Dorroughby Environmental Education Centre - NSW Environmental Education Centres

Dorroughby EEC

Dorroughby EEC is a NSW Public School - one of 24 Environmental and Zoo Education Centres, that proudly supports education in schools across the state. At Dorroughby EEC, experienced teachers provide high-quality, NSW curriculum-based programs for students aged Kindergarten - Year 12.

Our environment

Our centre connects students to the local natural area, making learning active, enjoyable and authentic. Outdoor learning helps students feel more connected to nature. Research proves spending time in nature not only encourages stewardship, but increases a sense of wellbeing in individuals.

Working with schools

We work with all NSW public and non-government schools. Schools can book our centre for our curriculum based learning programs and teacher professional development.

Learning programs

We run hands-on programs for students from Kindergarten to Year 12. Our programs link to student curriculum outcomes and can be modified to suit their needs.

All of our programs also include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives. Students learn about culture, Country and how to care for the environment.

Our staff are trained teachers with expertise in environmental education. They guide students through real-world learning experiences that are active and engaging. Students get to explore, ask questions and think about the world around them.

Our programs include:

day trips to our centre
Excursions to nearby rainforests, national parks, coastal locations, dams, wetlands and rivers.
visits to schools (incursions)
camp programs
kayaking

Teacher support

We also support teachers with:

delivering each lesson as a demonstration lesson
helpful teaching resources
support with planning lessons and programs
spaces for staff meetings and student workshops.

The centre sits on Bundjulung country.

Visit Dorroughby EEC website

Maps end here

K-6

Forest party

Science

Early Stage 1

Come on a picnic to Rocky Creek Dam with all the local animals. Find out what animals need to survive in the forest and use your senses in games and on a sensory bush walk. Sing songs.

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7-12

Place and liveability

Geography

Stage 4

Students spend the day investigating Ballina Flatrock and surrounds. Participate in mapping, field sketching, plant identification and weather chart reading. Record and analyse the abiotic factors of the site with basic geographer's tools equipment and record data collected along a transect. Investigate the livability aspects of the area and respond thoughtfully to the changes to the area that have happened since the non-Indigenous peoples settled in the area.

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Resources

Time and Change

HSIE

Stage 2-3 First Contacts

Lesson 1 - BIG SCRUB - Content

Approximately 335 million years ago, Scientists believe that all the land masses were in a single super continent called Pangea. Around 200 million years ago this land mass split into Laurasia and Gondwana. 40 million years ago, broke off and started to drift North from Gondwana. At this time Australia was covered with rainforest.

The Big Scrub, our local rainforest, was a subtropical rainforest that covered an area of 75,000 hectares between Byron Bay, Lismore and Ballina prior to European settlement. It was the largest expanse of lowland subtropical rainforest in Australia. It is directly descended from the great Gondwana rainforest that covered Australia 40 million years ago. There are some tree species in the Big Scrub today that are said to be 240 million years old!!! Aboriginal peoples of the Bundjalung nation belonged to the land of the Big Scrub for 10s of 1000s of years. They were its custodians and found food, medicines and tool making materials in the rainforest.

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