Water in the World – Going with the Flow

Excursion Program Overview

The Toolangi State forest is critical to Melbourne’s water supply. During this excursion, explore the importance of water to the environment and people. Discuss how forests like Toolangi’s contribute to creating, collecting, storing and filtering water, and explore natural and human influences on water movement and quality. Perform field work data collection activities that compare water quality at the start of a river system to that of your school’s local area.

Inclusions and Notes

Equipment supplied by Gould League: Safety helmets worn by all participants; workbook and all tools required for fieldwork data collection.

Equipment needed: A chartered bus (which is required to remain with the group at all times). First aid kit, sun screen, insect repellent and PPE including hand sanitiser to kill viruses, bacteria and other micro organisations. 

Please note that our Gould League educators will travel on your bus for the duration of your program time. We ask schools to ensure when booking coaches that 1 one seat is allocated for each group booked as they will provide commentary on the bus to students and guide the bus drivers. Please advise the Bookings Manager if there is no room on the coach for our educators, and travel fee of $0.88 per km will be added to your final invoice. This amount will vary according to the activities undertaken on the day which can vary due to local weather conditions. Maximum travel fee is $40.  This covers the cost of one vehicle only as Gould League Educators will carpool.

Student needs to bring: Their own water and lunch, sunscreen, a clipboard, pencil, and a copy of the Gould League workbook (usually sent 14 days prior to excursion so copies can be made for students) to guide the forest investigation; bag to take away your rubbish.

Restrictions: This Gould League program is delivered in the Toolangi State Forest, in the North Central Fire District and does not operate on days with a Fire danger rating of Extreme and Catastrophic. On rare occasions, programs may be postponed due to extreme weather predictions involving wind/storms. In both cases, these programs will be rescheduled at the earliest convenience of both parties. 

Programs DO operate during wet/snowy weather. Please contact us to discuss the best timing to optimize your group’s experience and ensure suitable clothing and footwear for the conditions predicted. Plan for wet weather from April-October, and expect temperatures at least 5 degrees colder than suburban Melbourne.

Curriculum Links

GEOGRAPHY: Geographical Concepts and Skills – Data and Information
– Collect and record relevant geographical data and information from useful primary and secondary sources, using ethical protocols (VCGGC102)
Geographical Knowledge: Water in the World
– Classification of environmental resources and the forms that water takes as a resource (VCGGK105)
– Ways that flows of water connect places as they move through the environment and the ways this affects places (VCGGK106)
– Nature of water scarcity and the role of humans in creating and overcoming it, including studies drawn from Australia and West Asia and/or North Africa (VCGGK108)
– The spiritual, economic, cultural and aesthetic value of water for people, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and peoples of the Asia region, that influence the significance of places (VCGGK109)
– Causes of an atmospheric or hydrological hazard and its impacts on places, and human responses to it to minimise harmful effects on places in the future(VCGGK110)
Geographical Knowledge: Place and liveability
– Factors that influence the decisions people make about where to live and their perceptions of the liveability of places (VCGGK111)
– Influence of accessibility to services and facilities; and environmental quality, on the liveability of places (VCGGK112)
Science Understanding: Earth and Space Sciences
– Water is an important resource that cycles through the environment (VCSSU101)
Science Understanding: Science as a human endeavour
– Science and technology contribute to finding solutions to a range of contemporary issues; these solutions may impact on other areas of society and involve ethical considerations (VCSSU090) Elaborations: considering decisions made in relation to the recycling of greywater and blackwater; and investigating strategies implemented to maintain part of the local environment, such as bushland, a beach, a lake, a desert or a shoreline
Science Inquiry Skills: Questioning and predicting
– Identify questions, problems and claims that can be investigated scientifically and make predictions based on scientific knowledge (VCSIS107)

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