscreen, covered walking shoes plus any special requirements of the group (Wet weather gear when necessary). Non-aerosol insect repellent is advisable in summer. |
| Bus information |
Buses come directly to the AEEC, Boundary Street, Dudley. Buses remain at AEEC while students use toilets (approximately 10 minutes). Students are reloaded onto buses, transported and dropped at the end of Ocean Street, Dudley. Buses collect students from AEEC, Boundary Street, Dudley at 2pm. The format of the program and bus drop off and collection points will be altered to suit larger groups. |
| Supervision |
AEEC is a NSW Department of Education school and staff are trained DoE teachers specialising in Environmental Education. AEEC teachers rely on the participation of visiting teachers to meet recommended supervision levels. Visiting teachers are ultimately responsible for behaviour of students, students with existing medical conditions or special needs. |
| Medical or special needs | Please notify Awabakal Environmental Education Centre of any medical conditions or special needs that may need to be taken into consideration when planning or delivering the program. Upon booking an excursion, a form will be emailed to complete to detail any medical or special needs. |
| Parent/ carer helpers | As our staff are Department of Education teachers we don’t require parent helpers on the day. If your school decides to bring parents, we kindly ask that you keep the number to a minimum. For safety reasons and the nature of our sites, parents will not be able to participate in activities. |
| Extreme or wet weather | Extreme weather conditions such as heavy rainfall, high winds and extreme bush fire danger may result in the excursion being modified, postponed or cancelled. If you have any concerns regarding the weather prior to the excursion, contact Awabakal Environmental Education Centre on 4955 8673 or email awabakal-e.school@det.nsw.edu.au. |
| Cancellations | Cancellations with less than three school weeks notice may incur an administration fee. This does not apply to cancellations due to weather or fire danger. |
Meet at AEEC to use toilets, reboard buses and travel to the end of Ocean Street, Dudley - 10:00 am
Introduction and morning tea in Awabakal Nature Reserve - 10:15 am
Walk, learning activities and lunch. The walk is approximately 3 km over 2.5 hours on well-defined bush tracks. Students walk from the end of Ocean Street, Dudley through Awabakal Nature Reserve to Awabakal Environmental Education Centre. There are no toilets available on this part of the excursion.
Arrive back at AEEC, break to use toilets - 12:45pm
Learning activities - 1:00pm
Finish- 2:00pm
This timetable is only a guide and may be adjusted to suit larger groups and conditions on the day.
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History outcomes Stage 2: Community and remembrance A student:
First contacts A student:
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Key inquiry questions Community and remembrance: Who lived here first and how do we know? First contacts: What was life like for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples before the arrival of the Europeans? |
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Content Community and remembrance: The importance of Country and Place to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples who belong to a local area. Students: • identify the original Aboriginal languages spoken in the local or regional area. • identify the special relationship that Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples have to Country and Place. • respond to Aboriginal stories told about Country presented in texts or by a guest speaker. First contacts: The diversity and longevity of Australia's first peoples and the ways Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples are connected to Country and Place (land, sea, waterways and skies) and the implications for their daily lives. Students: • investigate, the traditional Aboriginal way of life, focusing on people, their beliefs, food, shelter, tools and weapons, customs and ceremonies, art works, dance, music, and relationship to Country. |