http://gallery.kjodle.net/upload/2011/11/02efpk.html

June 12 on the Airlie Beach foreshore

Reef Guardian News

Reef Guardian Schools Newsletter - June 2010

Welcome note

Reef HQ Aquarium would like to once again thank all of the participating schools for this year's Go Green for Turtle Week. 26 schools came on board this year with 5 schools also donating to the Cairns Rehabilitation Centre and some schools also donating to the Sea Turtle Foundation. By the looks of the class photos; it was a fun day for all! Donations from schools are still coming in; to date Reef HQ has raised over $1700 and counting. Once all donations have been received, the 12 month family membership will be issued and the Reef Sleep prize draw worth over $2500 will be announced. If you have not already completed the details of your school donation to Reef HQ please email marketing@reefHQ.com.au.

The Turtle Hospital is currently caring for three marine turtles:

1. Dusty (a hawksbill turtle) was admitted to the hospital in September 2009 with a collapsed lung and pneumonia. Due to the colder climate and cooler water temperature, Dusty will be released in spring this year.

2. Barney (a green turtle) was admitted to the hospital in April 2010 with kidney problems and suspected oedema (fluid retention). Barney is currently being monitored and should make a full recovery.

3. Ernie (a green turtle) was admitted to the hospital early May 2010 with a lung infection and a bacterial infection resulting in ulcers and lesions on his carapace (shell). Ernie has taken his second course of antibiotics and is due to make a full recovery within six months.

I got the chance to go to visit several schools during their celebrations for Go Green for Turtle Week and there were some fantastic costumes.

On a local note

Two new schools have joined the Reef Guardian Schools program in the Isaac region. A big welcome goes to Moranbah East Primary and Moranbah State School.

The Eco Expo (Mackay Queens Park 6 June), was an opportunity for business to showcase their innovations and product towards a sustainable future. Beaconsfield State School and Eungella State School each had a stall showcasing the wonderful work that the students have been doing in the classroom and on their school grounds.

To celebrate National Reconciliation Week, NQ Dry Tropics recently launched an educational film in Townsville that explores the significance of the relationships between Traditional Owners and sea turtles. The film entitled 'Safeguarding the Gungu (sea turtle)' promotes the role of Traditional Owners in marine turtle conservation and looks at how cultural heritage and western science can be used together to manage turtle populations. The film was developed by NQ Dry Tropics with help from the Gudjuda Reference Group, and the Juru, Bindal, and Nywagi Traditional Owners with funding from the Australian Government's Caring for our Country initiative. For further information on this resource please contact info@nqdrytropics.com.au.

Congratulations to Walkerston primary School for coming in 3^rd place for their recycled art submission at the Eco Expo. There are lots of creative ways that you can celebrate being a Reef Guardian School in your community. Have you got an event planned? I'd love to hear about it.

You should all have received your Reef Guardian School Sea Country Connections Reef Beat educational resource. Reef beat: Sea Country Connections is an innovative teaching resource that includes activities and challenges to stimulate enquiring minds to explore the relationship between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and the Great Barrier Reef. Teachers and students can gain additional resources at www.gbrmpa.gov.au/corp_site/info_services/education. Each school should have received one copy of the resource (unless you have requested more copies). If you have not received your Reef Beat or would like further information about this resource please contact carolyn.luder@gbrmpa.gov.au.

I have received lots of Reef Guardian School action plans over the past term however I am still awaiting action plans from some schools. I know that it is a busy time for you so to make it easy for you we can arrange an action plan meeting via the phone or face-to-face and fill it out together. I am also available to coordinate action plan training for staff within your school. For more information about Reef Guardian School action plans or to arrange an action plan meeting please contact me at carolyn.thompson@gbrmpa.gov.au or 4951 3454.

The Queensland Sustainable Schools website has been launched. The Sustainable Schools website will benefit an initial 300 designated Earth Smart Science schools. The Earth Smart Science program for state primary schools will be rolled out to 1000 schools over the next three years. The program aims to reduce schools' ecological footprints through the development and implementation of school environmental management plans (SEMPs). The Queensland Sustainable Schools website is at www.sustainableschools.qld.edu.au. For further information on how the Reef Guardian School action plans and SEMPs overlap please contact carolyn.thompson@gbrmpa.gov.au or 4951 3454.

Reef Dreaming School Holiday Fun
Experience Reef HQ Aquarium these school holidays through the eyes of a Traditional Owner. Join a local Indigenous guide as they share their knowledge of the Great Barrier Reef marine life. Discover local Dreamtime stories including "Yamanie" the Rainbow Serpent and learn how to roll string and make your own beach hibiscus bracelet. Get crafty and create your own fiddler crab and mudskipper, plus there's lots of other unique cultural activities about the Great Barrier Reef.

The school holiday program is available from Saturday 26 June to Sunday 11 July, 10am to 12pm daily. It's free with Reef HQ Aquarium ticket purchase or membership - a gold coin donation is appreciated. Children must be accompanied by an adult and bookings are not required.

If you are organising an environmental event or project coming up at your school why not let us know what you're up to! We can feature it in the next Reef Guardian Schools newsletter.

Partnership feature

Scientists in Schools is a national program that seeks to bring volunteer scientists [including applied scientists, engineers and mathematicians] together with teachers into an ongoing professional partnership, with the aim of increasing awareness of contemporary scientific endeavour and knowledge within our school communities.

The partnerships are completely flexible - both partners bring their professional expertise and professional requirements into the mix and they decide together how they will proceed, with support from the Scientists in Schools team.

Scientists in Schools started in July 2007 and at present there are over 1600 partnerships across Australia. It is funded by the Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, with supplementary funding from CSIRO and is managed by CSIRO Education. Participation by schools is spread across government, Catholic and independent sectors and includes a fairly even split of primary and secondary schools.

For further information about this great program, including online registration forms, showcases of successful partnerships and contact details see www.scientistsinschools.edu.au.

Environmental activities and events

World Oceans Day was celebrated on the 8^th of June. With the Gulf of Mexico oil leak still ongoing it is a sombre reminder of the threats to the health of our oceans, the products the ocean provides and the marine life that it supports. Magnetic Island State School celebrated World Oceans Day through Reef Art that was displayed at the World Oceans Day 2010 event on Magnetic Island. Did you celebrate World Oceans Day? Maybe you encouraged a litter clean up at your school to reduce marine debris? Or painted stormwater drains around your school to promote to your community that the reef is closer than you think?

NAIDOC week 2010 is coming up between the 4 – 11^th of July. The 2010 National NAIDOC theme is 'Unsung heroes – closing the gap by leading their way.' Many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have made huge contributions to Australian society. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have used the Great Barrier Reef for thousands of years. More than 70 traditional Owner groups along the Great Barrier Reef coastline indentify with a particular area of land or sea country where their ancestors lived. As NAIDOC week will be held during the school holidays in 2010 many of you are celebrating NAIDOC week at your school before or after the holidays. If you are planning a NAIDOC week activity at your school please let me know the details so that I can arrange a visit to your school carolyn.thompson@gbrmpa.gov.au or 4951 3454.

Register now to inspire future environmental leaders! Get involved in the 2010 International Kids Teaching Kids Coastal Conference (17- 19 October) at Caloundra, Queensland. To register for this event visit www.kidsteachingkids.com.au

To celebrate World Environment Day (5^th June) Coles is asking children and their families to make a difference to their environment by bringing their old or unwanted reusable "green" shopping bags to any Coles supermarket for recycling as part of the Coles Bag Drive. This is a great chance for your school to start your own recycling program or promote your existing recycling program and win some new outdoor furniture for your school. Enter by the 30 June 2010 for your chance to WIN simply by telling Coles about an exciting or innovative environmental initiative at your school and how this is making a difference to your school community. Primary schools can enter to win outdoor furniture made of recycled shopping bags by emailing everybagcounts@coles.com.au and describing what they're doing to help the environment. The best 100 examples of recycling and reuse will receive outdoor furniture made from reusable bags.

Website of the month

Register today for Visy Enviromaniacs, a free web-based program that makes environmental education fun for you and your students. To support you in your teaching, the program includes five computer games for kids based around recycling, water, energy, packaging and litter. Each topic is supported by lesson plans that tie into curriculum guidelines. See http://www.visyenviromaniacs.com.au/.

Education Resource

Carolyn Nuttall and Janet Millington, two Permaculturists and experienced primary school teachers, have answered the call from the groundswell of enthusiasm by teachers and parents seeking guidance and support to explore learning in the school garden. Their new book, Outdoor Classrooms: A handbook for School Gardens, offers two streams of thought and experience to provide valuable background, ideas and methods allowing the reader access to both inspirational ideas and step-by-step instruction. For further information about this resource see http://permaculture.org.au/store/outdoor_classrooms2c_a_handbook_for_school_gardens.htm.

Funding, awards, grants and competitions

Some grants require more work than others to apply. If you would like to know more about upcoming grants, how to apply, need help to complete a grant application or would like a letter of support for a grant you are working on for please contact me carolyn.thompson@gbrmpa.gov.au or 4951 3454.

Enter the Reef and Rainforest Keep it Wild poster competition. Celebrate the Year of Environmental Sustainability and International Year of Biodiversity and help protect the reef and rainforest, keeping them wild for our future generations. Can you portray one message on how to reduce your impact on our reef and rainforest World Heritage Area. Prizes include a trip to the Paluma Environmental Education Centre or a class day trip to the Reef HQ Aquarium including tickets to the IMAX. Entries close Friday 25^th June 2010. For more information please contact Megan Sperring on 47500850 or megan.sperring@gbrmpa.gov.au .

Applications are now open for the Ergon Energy Envirofund 2010. With total funds of $100,000, the Envirofund is a grant program that provides funding for not-for-profit community groups and organisations to undertake projects with an energy conservation and environmental focus in their local community. Schools are encouraged to apply. Grants will be provided from as little as $200 up to a maximum of $10,000, depending on the project’s size and merit. For more information see http://www.ergon.com.au/community--and--our-network/community-partnerships/envirofund. Entries close Friday 16th July.

The 2010 National Australia Bank School's First Award applications will open on Monday the 28^th June. The application form will be online earlier than the application opening date. Be sure to get online and download this early to give you time to prepare for the application process. Please contact me if you would like further assistance on the funding application process. Visit the School's First website for more information http://www.schoolsfirst.edu.au/

The Global Communities for Sustainability Project (GCS) is managed by the Centre for Environment Education Australia (CEEA) Inc. and has links with the home office in Ahmedabad, India. If you are a primary or secondary school with a committed environmental education or sustainability program or in the stages of organising one this could be the program for you. At the core of the GCS are school-driven, sustainability collaborations with key community organisations that are established in both Australia and India. Schools wishing to join the project in 2010 or seeking more information are invited to contact Syd Smith at CEEA by mid May on email: sydsmith@optushome.com.au or mobile: 0417 282576

Round 3 applications for the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Grant close on the 25 June. The Australian Government has allocated $12.8 million of infrastructure funding, over 4 years, to enable up to 190 eligible schools to establish the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden National Program (SAKGNP). Eligible schools can now apply for the 3rd round of funding, for grants of up to $66,000 (GST inclusive) to join the Kitchen Garden Program. For more information on this grant see http://www.kitchengardenfoundation.org.au/grants-national.shtml.

Whitsunday Park news_December 2009_Edition 28.pdf - Adobe Reader

Cap'n Dan Van Blarcom
Secretary, Whitsunday Local Marine Advisory Committee
4946 4131
0407676952
Email: ahoy@reefweb.info
Snail mail: PO Box 155,
Airlie Beach, Qld. 4802

Release of Great Barrier Reef Outlook Report 2009 [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]

 

I am pleased to advise you that the Great Barrier Reef Outlook Report 2009 was released today by the Hon. Peter Garrett AM MP, Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts.

The Outlook Report was prepared by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and provides a comprehensive and frank assessment of the status of the Great Barrier Reef. The Report recognises the important social, cultural, economic and environmental contributions of the Great Barrier Reef and identifies that while the Great Barrier Reef continues to be one of the healthiest coral reef ecosystems in the world, the outlook for this World Heritage listed natural icon is now at a crossroad. Decisions made in the next few years are likely to determine its long-term future.

The full Report and an 'In Brief' version are available at www.gbrmpa.gov.au along with Information Sheets covering a range of topics and links to the joint Australian and Queensland Governments' interim response and the Minister's Media Release.

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support and continued contribution to the long-term health and resilience of the Great Barrier Reef.

Russell Reichelt
Chairman
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority

September 2

Cap'n Dan Van Blarcom
Secretary, Whitsunday Local Marine Advisory Committee
4946 4131
0407676952
Email: ahoy@reefweb.info
Snail mail: PO Box 155,
Airlie Beach, Qld. 4802

EcoKids Reef Guardian Club

EcoKids is an extracurricular volunteer based program supported by the OUCH environment group and registered by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. The purpose of the EcoKids program is providing environmental activities for children in years 4 to 12.

EcoKids education program. The components of the program include:

1) Youth Environment Awards (May date TBA)
2) Conduct an education workshops
3) Developing a website supported by a database to store local environmental information for school kids.
4) The documenting of the EcoKids education program using a digital camcorder.
5) Whitsunday environmental Youth engagement project
6) Reef discovery public Program Manager Mangrove discovery.

Tidy Towns Awards announced
§ Queensland’s Young Legends Award for the Whitsunday EcoKids Club. A lot of great work is being done with support from Local Government. EcoKids is a creative and interesting way to involve young people in environmental matters where the natural environment is a very significant asset. EcoKids is Queensland’s first Reef Guardian Club recognised by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. EcoKids are known for the positive message of their annual Youth Environmental Awards, and their anti litter campaign aimed at smokers entitled “Keep you Butts off our Reef.” EcoKids have received funding from Rotary to build a better website, start a Mangrove Monitoring program and open their new Environment Haven at the Whitsunday Shopping Centre. From art to organising Ranger guided walks, EcoKids work with kids across the community.
Our EcoKids Reef Guardian Club was established in 2006 by local school kids Portia and Bianca Large and concentrates on positive engagement of youth with the environment.

EcoKids Reef Guardian Club is a part of OUCH Volunteers Inc and receives funding and/or assistance from GBRMPA, Rotary Club of Airlie Beach, Whitsunday Catchment Landcare, Whitsunday Regional Council, Whitsunday Local Marine Advisory Committee, Coral Sea Resort, Eco Barge, Whitsunday Shopping Centre, Reefweb, Tropical Signs, Lions Club.

EcoKids have won awards from GBRMPA, Ergon Energy Tidy Towns Awards, 2nd place Telstra Channel TEN Environment Awards, Future Leaders and have produced our own television and radio commercials as well as our annual Youth Environment Awards, YEA!

Cap'n Dan Van Blarcom
Secretary, EcoKids Reef Guardian Club -- A part of OUCH Volunteers Inc
4946 4131 MOB 0407676952 Email: ecokids@reefweb.info
Snail mail: PO Box 155, Airlie Beach, Qld.

Oceanic Boat & Leisure Show - volunteers for EcoKids

Ahoy!

 

The EcoKids are helping Rotary with a new addition at the Oceanic Boat & Leisure Show this year.

 

It called 'Kids Cove' and we have lots of stuff for kids to do.

 

However, quite a few of our EcoKids and their parents are going to the State sailing titles in Yeppoon over this weekend or have prior commitments.

 

So, I can use some help if you know of anyone who has some time and wants to enjoy their childhood (again?)

 

You can even play the games . . . and make things . . .  it's not baby sitting.

 

If you can help for a while on either of the two days this weekend, please give me a yell or email ecokids@reefweb.info

 

Regards,

 

Cap'n Dan Van Blarcom
Secretary, EcoKids, Reef Guardian Club of GBRMPA

 

4946 4131
0407676952
Email:  ecokids@reefweb.info

 

New 'Kids Cove' boat show fun for kids

 

Award winning youth environmental group EcoKids Reef Guardian Club is joining forces with Rotary Club of Airlie Beach to have a new 'Kids Cove' full of  fun and educational activities for kids at the family friendly Oceanic Whitsunday Boat & Leisure Show this weekend.

Parents can bring their camera and picture the kids enjoying the 'Under the Sea" mural or aboard a fully rigged kid sized Optimist sailing boat. Kids under 12 years are free to attend the show.

EcoKids are part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) Reef Guardian program developed in schools throughout Queensland.

A fun game for kids to try is the brand new GBRMPA Climate Change Game that guarantees plenty of action.

There will be marine animal facemasks, colourful bandanas to make, and badges to design in a cool safe environment with parents relaxing nearby.

Kids can join EcoKids at the show and you could win a great prize.

Highlighting our environment, 'Kids Cove' will feature displays and activities from Whitsunday Catchment Landcare, Eco Barge, Marine Parks Rangers from Department of Environment and Resource Management, Optimist sailing and more.

Aargh! Might even have some Pirates aboard.