Experiential Learning – Year 9 Geography Field Work

Although it was a rainy day, Year 9 Geography students had a lovely day conducting field work and gathering geographical primary research on the Sydney Harbour National Park. Through analysis students have deepened their understanding about environmental change and management. Students will use this real world data within their upcoming Assessment Task. A huge thank you to all the Geography teachers who attended and Richard Crittenden for organising this fabulous learning opportunity for our Year 9 Geography students.
Brigida Zagora
Head of HSIE (Humanities and Social Sciences)

Student Reflections

The Year 9 Geography Fieldwork Excursion to Sydney Harbour and Watson’s Bay provided an educational insight into Australia’s ever-changing coastline. We caught a ferry which took us on a trip around the harbour’s coastline whilst our Rangers accompanied this voyage with an in-depth description of how the coastline has changed dramatically over the years since Europeans had first arrived on its shores. Then, stopping by Watson’s Bay, we had the chance to closely explore how natural factors like weather and ocean currents affected coastal walls and manmade strategies that have been implemented to preserve the surrounding environment as much as possible. We hiked up the coastline’s cliffs, where we observed the breathtaking views of the edge of Australia and the vast ocean that lies beyond it. We then came back down and observed how man-made changes like added infrastructure and the increasing population has led to issues such as pollution and waste, which can be detrimental to the shores. Overall, this excursion has given Year 9 an insightful and interactive experience around environmental changes and management practices.
Caitlyn Arellano
Year 9

The highlight of the day was being able to take part in all the activities with friends. These activities allowed me to understand the deep importance of taking care of the environment and how Sydney is making positive changes to help take care of our ecosystem. Although the weather wasn’t ideal for a day outside, we all managed to make the best of it and enjoy what we were out taking part in. The Environmental Guides were incredibly generous, and we were all so grateful for all the help they provided us in collecting our primary data.
Pia Lapanaitis
Year 9

I had the opportunity to go to the Sydney Harbour and Watsons Bay in the city to learn about the changes that have happened in this area over time. During this excursion, we took a ferry around the Sydney harbour and were taught about the changes in Circular Quay, the landscape and the importance of biodiversity. At Watson’s Bay we learnt about management strategies used to measure the change and state of the environment through different activities. An example of how we collected data was by using a quadrant to measure how much rubbish was left in the park. Overall, this excursion was an enjoyable experience that taught me about how much has changed in Sydney over the years and what people have done to ensure change for the benefit of society and marine life.
Hayley Wong
Year 9