Water is Life
The Botanic Garden is strongly influenced by the management of water. Built on a slope with several visible keylines, participants will be able to analyse the depth of water penetration in various situations. Students will also see how water is managed on this site using plant selection, water tanks, swales and organic matter.
What happens?
- Take core samples to compare in key lines and various garden beds situated across the site
- Take a tour of our nursery facility to see water catchment / recycling
- Create a wicking bed and learn about the wicking structure and natural cycles
- Learn to identify where to find water if they are lost in the environment
Curriculum links
Themes: Earth and Space
ES4 Science understanding influences the development of practices in areas of human activity such as industry, agriculture and marine and terrestrial resource management. (ACSHE121, ACSHE136)
Students:
- (ACSSU222) identify that water is an important resource that cycles through the environment
- explain the water cycle in terms of the physical processes involved
- demonstrate how scientific knowledge of the water cycle has influenced the development of household, industrial and agricultural water management practices
- research how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples' knowledge is being used in decisions to care for country and place, e.g. terrestrial and aquatic resource management
Booking information
Minimum students: 15
Maximum group size: no more than two groups of 30 students per day
Please note: no education bookings are available on Fridays.
Class size will be limited for certain activities due to safety considerations and staffing resources.
Please book at least two months before your visit.
Use the button on this page to request an excursion booking, or call us during business hours on (02) 4227 7667.
If your request is accepted, we'll send you a booking confirmation letter, risk assessment, garden map and instructions for your visit (including wet weather plan).
Excursion cost is $14 (incl. GST) per student per day, and includes two activities. Carers and teachers are free.
In line with new Education Department policy, we are requesting the pre-payment of your attendance by credit card. This will be emailed to you as soon as we have confirmed your education date and you have confirmed your numbers. (Please note we cannot amend numbers after an invoice has been generated).
If payment before attendance is not possible you will be required to send us a PO number so we can send the invoice to EDConnect, to be paid prior to attendance.
Once your payment is made we will issue a confirmation, along with Council risk assessments covering safety for garden excursions.
Please meet at the Discovery Centre, located at the north eastern corner of Wollongong Botanic Garden.
Buses can drop students off at either the bus bay located at the University of Wollongong on Northfields Avenue or at our Murphys Avenue car park.
If your activity is being held at one of the Garden Annexes, such as Mount Keira or Puckeys Estate, please meet at the designated located specified on your booking confirmation.
We have a minimal waste policy and ask that packaging of food items brought to the Garden are minimised.
Most activities can still go ahead in light rain. In this case, please make sure students, teachers and accompanying parents wear appropriate wet weather clothes and shoes.
Our activities may need to be cancelled in heavy rain or high winds.
Please call us on the excursion day to confirm whether the program can continue or if your excursion needs to be rescheduled.