Ourimbah Public School are developing their school grounds as learning area that will showcase how students can learn about sustainability across the curriculum.
The site includes a remnant rainforest that has established walking trails (2 kilometres long), and a traditional Aboriginal site with tool sharpening grooves near a sandstone creek. The walking trails were developed over thirty years ago and since then there has been mass planting of native trees, weeding and the construction of a large frogpond to help cope with stormwater runoff.
In the last few years the site was not used as much as it could be, so in 2016 volunteer parents from the school applied for an Eco Schools' grant. They were sucessful in their application and the grant will assist with new signs and resources for the trail. Rumbalara EEC is assisting Ourimbah Public School by providing professional learning for teachers that will enable them to deliver field work in their rainforest trail and include differentiated lessons for each stage.
The community is also being involved in promoting the rainforest site. There are many volunteer parents that run regular walks and activites for the sudents. These are advertised on the schools facebook page. The site also has community open days where other environmental education providors provide information and activites e.g Streamwatch.
Students and the community are also helping research information for new interpretative signs and assist with regeneration work.
For more information, email Nicole Worral.
Visit the Ourimbah Public School's Facebook page for photos and information on open days.
