Koonibba and Port Kenny students go bush for bilbies

Students from Koonibba and Port Kenny schools, schools over 200km apart, joined forces to care for country and threatened species at Venus Bay Conservation Park, on Eyre Peninsula’s West Coast.

The students learned about threatened species such as the greater bilby and brush-tailed bettong, while honing their tracking skills and discovering wombat, shorebird and reptile habitats.

Natural Resource Eyre Peninsula Officer Ollanta Lipcer said it was wonderful to have so many bright young faces in the park, so keen to learn.

“They are the whole reason we are all trying to look after the park and the threatened species living there,” Ollanta said.

As well as learning about native animals and their habitat, the students got a chance to share their knowledge of the bush with each other.

Port Kenny teacher Ross McTaggart said it was great to see the students learning from each other.

“We learnt some language from the Koonibba students, like wadu (wombat) and gulda (sleepy lizard) and the Port Kenny students showed some of the young trees they have planted as part of a revegetation project.”

Port Kenny Principal Sue McComb said field days like this were invaluable towards students learning knowledge, skills, attitudes and values necessary to contribute to sustainable living through activities relating to their local environment.

“The students’ involvement fosters care, respect and responsibility towards the preservation and restoration of natural environments,” she said. “The students also enjoyed working and playing with our visitors from Koonibba.”

Venus Bay Conservation Park covers Weyland Peninsula and seven islands, 70km south east of Streaky Bay. The park is home to a variety of shorebirds, falcons, white-bellied sea eagles, rock parrots and honeyeaters, as well as the reintroduced greater bilby and brush-tailed bettong.