Primary Schools Marine Excursion at Port Philip Bay

In February 2016, three local culturally diverse primary schools participated in the marine education experience of a lifetime on a 65 ft. catamaran on Port Philip Bay. The catamaran included a classroom for learning, outside learning spaces and on-board marine scientists and other educators, who taught the children about the marine environment.

The children’s feedback from the three days was extremely positive, many referring to it as the experience of a lifetime and unique in its ability to help them appreciate and understand the marine environment:
I absolutely love ocean animals and plants and have always been interested how the world can stop harming creatures in the sea, Astha 9yrs
I would like to do a project to share with my family so they can learn what I learnt and first hand see marine creatures, Puneet 11yrs
In the classroom you only look at the interactive board and listen to the teacher, but on a boat you get the experience, Laura 11yrs

Since the boat trip the students have gone onto create further learning in a range of mediums. This includes short films, researching and writing stories, creating newsletters as well as displaying images and projects about the sea around the schools. With expectations around school excursions having stepped up to a whole new level, we look forward to the year as we explore partnering with stakeholders, to give our children in the West more great learning experiences.
Greg Woolford, Family School Partnerships, Catholic Education Office