Year 12 Earth and Environmental Science Fieldwork with St Joseph’s College

On Friday 1 September , Year 12 Earth and Environmental Science class held a joint fieldwork exercise with St Joseph’s College. 

During the course of term 3 and Module 8 of the Syllabus, the 12 EES class has investigated human impacts on the environment, sustainability and the processes used by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples to preserve Country and Place. Kelly’s Bush is located beside the College and contains several sites of cultural significance including middens, sandstone rockpools and grinding stones. 

Students conducted a field walk around the Kelly’s Bush sites and visited the middens and rockpools. They discussed the traditions and practices that preserved these sites, as well as work by government bodies, local agencies and groups. The students worked together in small mixed groups to collect water samples from the pools and then took these back to the College laboratories to examine under the microscope for micro and macro-organisms. 

Following the lab work, the students enjoyed an afternoon tea with the St Joseph’s College students before farewelling the class at the end of the day. In the approach to their final HSC exams, both classes enjoyed the opportunity to meet and collaborate with other students doing Earth and Environmental Science.