Go green with NaturallyGC. Gold Coast City Council's NaturallyGC Program has some great activities running throughout the year.
The NaturallyGC workshops are free sessions designed for educating people interested in exploring our unique and diverse Gold Coast environment. The workshops cover a range of topics including seed collection and propagation, discovering Coombabah Lakelands and reptile awareness.
Yuo can download the NaturallyGC workshops program here.
Please note: Bookings are essential. Places are strictly limited and we are not able to accommodate people who turn up on the day. The group sizes are set for optimum education and learning. Call (07) 5581 1521 or email namu@goldcoast.qld.gov.au to book your spot.
July 2010 - June 2011 Program
Whose bark is that?
Presented by Pete Poropat, bush regenerator and author
A popular session with Pete Poropat, a rainforest bushman whose skills in identifying the giants of our rainforests have been learnt over decades. Pete will share these skills which help identify rainforst trees by their bark and trunk features.
Activity suitable for ages 12 and above.
When: Saturday 17 July 2010
Where: Tamborine Mountain
Time: 10am to 2pm
Indigenous bush foods and medicine
Presented by Jan Sinclair, Mother Nature's Bush Tucker
Ever wondered what life was like 200 or even 2000 years ago? Come and experience how the Indigenous people of the Gold Coast utilised local plants to survive.
Activity suitable for ages 12 and above.
When: Saturday 31 July 2010
Where: Burleigh Heads
Time: 10am to 12pm
Hollow log homes
Presented by Allan and Stacey Franks
Around 300 vertebrates use hollows as homes. Learn about how and why hollows are so important for our fauna for nesting, breeding and shelter. The session will outline what species use hollows and how.
Activity suitable for ages eight and above.
When: Saturday 14 August 2010
Where: Benowa
Time: 11.30am to 2.30pm
Spotlighting in Coombabah
Presented by Natural Areas Ranger, GCCC
Discover our unique nocturnal animals that explore and feed at night. Learn about the vast diversity of species inhabiting Coombabah after dark. Join a ranger on a spotlighting tour to encounter brush tail possums, frogs, kangaroos or even koalas.
Activity suitable for ages eight and above.
When: Saturday 11 September 2010
Where: Coombabah
Time: 7pm to 8.30pm
Living in a catchment
Presented by Kris Boody and Paul Cockbain, GCCC
From the mountains to the coast, we all live in a catchment and are connected by our waterways. Healthy waterways are vital to our lifestyle and quality of life as well as the plants and animals that depend on them. Join a scenic journey along a local creek and learn about the complex and fascinating workings of our catchments.
Activity suitable for ages 12 and above.
When: Saturday 2 October 2010
Where: Yaun Creek
Time: 9am to 12pm
Mangrove discovery paddle
Presented by Vertecadventure
Explore a local mangrove environment by canoe. Glide quietly along with the tide, spotting birds, fish and crabs on the way. Learn to identify individual mangrove species and uncover the secrets they possess for survival.
Activity suitable for ages eight and above.
When: Saturday 23 October 2010
Where: McKoy's Creek, Pimpama
Time: 9am to 12pm
Frogs
Presented by Doug White, environmental consultant
Be guided by frog experts along the Melaleuca boardwalk, locating and identifying the many frog species that inhabit the Coombabah Lakelands area. Learn the differences between native frogs and the cane toad, what frogs eat and where they live. Don't forget to bring a torch.
Activity suitable for ages eight and above.
When: Saturday 27 November 2010
Where: Coombabah
Time: 7pm to 8.30pm
Bird watching and identification
Presented by Rod Bloss, Bird Observation and Conservation Australia
Coombabah Lakelands is a fantastic place to bird watch. Join the search for migratory and native birds, and trek the boardwalk through tidal marshlands and mangroves to a bird hide on the lake's edge. Bring binoculars and bird identification books.
Activity suitable for ages eight and above.
When: Saturday 4 December 2010
Where: Coombabah
Time: 4pm to 6pm
Restoring native bushland
Presented by Jen Ford, GCCC
Discover what it takes to restore bushland from a weed-infested state to a thriving natural ecosystem. Learn practical skills in site assessment, weed identification and control that can be used to achieve lasting results for bushland.
Activity suitable for ages 14 and above.
When: Saturday 5 February 2011
Where: Tamborine Mountain
Time: 10am to 1pm
Reptile awareness
Presented by Allan Burnett, Reptile Awareness Displays of Australia
Be prepared to bust misconceptions and myths about snakes and other reptiles at this live display. Get up close and personal with some of South East Queensland's common reptiles. Learn about their behaviour, how to identify them and why they are an important part of an ecosystem. Learn about snake bite first aid, how to help in an emergency and how to avoid being bitten.
Activity suitable for all ages.
When: Saturday 12 February 2011
Where: Carrara
Time: 10am to 12pm
Native stingless bees
Presented by Tim Heard, CSIRO
Australian native bees can be many colours of black, yellow, red, metallic green or even black with blue polka dots. They can be fat and furry, or sleek and shiny. Native bees are key pollinators of Australia's unique wildflowers and are a critical part of our Australian bushland. Come and learn about our native bees at this buzzing workshop.
May not be suitable for children.
When: Saturday 26 March 2011
Where: Burleigh Heads
Time: 9am to 3.30pm
Environmental education paddle
Presented by Vertecadventure
Explore a local mangrove environment by canoe. Glide quietly along with the tide, spotting birds, fish and crabs. Learn to identify individual mangrove species and uncover the secrets they possess for survival in this seemingly hostile place.
Activity suitable for ages eight and above.
When: Sunday 3 April 2011
Where: McKoy's Creek, Pimpama
Time: 9am to 12pm
Living in a catchment
Presented by Kris Boody and Paul Cockbain, GCCC
From the mountains to the coast, we all live in a catchment and are connected by our waterways. Healthy waterways are vital to our lifestyle and quality of life as well as the plants and animals that depend on them. Take a scenic journey along a local creek and learn about the complex and fascinating workings of our catchments.
Activity suitable for ages 12 and above.
When: Saturday 16 April 2011
Where: Tallebudgera
Time: 9am to 12pm
Seed collection and propagation
Presented by Steve Ward, nurseryman
Interested in how a seed germinates or when to collect viable seeds? The workshop will explore the processes of seed collection, propagation, seedling growth and planting.
May not be suitable for children.
When: Saturday 21 May 2011
Where: Coombabah
Time: 9am to 1pm
Wild care on the Gold Coast
Presented by Wildcare Gold Coast
Experience the amazing work of Wildcare volunteers who rescue and rehabilitate injured, sick and orphaned native wildlife across the Gold Coast. Meet some of their patients, hear the stories of the volunteers and find out what you can do to help sick and injured wildlife.
Activity suitable for all ages.
When: Saturday 18 June 2011
Where: Advancetown
Time: 9.30am to 12.30pm