Environmental Education

A new Environmental Education Parent Pack has launched to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day and to encourage the importance of connecting to the natural world amongst the COVID-19 pandemic.

We've created the packs which includes lesson plans, worksheets and activity guides that can translate easily into a home school environment for families.

Each pack incorporates art, science, geography and math, with the aim of keeping learning stress free and fun.

If you have any questions or need support with the following content, please get in contact with our Environmental Education Officer at open.space@campbelltown.nsw.gov.au.

Please make sure you are up to date with Government guidelines on social distancing and self-isolation.

Your guide to identifying animal poo

Wildlife poo is known as scat, and it can be very useful in working out what species are nearby because each type of scat is different. We've developed a handy guide so you can brush up on your animal scat knowledge and detect what animals have been wandering your local trails.

Parents Pack - your guide to identifying animal poo(PDF, 1MB)

Pollinating Project - bug hotels

Learn how to make a recycled bug hotel for your backyard or balcony that will attract good insects, offering them a space where they can live for the winter and encourage them to help the plants near your home.

Parents Pack - bug hotels(PDF, 2MB)

Meet your plant and animal neighbours

Campbelltown is home to a huge variety of plants and animals as well as the many different habitat types that they call home. Let's discover the local landscape and the animals that live within them.

Parents Pack - meet your plant and animal neighbours(PDF, 6MB)

Nature play activities

Looking for some creative nature play ideas to do at home? Here's some inspiration that will keep the kids busy, engaged and learning. Themes include water quality games, biodiversity, plants and animals.

Parents Pack - nature play(PDF, 5MB)

Pollinating project - seed bombs

A seed bomb is made using a few simple materials that can be sourced locally or even in your own backyard. Learn about the process of germination and pollination whilst getting your hands dirty!

Parents Pack - seed bombs(PDF, 3MB)

Sensory games and scavenger hunts

A list of creative games and fun natural treasure hunts to dig a little deeper at what's in your backyard, balcony or Local Park.

Parents Pack - sensory games and scavenger hunts(PDF, 6MB)

Keeping in touch with nature during challenging times can make us feel calmer and happier.

We've included some great resources below which will help keep the little ones busy and add a bit of fun to your day!

The Australian Citizen Science Project Finder is a place to discover and connect with citizen science projects in Australia.

Developed in partnership with the Atlas of Living Australia (ALA), the project finder has been designed to help members of the citizen science community learn about each other's projects, and provide opportunities to volunteer from your home!

Bush Blitz is coordinating a virtual expedition that everyone can join!

This citizen science project will enable you to discover some amazing plants and animals living in your own backyard, whilst contributing valuable data to Australia's biodiversity databases.

Discover Backyard Species Discovery - Earthwatch Australia to get involved.

Eco Explorers provides a child led and highly enriched sensory and outdoor bush program for children and families of all ages.

Their Eco Explorers Australia program has been developed to ignite your child's sense of curiosity, imagination and creativity through hands on learning activities that support your child's development, social skills and physical development through movement and exercise.

Nature Play - when it comes to time spent engaging in the natural world - what we know is that nature supports our mental health and wellbeing.

To help you make the most of time spent outdoors, Nature Play has developed a range of lists and information sheets with practical, creative and simple ideas for you to try with your children.

Birds in Backyards is a research, education and conservation program of BirdLife Australia focused on the birds that live where people live.

Get involved by taking part in their online surveys and learn how you can create bird-friendly spaces in your garden and local community.

Australian Geographic has partnered with frog expert Jodi Rowley to show you how to create a backyard frog hotel.

Frog hotels are a fun, creative way to decorate your garden and attract local frogs.

ABC education presents a 6 chapter video series on Ladybird hero's. Find out just how lucky we are to have these speckled spring species in our gardens.

ABC kids listen has a range of nature sounds to help your children sleep deeply and undisturbed. A restful, restorative sleep is just what small, growing bodies and minds need.

Gibberagong Environmental Education Centre is a Department of Education School for environmental education.

Under Lessons in Nature, you'll find exciting learning tasks and resources with relevant curriculum links. The topics will draw upon what is happening locally in our environment and will address a range of K-6 key learning areas.

To see the future we want to see means we need to start working with the youngest people of our community! With a range of environmental education workshops we are able to get our early learners thinking about how they can play a part in a sustainable future.

Schools are a big part of our community, we continue to work in partnership with our local schools to develop, implement and improve programs that encourage environmental stewardship in younger generations and complement the school curriculum. We aim to see students having fun learning and interacting with environmental education.

School resources

School Environmental Education Plan(PDF, 12MB)

Lists all of the workshops, events and programs that Council offers throughout the year to schools and how these can be incorporated into the NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum for stages 1, 2 and 3.

Booking request

Eric the Eel(PDF, 4MB)

An illustrated storybook and educational resource is a result of a collaborative project called Catchments Connecting Communities, involving Campbelltown Performing Arts High School (CPAHS), Campbelltown City Council and Western Sydney University (WSU).

Macarthur Nature Photography Competition allows the Macarthur community to get outdoors and capture the beauty of the Macarthur region.

Threatened Species Art and Writing Competition encourages young people between the ages of 5-12 to create an artwork or a short story on the threatened species of the Macarthur region and in doing so raise awareness of the plight of our native species to the wider community.

Sustainability and Environmental Educators Network

• Interested in receiving more information about any of the environmental education workshops we offer?
• Or if you have an ideas that you would like us to explore with you or your school
• Please do not hesitate to contact Council's Environmental Education Officer on 02 4645 4283 or register your interest in the Sustainability and Environmental Educators Network open.space@campbelltown.nsw.gov.au

Each year Council offer a range of events, workshops and activities that aim to get people outdoors and appreciating the amazing natural environment that Campbelltown has to offer.

• Bushcare is a great way to get outdoors, learn how to care for your natural environment, meet like-minded people and keep up your fitness levels!
• Clean Up Australia Day inspires thousands of Australians to take to their local park, beach, bushland and streets to clean up their local environment. Each year, Council nominate a site for the cleanup that anyone can come and join in
• National Tree Day happens every year, and every year council host a special tree planting day event to celebrate this day
• Macarthur Nature Photography Competition allows the Macarthur community to get outdoors and capture the beauty of the Macarthur region
• Free sustainability workshops. Each year we work with the Macarthur Centre for Sustainable Living to run a range of sustainable workshops free for Campbelltown residents
• We are always running environmental workshops on a variety of subjects to help our community connect with our amazing natural environment. Keep an eye out on our What's On event page for upcoming activities.
• Our Junior Rangers program is a great way to get kids aged 5-10 years outdoors and experiencing our natural wonders in Campbelltown. Check out our What's On event page for upcoming dates.

In 2010 we formally adopted the 2009-2012 Environmental Education Strategy. We have now adopted the new Environmental Education Plan(PDF, 10MB) that will supersede the Environmental Education Strategy. The Environmental Education Plan provides a framework to guide the development and delivery of future environmental education programs that will empower the community to undertake behavioural change, live more sustainably and reduce their impact on the local and broader environment.

We encourage you to read this document and let us know what you think.

You can download a copy, pop into Council to grab a hard copy or call Council's Environment team on 02 4645 4601 and ask for one to be sent out to you.

• Environmental Education Plan(PDF, 10MB)
• Environmental Education Plan - Appendices(PDF, 5MB)