COSS Family Nature Club
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Your guide to getting back out nature in Gosford. Contains tips on how to create you own club, where to go and things to do to have amazing adventures outdoors.
Transcript of COSS Family Nature Club
Green tree frog by Phil Wood
Introduction 1
Why Get Involved? 4
How to Start Your Club 7
Tips for Healthy Kids 9
Schedule and Calendar 10
Activity Check List 11
Growing My Family Nature Club 13
Tricky Questions 14
What Type of Vegetation is That? 16
Wild Activities 20
My Nature Diary 28
15 Things to Do Before You’re 12 40
20 Before You’re 20 41
Nature Treasure Hunt 42
Reserve Rambles 46
Exploring Our COSS 57
I’d Like to Learn More About Nature 58
Gosford City Council Programs and Activities 60
Tips for the Activity Sheets 61
Acknowledgements 63
References 64
Useful Documents 65
Exploded Rainbow Colour Sheet 79
Nature Diary Pictures 81
My Dream Forest 85
Colour-in 87
Contents
COSS Family Nature Club is an initiative of Gosford City Council’s Open Space and Leisure Services
Concept by Lisa Ford. Design by Marjo Pätäri.
Printed and produced by Gosford City Council. 49 Mann St, Gosford, NSW 2250
All Council enquiries
Tel: 02 4325 8222
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.gosford.nsw.gov.au
Gosford City Council
P.O. Box 21
Gosford NSW 2250
© Copyright Gosford City Council
Introduction Do you remember those endless summer days when you left the house in the morning and didn’t get home until dark? Those carefree days of hiding in trees watching the world go by, or cooling off in the local creek? Do you remember those feelings of freedom, of a sense of place, of belonging?
For most of us, our lives have now changed.
We’re busier, we have barricaded ourselves in,
and we often find ourselves looking out from
behind a window, a fence, or a windscreen.
Would you like your kids to discover the world of
your childhood, to explore their skills and abilities,
gain confidence and a sense of freedom?
Studies from around the world show that children
who play in nature progress faster, and are more
confident than those who have little or no access
to nature. They also show that anyone who lives
close to an accessible natural area has a better
chance of coping with our fast-paced lifestyle.
Natural areas calm us, they clean our air and
water, and provide refuge for the plants and
animals that live in our beautiful Central Coast.
1
2
The future will belong to the
nature-smart—those individuals,
families, businesses and political
leaders who develop a deeper
understanding of the transformative
power of the natural world and who
balance the virtual with the real.
The more high-tech we become, the
more nature we need. Richard Louv, Last Child In The Woods
Our COSS consists of many bushland reserves
which are set aside for plants and animals,
nature-based recreation and to preserve the
bushland character of Gosford.
Our COSS includes woodland ridgelines, gallery
rainforests, steep cliffs, wetlands and creeks. The
COSS is a place for nature—for the plants and
animals; and a place for people—to relax and
reflect, to explore and discover, and to provide a
green backdrop to our lives.
Our COSS includes reserves such as Rumbalara,
Katandra, Kincumba Mountain, Berry’s Head,
Mount Pleasant and Mount Ettalong. These
reserves complement other public lands in the
Gosford local government area such as: Brisbane
Water and Bouddi National Parks, Cockle Bay,
Rileys Island and Wambina Nature Reserves, and
Strickland State Forest.
Coastal Open Space System (COSS)
Family Nature Clubs
COSS Family Nature Club is here to help Central Coast families connect with nature and build stronger, healthier, happier and safer communities.
Family nature clubs are made up of people
who come together to share the benefits of
experiencing nature to teach their children life
skills, creativity, problem solving and confidence.
The members of family nature clubs may live in
the same street, have children at the same school,
or play the same sports.
Family nature clubs are not new. Families have
been getting out and having fun together in the
US and parts of Australia for a number of years.
These families have great stories to tell, and have
changed their lives to be more active and happier.
The first clubs were the Nature Clubs for Families
started by Richard Louv, who has achieved
international recognition for his work raising
awareness of the link between nature and
children’s health and development. He has since
made popular the term nature-deficit disorder, which describes the way that children who do
not have opportunities to interact in nature
often display lower cognitive abilities, less self-
confidence and other negative physical and
mental health effects.
Your family nature club is your own club. The
purpose of this Family Nature Club guide is to
introduce ideas on how you can explore nature
around your home with your family. We have
provided information to help you get started and
ideas for activities, but you will soon discover
the places you want to go and the activities you
enjoy.
The key message is that you can start now! All
you need is your family and/or group of friends.
Where you go, how often, and for how long, it’s
up to you!
Our Home, Our PlaceThe Central Coast has so many places to explore:
our COSS reserves, the national parks and
Strickland State Forest.
We sit on the boundary of temperate (cool
climate) and tropical communities. This means
that we have a range of bushland areas from
cool damp rainforest, to the dry ridgelands and
colourful heath, to the wetlands and mangroves
that sustain our fisheries.
If your family is not used to being outdoors, it
may take a little planning to introduce them to
this new environment. We have provided fun
activities that you can do with them to open their
eyes to the many wonders of nature.
3
Why Get Involved?Health and Happiness
Good health is about balance in your life: making sure you eat healthy food, get plenty of rest, exercise each day, and have healthy social interaction.
Natural open spaces, such as reserves, have been
proven to have positive health effects on people.
Being out in nature lifts mood. Some people
have even called nature Vitamin N. Studies that
compare the effects of exercising in nature,
compared to in a gym or other built environment,
have shown that people who are active in nature
feel more calm and perform better afterwards
(Louv, 2011).
Happiness can be found in doing the things you
love to do—and most people say they love to
spend time outdoors. Take the time to watch
the sun set, walk through a forest, or gaze into a
clear running creek.
Even a view of natural vegetation from an
office window has been shown to increase
concentration, productivity and well-being. People
who live close to natural areas have measurably
better health and well-being compared to those
who don’t (Louv, 2011).
Studies have shown that children with ADHD
can benefit from free time playing out in nature.
Some families have said that they even moved
from a city to the country because it made such
a difference to their child’s happiness. There is
no period in our history where we have spent
so much time sitting—watching TV, at the
computer, in school. Kids have boundless energy,
and this is particularly evident in those who have
been diagnosed with ADHD. Getting out in
nature and engaging in active, low supervision
activities has been shown to help these children
find their calm (Louv, 2011).
Exercise also helps your body to release anti-
oxidants, which helps fight many chronic
diseases.
When I’m in the woods, I feel like I’m in my mother’s shoes. It’s so peaceful out there and the air smells so good. For me, it’s completely different there. It’s your own time. Sometimes I go there when I’m mad—and then, just with the peacefulness, I’m better. I can come back home happy, and my Mom doesn’t even know why.
I had a place. There was a big waterfall and a creek on one side of it. I’d dug a big hole there, and sometimes I’d take a tent back there, or a blanket, and just lay down in the hole, and look up at the trees and sky. Sometimes I’d fall asleep back in there. I just felt free; it was like my place, and I could do what I wanted, with nobody to stop me. I used to go down there almost every day. And then they just cut the woods down. It was like they cut down a part of me.
Grade 5 child in The Nature Principle by Richard Louv
4
Thinking space by Mikaela Clews
Growing and Learning
Nature play is good for everyone.
Studies on children in pre-school settings show
that structured activities lead to the stronger,
more co-ordinated children dominating play.
In naturally-landscaped free play environments,
social interactions between children are found to
be more balanced, with the quieter, more creative
children having as much input as the more
outgoing ones (Louv, 2005).
Being out in nature gives your mind time to relax
and focus, to work out problems. Having time in
nature, such as going for a bushwalk, increases
your mental capacity to solve problems, and come
up with new ideas. Many famous writers and
artists regularly took long walks in nature.
Our modern day lives are often very visually-
focussed—on a TV, a computer monitor, a mobile
phone. Being outdoors in nature encourages
us to use and develop all of our senses—to feel
the wind on our skin, to hear the sound of it in
the leaves. Children especially, need to develop
awareness of their senses and surroundings.
A recent discussion amongst the members of
the Gosford Youth Council revealed that young
people, especially teenagers, like to do with
their friends the activities that they have already
done with their families. This highlights that the
things you introduce your children to now are
the activities that they will have the confidence to
explore and develop later in life.
There are an awful lot of programs out there trying to teach personal safety to children ... but the most important thing a parent can do is to have a good, supportive relationship with the child, because a child who has good self-esteem, good self-confidence, a closer relationship with the parents, is much less likely to be victimised.
David Finklehor, Sociologist, University of New
Hampshire in Last Child In The Woods
Low cost!
Playing in nature is low-cost as well as healthy.
Entry to COSS reserves is free and there are so
many to explore. There are also a number of
national parks in Gosford with low entry fees, and
Strickland State Forest—where you can take the
family pet for a walk with you—is also free entry.
No time for anything? Just too busy to plan trips
in nature? Try sitting down with your family and
have each member make a list of the things they
love to do. Compare and discuss the lists. You
may be surprised to find out just what things
make your family members happy, and it may
help you to stop doing the things you do ‘to fit
in with the crowd’, or because you think others
expect it. If time in the garden, or long walks on
the beach are what make you happy, do more
of these things with your family. Take time to
connect and relax, and feel your stress levels
recede.
5
Brush-tailed possum by Rick Worthy
Kids Who Play In
Nature
Find
the calm
place
inside
themselves
Learn about the world around
them and how its parts are related
Develop
a sense of
place and
belonging
Explore new ways of
doing things
Learn new skills
through
seeing and doing
Become independent and
confident
Learn to work through
problems with others
Learn respect for other
living beings
Play well w
ith others
Love discovering new things De
velo
p ag
ility,
coo
rdin
atio
n
and
a re
spon
sible
atti
tude
to ri
sk
Deve
lop
pers
isten
ce a
nd
self-
mot
ivatio
n
...and grow into adults who care for nature.
A Bright Future
6
Photo by Kellie Newby
How to Start Your ClubThe key to enjoying your experience as the organiser of your family nature club is to be organised, enthusiastic and committed to sharing nature with family and friends.
You don’t need to be an expert, or know all of
the plants and animals. In fact, many people
prefer to learn together rather than be told by an
expert.
Remember that you don’t have to do this alone.
Find other like-minded people, and share out
the planning tasks and responsibilities on your
adventures.
Invite grandparents too—they often know the
area well, and have the time and resources to
plan outdoor activities and invite other members.
Council’s library staff can teach grandparents
without computers how to send and receive
emails.
For your first few trips, visit places close to home.
You will be surprised how interesting your local
parks and bushland reserves can be. Schedule
a variety of fun outdoor activities and invite
others to join you. You can take your group on a
series of one or two hour walks through familiar
reserves. You may be amazed at how few families
have ever visited them before.
Don’t be afraid to visit the same place often. You
can then see the seasonal changes and become
familiar and confident in that place. Walk slowly
to allow children to run around and make their
own discoveries. You’ll probably find that they
will learn about and appreciate their environment
in ways you never anticipated.
If you are feeling more ambitious, consider longer
walks, nature photography expeditions, fishing
trips, BBQs, camping trips and nature restoration
projects. Learn to track animals, go bird watching
or start a neighbourhood garden. See the rest of
this tool kit for more details. It is fun!
If you are not used to bushwalking, why not try
out the self-guided Reserve Rambles starting on
page 46 using the Wild Activities from page 20.
The role of this COSS Family Nature Club guide is
to help build the children and nature movement;
and to help parents and others learn about ways
in which they can connect children to nature.
Family nature clubs is an approach Gosford City
Council wishes to encourage. The inherent risk in
outdoor physical activities should be considered
when organising, planning and participating in
nature activity programs. Gosford City Council,
whilst supporting and encouraging this program,
does not accept any liability associated with
injuries, accidents or loss/damage to property
associated with members’ participation.
7
Tree Fern by Brent Evans
Quick-start Guide
1. Create a planWhen, where, what, how often and for
how long? Enlist some help—it might be the
grandparents, a neighbour, or the parents
of your children’s school friends. Over a
morning tea, you can decide how often
you might want to meet, and what sort of
activities you might want to undertake. If
you put a few ideas down in writing, it will
be easier to plan things and keep people
informed. If you circle a couple of dates on
the calendar, you’re well on your way.
2. Check it outIt’s a good idea to check out each location
before you invite people to come along.
That way, you can work out if there are any
tricky areas for the very young or elderly,
and the availability of facilities such as toilets
and picnic spots. Also, you can decide
where everyone should meet and what
to do once there. Check out if you need
permission for a large gathering (contact
details are provided on page 75).
If most people in your group do not have
a car, make sure there is public transport
close by. If they do have cars, ensure there is
enough parking for everyone to park safely.
3. Invite people Ask a couple of friends to join you for a
family bushwalk. You could also invite local
families, your children’s classmates and/or
members of their sports groups. Ask them
for their email addresses and create an email
group to keep in touch.
4. Make it easyInformed and prepared parents are happy
parents. You’ll make it easy for them to say
‘Yes’ when you minimise their preparation
time and maximise the fun by giving them a
check list for hassle-free outings.
5. Ready set go!When you arrange to meet neighbours
and other groups, don’t forget to start
your adventure 10 or 15 minutes after the
advertised start time to allow for latecomers.
Record the number of participants at each
event and collect contact information for
new participants.
6. Spread the word...Advertise your family nature club in your
school newsletter, and start your own blog
to tell others about the adventures you’ve
been having.
8
Tips for Healthy KidsIn addition to walking to and from school, and reducing the time spent watching TV, what else can you do to encourage a more active lifestyle for your family?
Green space and outside areas are important
to children, creating opportunities for social
interaction and developing a ‘sense of place’ and
identity.
Spark your children’s interest in outdoor activities
by visiting your local reserves, and take them on
fun adventures such as camping and bushwalking
so they can find new favourite places.
If you focus on nature close to home your
children can form a sense of attachment to place.
People value the things they recognise, so it is
important to encourage children to learn the
names of local plants and animals. Giving a name
to something is a way of knowing and valuing it.
Try and encourage your children’s school(s) to
introduce more outdoor lessons. Promote your
children’s learning through nature books and web
sites, and then take them to a reserve or national
park further from home. Reading also stimulates
the development of imagination.
Plan family activities by scheduling a regular
family walk. Take young children on short, easy
walks close to home at first, as children in this
age group often get bored long before they
get tired. Don’t be discouraged if the weather
is bad—dress for the conditions. This is a great
way to pass on healthy habits to children, and to
spend time together to create social bonds.
Family involvement is a crucial factor in the extent
of children’s participation in outdoor activities.
You are the role model for your children.
Try our self-guided Reserve Rambles (see page
46). These walks allow you to take your family
somewhere in nature where everyone can learn
about nature. During a self-guided walk younger
children often enjoy looking for the next marker;
whereas older children can learn about the plants
and animals in the reserve, and take photos to
record their experiences.
Ensure the route is suitable for the ages of the
children. If you are going to take young babies or
toddlers, make sure you can carry them—as they
get older, encourage them to walk part of the
way.
Whilst it is important to support and encourage
your children to be physically active when
experiencing nature, it is also important they be
given the time and space to create and play their
own games.
9
Schedule and Calendar
Your adventures will be more fun, and more
relaxing, if you are organised. Work out how
often your family nature club meets. Will it be
weekly, monthly, or, perhaps, seasonal?
Take weather conditions into account when
planning your activities. Don’t plan trips to creeks
in winter, or walks along exposed ridgelines in the
middle of the day in summer. If the weather on
the day of your planned adventure is not as you
planned, don’t let it put you off. Walking in the
rain can be fun, as long as you are prepared for it.
Make a list of possible places to explore and
then schedule them into your calendar. Work
out which activities you will do in each park or
reserve.
Use your own schedules and calendar, or use the
ones we have provided on page 69 (extra copies
can be downloaded from our web site).
My Family Nature Club Adventure Plan...We will go: Once a week on.............................................
The first ................................. of each month
The first ................................. of each season
Once a year on ..............................................
How long: ............ hours, from ................ to ................
Try to plan a year full of activitiesDate Location Activity Time
Set a schedule that is fun and works for your family!
10
Activity Check List
Travel time to location
Convenient meeting point
Public transport options
Adequate parking for your group
Family friendly activities
Other activities (in case of severe weather)
Educational opportunities
Entry fees
Water feature (lake, stream, pond, puddles)
Food, water, toilets, picnic tables
Weather-appropriate clothing
Appropriate footwear
Best time of year to visit to observe seasonal changes
Safety issues for small children
Check weather forecast
11
Tawny frogmouth by Lisa Ford
Safe, Fun and Hassle FreeBe prepared. Safety is important. At the same time, recognise that appropriate risk-taking is good for children’s healthy development. Bee-stings, poisonous plants and allergies do not have to hold you back.
Make sure you take a first aid kit and let everyone
know where it is. Remind participants that the
natural environment is full of surprises, and
paying attention is part of getting to know
nature. Use the buddy system if it helps, and
be prepared to adjust activities for different age
groups.
When you send out invitations, make sure to
mention any special supplies that people should
bring beyond the basics of water, sunscreen and
hats. If your group will be near a creek, a change
of clothes is a good idea. If you are hiking in
the bush, you may need to encourage tick and
leech checks. This information helps parents be
prepared. Prepared parents are happier parents.
As your family nature club grows, you may have
to consider notifying the land manager if you
have more than 20 people in a national park,
or more than 50 people in a council reserve. For
more information on who to contact, refer to
page 75.
Check List Essentials
Water
Clothes appropriate for weather
Backpack
Snacks or picnic lunch
Sunscreen
Hat
Insect repellent
Safety
Whistle
Mobile phone
First aid kit
Any medications people may need
e.g. anti-histamines, asthma medication
Extras
Change of clothes
Pad and pencil
Magnifying glass
Binoculars
Field guides
Torch for night hikes
12
Growing My Family Nature Club
Tips for starting your new family nature clubStart with people that you already know. It might
be your neighbours, parents from your children’s
class, or work colleagues. Make a flyer with
some basic information to give to people—your
children may want to help you design it.
How you design your flyer is up to you. This page
includes some sample text that you may wish to
use or adapt for your flyer.
If you need more copies of the COSS Family
Nature Club guide, please contact Gosford City
Council on (02) 4325 8222.
Tips for expanding your family nature clubWhen your family nature club is established, and
you want to expand and invite more people on
your adventures, you could try placing a notice
in the local paper or on notice boards. You
could advertise through the school newsletter
or on local parenting web sites. You may want
to consider inviting special guests to come and
talk to your club about nature topics, or find
local community groups who have a program of
interesting talks that you can go to.
Make sure that all notices and advertisements
have the necessary contact details on them so
people can contact you to find out more.
Sample text:
COSS Family Nature Clubs are made up
of families like mine who would like to
introduce our children to the wonders
of nature. We want our children to play
outside, growing skills and confidence in
the outdoor environment. Gosford City
Council has given us some information
on how to get started, but this is our club
that we organise and run ourselves. We
do the things we like to do, and go to
the places we enjoy.
My family will be exploring ..................
on ................ Would you like to come
adventuring with us?
13
Tricky Questions
Kids ask some unexpected questions! Here we have given the answers to tricky questions sourced from the book I Love Dirt! 52 Activities To Help You & Your Kids Discover the Wonders of Nature by Jennifer Ward, plus some of our own.
What is wind?Wind is just air. We can only feel air when it is
moving, then it is called wind.
What are clouds made from?Clouds are made up of water vapour and tiny
bits of ice. Clouds are white when the sun shines
through them and reflects off the water droplets.
If the clouds look grey, it is because the water
vapour is so thick that light can’t easily get inside
the cloud and be reflected.
Why don’t spiders get caught in their own webs?Spiders spin webs from special sticky silk that they
make themselves. Spiders often have a special
oil on their legs which stops them getting stuck.
They also know exactly where to walk on their
web to avoid getting tangled up.
What makes the moon shine so brightly?The moon does not have any light of its own, but
it has a light-coloured surface. The moon reflects
sunlight down onto Earth. If the moon is just a
tiny crescent, you may be lucky enough to see
earthshine, when sunlight from Earth is reflected
back to the dark side of the Moon.
What is dirt?Dirt is made up of lots of things that have broken
down—rocks, minerals, plants and even bits of
dead animals.
Why do mosquitoes bite me?Female mosquitoes suck the blood of animals
to get the right proteins to make fertile eggs.
They lay about 250 eggs in water, which hatch
into mosquito larvae before they transform into
adults.
14
Photo by Helene Rosanove
How does a tree drink? Trees can absorb a little water through their
leaves, but most is taken up through the roots.
Water and nutrients travel up tubes of dead cells
called xylem and are distributed throughout the
plant.
Sugars made by photosynthesis are transported
back down trees to the roots and other storage
areas in the living phloem cells.
What is sandstone? Sandstone is a type of sedimentary rock. This
means that it is formed by large quantities of tiny
pieces of broken down rock brought together
and subjected to enormous pressure for many
thousands of years.
Depending on the types of grains, and the
pressure they were under, some sandstones wear
down faster than others.
Rain and changes in temperature will slowly
cause sandstone to break down, when it is
washed down the creeks to the sea, where it
forms our beautiful beaches.
How do birds fly? There are a few things that help birds fly. Birds
are very light because they have hollow bones.
They also have feathers and wings, which help
them to catch the air and create lift so that they
can stay up in the sky.
Where do the possums go during the day?Animals such as possums and gliders hide up high
in tree hollows or nests called dreys during the
daytime. They emerge at dusk to forage for food
during the night when they are less vulnerable to
predators (except for powerful owls whose main
food is possums).
Why are plants green?Plants are green because they are full of a special
chemical called chlorophyll, which is green.
Chlorophyll helps the plant change energy from
sunlight into food for the plant to grow.
15
Drumsticks by Brent Evans
Feather by Lisa Ford
What Type of Vegetation is That?
16
Explore the many vegetation types that grow in our region and understand why they grow where they do.
Coastal DunesCoastal dunes are a very harsh place for plants.
They are exposed to the sun, wind and salt; and
any rain that falls drains away in minutes.
Dune vegetation grows in bands parallel to the
beach. The first band is sand spinifex grassland,
followed by banksias and casuarinas behind the
foredune, and then either heathland in dry areas,
or tea trees and paperbark wetland in the hind
dunes.
You can see good examples of sand dune
vegetation at Putty Beach at Killcare and
Wamberal Lagoon at Wamberal. Common dune
plants include sand spinifex (Spinifex sericeus) and
pigface (Carpobrotus glaucescens).
Wetlands Wetlands form when the ground is at, or
below, the level of the water table; or when a
perched water table forms on top of impervious
rocks. They include swamplands, billabongs,
saltmarshes, lagoons, mangroves, lakes and wet
heath.
Wetland soils are covered by water, either part of
the time or permanently. The water may be fresh,
brackish or saline. Wetland plants have to cope
with low nutrient soils that have very little oxygen
in them. This anoxic soil is what gives them their
distinct smell, as the bacteria creates sulphur
gases.
Wetlands are important for filtering nutrients and
providing a nursery for young fish.
You can find good examples of wetlands around
Brisbane Water in the form of saltmarshes and
mangroves, coastal lagoons with paperbarks,
and inland lagoons such as at Kahibah Creek
with its various rushes and reeds. Common
wetland plants include common reed (Phragmites australis) and broad-leaved paperbark (Melaleuca quinquenervia).
Spinifex at Wamberal Beach
by Anna Deegan
Wetland vegetation at Iluka Lagoon
by Marjo Pätäri
Heathland of Warrah Trig,
Brisbane Water National Park
Ridgeline woodland vegetation at
Rumbalara Reserve by Phil Wood
17
HeathlandHeathlands are characterised by thick, low-
growing shrub vegetation. Heath vegetation can
be found growing in low nutrient or shallow soils,
or on wind-blasted hillsides.
Heathland plants are tough, and often prickly.
Their leathery leaves make them drought-
resistant, and they are adapted to recover
from fire. These plants are also well-known for
producing beautiful wild flower displays in spring.
You can see good examples of heath vegetation
in Brisbane Water National Park, at Warrah Trig
near Patonga and the Bulgandry Aboriginal
Heritage Site near Kariong.
Common heath plants include crowea
(Crowea saligna) and leafy wedge pea
(Gompholobium virgatum).
WoodlandsWoodlands are open communities where the tree
canopies do not overlap. They form in areas of
poor and shallow soils, and low rainfall. In our
region, woodlands are generally found growing
on the sides of the ridges where there is a
eucalypt canopy with either a grassy or shrubby
understorey.
You can see good examples of woodland
vegetation on the hillsides in Rumbalara and
Kincumba Mountain Reserves.
Common woodland plants include rough-barked
apple (Angophora floribunda), heath-leaved
banksia (Banksia ericifolia) and bracken fern
(Pteridium esculentum).
18
Rainforest at Katandra Reserve
by Phil Wood
ForestsForests are more dense than woodlands with the
tree canopies overlapping. Dry sclerophyll forests
have a eucalypt canopy and dry shrubby or grassy
understorey. Wet sclerophyll forests are very tall
with eucalypts in the canopy and a rainforest
understorey.
Examples of forest can be found at Berry’s
Head Reserve, Wyoming and at Katandra
Reserve, Holgate. Common forest plants include
turpentine (Syncarpia glomulifera) and Sydney
blue gum (Eucalyptus saligna).
Rainforest Rainforest is characterised by areas of high rainfall
or mist and high soil fertility, where plant species
which prefer more moist conditions thrive. The
dense canopy is created by tall trees which block
out the sunlight on the rainforest floor.
Rainforests are dark, cool and moist and are
found mostly in sheltered gullies. The canopy
consists of tall trees such as figs, sassafras, lilly
pillys and coachwood with palms, vines, creepers,
epiphytes (plants that grow on other plants) and
mosses.
Examples of forest vegetation can be found along
the Waterman Walk in Katandra Reserve, Holgate
and along the Rainforest Walk in Rumbalara
Reserve, East Gosford. Common rainforest plants
include Bangalow palms and tree ferns.
Wet sclerophyll forest in Strickland State Forest
by Lisa Ford
19
Wet
Scl
ero
ph
yll F
ore
st
Hea
thCoastal Dunes W
etla
nd
Rai
nfo
rest
Wet
Scl
ero
ph
yll F
ore
st
Woodland
Woodland
Perc
hed
Sw
amp
Hea
th
Where you can find the different vegetation typesThere is a progression of vegetation types from
the coast to the hill tops. The deeper the soil,
the higher the canopy. The richer the soil and
wetter the climate, the bigger the leaves. Some
rainforest soils are actually quite shallow with all
the nutrients at the surface. In these places you
will see many spreading surface roots.
Sundew at Kincumba Mountain
by Jo Taunton
Wild Activities
20
The joy of discovery
Wild Activities
Sometimes it can be difficult to engage children’s attention when exploring nature. Joseph Cornell is a well-known and popular nature teacher. Through his extensive experience with introducing both adults and children to nature, he has found that a method called Flow Learning helps people of all ages to become aware of, and feel a part of, nature.
Flow LearningSo what is flow learning? Put simply, it looks
at how our brains work and applies different
activities in a certain order, so that we get the
most out of our nature experience.
You may find the activities in this section useful
for your first few family nature club outings, to
help the members of your club become more
familiar with the natural world around them.
If you are interested in finding out more about
flow learning and many more fun activities, you
can find them on Joseph Cornell’s web site
www.sharingnature.com or in his books titled
Sharing Nature With Children I and II.
Flow learning recognises that to be open to the
beauty of nature, we can take children through
four stages of experience:
Stage 1: Awaken Enthusiasm–these are fun and
energetic activities that use up stored energy and
raise mood.
Stage 2: Focus Attention–games that may still be
quite energetic, but are a bridge between these
and quieter games.
Stage 3: Direct Experience–these activities
require children to concentrate on one or more of
their senses.
Stage 4: Share Inspiration–a quieter time to
share experiences and stories.
Animal Parts
This activity is for two or more people and can include a mix of adults and children.
How to play:
1. Ask the children to think of an animal.
2. Now get everyone in the group to join
together and act out that animal. For
example, if you choose a goanna, one person
can be the head, one person the two front
legs, one person the two back legs and one
the tail.
Exploded Rainbow
This activity can be done with as many people as you have colour cards.
How to play:
1. Cut out all of the squares on pages 79-80 of
this guide and mix them up in a bag.
2. Ask each person to draw out one square and
then search for something that matches that
colour during the walk.
Acknowledgement: Animal Parts is adapted from
Sharing Nature With Children II by Joseph Cornell.
Stage 1 Activities
21
Lace monitor by Lisa Ford
Rainbow lorikeet by Brent Evans
Sound Maps
Try making two sound maps—one at the entrance to your walking track where you can still hear cars and other noises; and the other in the middle of the reserve or national park where you can hear more sounds from the natural environment.
What you will need:
• A pencil or pen
• A walking track in a reserve or national park
How to make your sound maps:
1. Find a spot to sit quietly—make sure you
are comfortable and can sit here for a few
minutes. On the next page, you will see a
symbol in the middle of the page with three
circles around it—one for things nearby, one
for things a little distance away and one for
things far away.
2. Close your eyes and listen very carefully. What
can you hear? Where is the sound? Open
your eyes and mark on your page where
the sound came from—was it close, a little
distance or far away? Was it in front of or
behind you? What sort of sound was it? Draw
a little symbol to mark where the sound came
from. (Hint: you could draw squiggly lines for
the sound of running water, or arrows for the
sound of the wind).
3. Swap your sound maps with someone else
and explain them to each other. Did you feel
any differently when you were sitting at the
spot near the road to when you were sitting
in the middle of the reserve?
Acknowledgement: Sound Map is adapted from
Sharing Nature With Children by Joseph Cornell
The plop of water on leaves
Stage 2 Activity
22
The crash and rumble of thunder
My Sound Map 1 ......................
far f
ar aw
ay
furth
er aw
ay
close
to
me
Straight ahead
Behind me
23
My Sound Map 2 .....................
fa
r far
aw
ay
furth
er aw
ay
close
to
me
Straight ahead
Behind me
24
Camera
This is a game for two people. One person is the camera, and the other the photographer.
How to play:
Choose a relatively flat walking track with no
steps. Warn the `photographer’ that they will
have to guide the `camera’ very carefully. The
person who is to be the camera must close their
eyes and keep them closed until asked to open
them by the photographer.
The photographer looks around to find
something interesting. It might be a flower, or a
colourful piece of bark or perhaps a beetle. They
lead the camera (who has their eyes shut) to the
point of interest, line up their head and then
press the camera shutter gently for five seconds.
The camera opens their eyes for five seconds only
to see what the photographer wants them to see.
You can decide where your shutter button may
be—it could be an earlobe or just a tap on the
shoulder (use one tap to open the eyes and two
taps to close them).
Encourage the photographer to look for
interesting angles and perspectives.
Sounds You Can’t Hear
This is a game of imagination that concentrates the senses.
How to play:
You can either walk along a track, or sit in
a comfortable place. Look at the plants and
animals around you and then start to feel the
environment. Imagine the sounds that you cannot
hear and describe them. For example, what is the
sound of a butterfly breathing, or the sap rising
up the tree trunk, or the sound of sunrise? You
can list your Sounds You Can’t Hear, or simply
identify them.
Acknowledgements: Camera is adapted from Sharing Nature With Children by Joseph Cornell
Sounds You Can’t Hear was invented by Julia Fletcher in Louv, R. (2005), Last Child in the Woods
Stage 3 Activities
Sounds You Can’t Hear
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25
Recipe for a Dream Forest
What you will need:
• Coloured pencils or crayons
• Extra copies of the My Dream Forest activity
sheet for each child downloaded from our
web site
• A hard backing at least A4 size
• A comfortable place to sit, especially one with
a view
How to create your dream forest:
Tell your children that they have been given one
square kilometre of land to create their own
dream forest. They can have anything they want
in the forest, and will be able to sculpt the land.
1. Ask them to write down their list of dream
forest ingredients in the space provided.
What does the landscape look like—does it
have mountains, rivers, rocks, sand? What
things live in their dream forest—elephants,
wombats, butterflies? Does their dream forest
have beautiful radiant elements like rainbows,
waterfalls or windstorms?
2. Ask your children to draw their dream forest
on page 85. This page can be torn out.
3. Compare and talk about the dream forests.
Would they be able to sustain themselves year
after year? If they have elephants, is there
food for them? If they have shy animals, is
there shelter? Do the butterflies have food
plants for their caterpillars?
Acknowledgement: My Dream Forest is adapted from Sharing Nature With Children by Joseph Cornell
My Forest Ingredients
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Stage 4 Activity
26
Flannel flower by Fiona Lambell
Be a nature detective!
Live closer to nature by tracking the seasonal changes around you.
The first people to live on the Central Coast
were the Aborigines. They lived close to the land,
harvesting seasonal foods, and had a very close
connection to nature—their lives depended on it.
The passing of the seasons was marked by natural
changes such as:
• temperature, rainfall and wind
• the length of night and day
• which plants were flowering or fruiting
• when migratory birds arrived and departed
• which fish and oysters were most available.
They used nature’s cues to know where and when
to find food.
The Aborigines measured the year in five main
seasons, and an extra event each year—the
howling westerly winds that come at the end of
winter.
SpringSpring starts in mid-August and lasts to about
mid-October. This season is known for its very
pleasant weather—it’s not too hot, or too cold,
and the westerly winds have blown away.
SummerThe land starts to warm up for summer in mid-
October, and this weather lasts until mid–late
February. Summer is hot and mostly dry. It is
bushfire season, when the creeks slow to a
trickle, the leaves hang straight down on the
trees, and the sandstone ridges bake under the
hot sun.
Late SummerLate summer is from late February to late March.
It is hot and humid with rain and afternoon
storms that rumble and shake the hills.
AutumnAutumn brings relief from the summer heat.
This season is from late March to late May. The
weather is calm and cooler, and still quite wet—
this is the time of colourful fungi in the forests,
and the fruit of plants that flowered in spring is
mature.
Short WinterThis season is from late May to August when it is
cold, wet and windy. Days are short and the bush
is drab, waiting to burst into bloom in spring.
27
Nature’s Seasons
Can you discover and record the changes in the land for a year to create your own Nature Diary?
You can use your own book or our template
pages (starting on page 35) to make your nature
diary.
Your diary can include field notes, poems (your
own or those by other people), photos, pressed
and dried leaves and flowers, pictures (see pages
81 and 83), drawings and paintings.
Try using nature’s seasons, as known by the
Aborigines, as they are much easier to identify.
The following pages describe some things to look
out for and record in your nature diary, but you
can find many more.
If you make a note of the calendar dates of your
entries, you will be able to compare them to
other years.
To make your diary more valuable, make a note
of the place where you saw the plant or animal or
event. These things can be very useful to people
who are studying how our world is changing.
For example, in some places butterflies are
hatching two weeks earlier than they were 100
years ago. There are also migratory birds that are
laying their eggs earlier. This may not seem to
matter, but if the flowers or fruits they feed on
are not mature yet, they have nothing to eat.
The Garden Within by Celia Berrell
There is a garden in my heart
where beauty growsin fits and starts.
Where smiles are petalsfrom the flowers
bestowed by othersfrom their bowers.
Nutritious hopereaps seeds to feed
my spiritfor its every need.
With gratitudeI’ll reach my goal.
To touch the islandof my soul.
My Nature Diary
28
What can I see?Look out! Magpies are defending their nests, and
sometimes they think you might be a threat. It is
a good idea to give them some space and walk a
different route. Can you design a magpie hat?
Hint: You can use an old 2L ice-cream container,
and if you draw a face on the top, the magpie
will think you are watching it, and should not
swoop.
The Gosford wattle (Acacia prominens) starts to
flower. See if you can find one and count how
many types of insects (such as bees, beetles and
butterflies) are feeding on its pollen and nectar.
What can I hear?Cicada larvae crawl out from the earth under
eucalypt trees and crawl up the trunks to hatch.
Cicada grubs can live underground, feeding on
roots, for up to seven years. See if you can find
the empty skin cases of cicadas. Can you hear the
adults calling on hot days?
What can I smell?The turpentine trees (Syncarpia glomulifera) are
flowering—can you smell the nectar?
Flying foxes often hang out in large camps in
spring. You can find them near wetlands, but
you may smell and hear them first! The smell is
a special perfume created by the males to attract
the females.
If it has been a dry winter it may be the start of
the bushfire season. It is also the time when many
people do planned burns to reduce the bushfire
hazard. Can you smell smoke on the wind?
Spring is when one of our most prevalent weeds
is in flower—can you see and smell the clusters of
tiny white privet flowers growing alongside the
roads? Many people are sensitive to this smell and
it makes them sneeze and sneeze. Birds love the
black privet berries and eat them until their crops
are full—then they fly away and drop the seeds in
their faeces.
What can I feel?Ouch! Be careful in the sea—always check the
conditions first because this is the time of year
that many stinging jellyfish called bluebottles
wash in. Walk along the tide line where you see
the seaweed washed up and see if you can see
any bluebottles—if you can see fresh brightly-
coloured ones on the shore, you can expect them
to be in the sea.
The smooth-barked eucalypts, such as the scribbly
gums, shed their bark in summer. Feel the
smooth new bark underneath.
SPRING (mid-August to mid-October)
29
Scribbly gum by Marjo Pätäri
Cicada by Brent Evens
What can I see?When ants want to make a new nest, some of
them grow wings and they take off in big swarms
after rain when the soil is soft and damp. See if
you can see flying ants at night after rain.
Go for a walk in a rainforest where there are
cabbage tree palms and see if you can see (and
hear!) the topknot pigeons eating the fruit.
Find a lake or wetland and sit by the edge where
there are plants growing out of the water. If you
are very still and quiet, you may see dragonflies
mating. Dragonflies are fierce hunters who catch
their prey whilst flying.
What can I hear?The channel-billed cuckoos and koels (also a
type of cuckoo) arrive from New Guinea and
Indonesia. channel-billed cuckoos like to eat
fruits, seeds and insects, and lay their eggs in the
nests of magpies and pied currawongs.
Koels love to eat figs, and lay their eggs in the
nests of wattlebirds and magpie-larks. You can
find out more about these birds and listen to
their calls on the Birds in Backyards web site
(www.birdsinbackyards.net).
What can I smell?Can you smell the rain on dry earth and grass as a
storm sweeps in?
Find a eucalypt forest and smell the eucalyptus oil
in the leaves. The high levels of oil are one of the
reasons that they burn so well in a bushfire.
If you visit the beach you may be able to smell
something dead! At this time of year, the wedge-
tailed shearwaters return from their breeding
grounds in the North Pacific. They have to fly
many thousands of kilometres. If they fly into bad
weather, such as storms, they can end up being
too exhausted to keep flying and end up dying on
our beaches.
What can I feel?Itchy, itchy, itchy—mosquitoes are about,
especially after wet weather. They are most active
at dawn and dusk. Female mosquitoes feed on
blood to get enough energy to lay their eggs
which they deposit in water. Can you find their
larvae in a pond or still water?
30
Channel-billed Cuckoo
Christmas bells by Marjo Pätäri
Dragonfly by Brent Evans
SUMMER (mid-October to mid to late February)
What can I see?If you take a torch out at night, you may see
brush-tailed and ring-tailed possums searching for
food with their young. When the young are too
big for the pouch, they travel on their mother’s
back.
The blackbutt trees (Eucalyptus pilularis) are in
flower, attracting large numbers of lorikeets
including the scaly-breasted and rainbow
lorikeets. You can find blackbutt trees along the
edges of rainforest.
Spiders love the warm, humid weather. Can you
find the web of a golden or garden orb
weaver spider?
What can I hear?Can you hear the rumble of thunder? This is
storm season when the heat builds up during the
day and the evaporated water falls as wild storms
in the afternoons and evenings.
Birds are teaching their chicks how to find their
own food. Can you hear the chicks calling to
their parents?
What can I smell?Flying foxes are mating. The males have a very
particular perfume that they use to attract a
mate. We may not think it smells nice, but the
female flying foxes love it! Flying foxes are very
important animals—did you know that they
pollinate many of our native trees, including the
eucalypts and melaleucas? Flying fox numbers are
declining as people like to build their towns in the
places flying foxes make their camps. Can you
imagine an Australia without eucalypts?
What can I feel?Hot! This is the hottest time of the year and the
days are long.
On hot sunny days the dry sand on the beach and
rocks on the ridgelines can be too hot to walk on
with bare feet—when you reach the sea or creek,
take off your shoes and feel the coolness of the
water seep into your skin.
31
Rainbow lorikeet by Bayden Allen
LATE SUMMER (late February to late March)
Grey-headed Flying Fox by Lisa Ford
What can I see?Autumn is the season for fungi—mushrooms
and toadstools. Visit a rainforest and look closely
in the shady areas on the ground and on the
tree trunks. How many different fungi can you
see? Remember that many of these are very
poisonous, so always wash your hands after
touching them.
This is the time of year that you are most likely
to see falling stars (meteor showers). Ask your
parents to take you to a place where it is very
dark at night (when there are no clouds) and you
can see lots of stars in the sky. Sit or lie down and
watch the sky to see if you can spot any falling
stars—make a wish for each one you see!
What can I hear?Can you hear the peep-peep-peep of baby birds?
This is the time of year when noisy miners and
rainbow lorikeets are busy feeding their chicks.
If you go down to the southern parts of Gosford
(such as Pearl Beach) you may hear a very strange,
loud grunting at night. This is the male out
looking for a female.
What can I smell?The swamp mahogany trees (Eucalyptus robusta)
are flowering. They grow in the low-lying wet
areas, and are covered in masses of fluffy creamy-
yellow flowers—can you smell the honey-scented
nectar?
What can I feel?This is the time of year that the prickly moses
(Acacia ulicifolia) flowers. Prickly moses is a
small, spindly shrub that grows in the ridgeline
woodlands and heathlands. It has small,
triangular leaves that are very sharp! The pale
yellow pom-pom flowers grow close to the stem.
See if you can find a prickly moses bush and very
carefully feel the leaves.
The days are still warm, but the nights are cooler.
Watch out for March flies! These are biting flies
that feed on our blood.
AUTUMN (late March to late May)
32
Coral fungi by Rick Worthy
Agaric fungi by Rick Worthy
Prickly moses by Marjo Patari
What can I see?The grasstrees (Xanthorrhoea spp.) flower around
May. They have tall flower spikes covered in tiny
white flowers full of nectar which are irresistible
to birds and insects. If you find one early in the
morning, you may be able to taste the nectar too.
What can I hear?Winter is the time when insects are less active,
and the bush is quieter. Listen carefully—can you
still hear the cicadas in the day time? Can you
hear the crickets at night?
Scratch, scratch, scratch ... can you hear the male
brush turkeys building up their mounds in July?
They scrape up as many dead leaves and small
twigs as they can find to build a huge mound of
composting vegetation. This is their nest—the
females will lay their eggs in here and the heat of
the compost will incubate them. When the young
hatch, they have to fend for themselves.
What can I smell?Something stinky down the bottom of the
garden? This is the time of year when you might
find dead brown antechinus. They are a small
marsupial that looks a bit like a mouse. The males
grow very quickly and then die after mating—
they don’t even live to be one year old!
What can I feel?Cold! June and July are our coldest months.
Check the weather forecast and get up early on
a frosty morning. Feel the grass crunching under
your feet.
Visit a creek and test how cold the water is with
your hand.
August can be a very windy time—can you feel
the cold westerly winds blowing in from the
desert?
SHORT WINTER(late May to August)
33
Brush turkey by Brent Evans
Brown antechinus by G Little ©
Australian Museum
Grasstree by Marjo Pätäri
Just living is not enough...
one must have sunshine, freedom,
and a little flower.
Hans Christian Anderson
34
Nature’s Spring (mid-August to mid-October)
35
Assassin bug by Jo Taunton
Nature’s Summer (mid-October to late February)
36
Black swan by Frank Bain
37
Nature’s Late Summer (late February to late March)
Rainforest earthworm by Lisa Ford
Nature’s Autumn (late March to late May)
38
Banksia serrata by Lisa Ford
Nature’s Short Winter (late May to August)
39
Gum leaf skeletoniser caterpillars
by Lisa Ford
40
15 Things to do
Before You’re 12
1. Play in a creek
2. Body surf a wave (start small!)
3. Adopt a rock or a tree or a creek
4. Make a treasure map
5. Climb a tree
6. Jump in a puddle
7. Learn how to swim
8. Plant a seed and watch it grow
9. Invent a game you can play in the bush
10. Find a cicada on a tree
11. Build a sandcastle
12. Make your bedroom happier and healthier by
growing some indoor plants
13. Camp out under the stars (even in your backyard)
14. Take a photo of your favourite spot in the bush, print it
and display in your room
15. Learn the names of five birds in your garden or local park
See page 61 for tips on these ideas.
41
20 Before You’re 20 1. Watch a sunrise
2. Go for a bush walk after rain
3. Grow your own vegetables (even in a pot)
4. Paddle in a creek
5. Build a possum home
6. Walk along the beach at full moon
7. Shower in a waterfall
8. Do a day mountain bike ride along a fire trail—take a picnic 9. Go camping with friends in a local national park 10. Dance in the rain
11. Choose a star for you and a friend to call your own 12. Be a volunteer for a weekend
13. Drift over seagrass in a kayak or air mattress 14. Participate in Clean Up Australia Day or the Take 3 Campaign 15. Make a YouTube-style movie about your favourite spot in the bush
16. Go snorkelling with friends
17. Spot a platypus in the wild
18. Build a humpy
19. Go fishing
20. Spot a cave
See page 61 for tips on these ideas.
Suggested for 4 to 7 year olds
The COSS reserves are full of natural treasures. Take this treasure hunt
sheet out to the reserves with you and see how many treasures you
canfind.(Don’tforgettotakeapen
orpencil—andmaybeaclipboard
to lean on).
Find something round
Jump like a green and golden bell frog or flap your wings like a
glossy-black cockatoo
What is the smoothest thing you can find?
What is the roughest thing you can find?
Find something that smells good ... or bad!
Listen for a bird. What else can you hear?
Find a place where an animal would be happy to live
How many different colours can you see?
Find something that moves
Find something prickly
Nature Treasure Hunt
42
Banksia ericifolia by Barbara Kedzierski
Green and golden bell frog by Phil W
ood
Nature Treasure Hunt
Suggested for 8 to 10 year olds
The COSS Reserves are full of natural treasures. Take this
treasure hunt sheet out to the reserves with you and see how
manytreasuresyoucanfind.(Don’tf
orgettotakeapenorpencil—
and maybe a clipboard to lean on).
Find five different types of leaves—scratchy, soft,
needle-shaped, hairy and smooth
Find a pattern in nature
Find an ant hill and see if you can see the trails leading
away from it—don’t get bitten!
Find four different coloured and textured rocks or pebbles—
make sure they are no bigger than a 20 cent piece or they could
be difficult to carry
Find a flower with four petals and one with five petals—can
you draw them?
Find a tree with rough bark and one with smooth bark—can
you find any insects living under the bark?
Become a twitcher and spot three different types of birds
Find a fairy or elf hat
Spy on a bug—what does it do, where does it go?
Go to a creek in a reserve or national park—sit
still and spot three things that live in or visit it
You’re a grub by Fiona Lambell
43
Bowerbird bower by Anna Deegan
Those who contemplate the beauty of
earth find reserves of strength that will
endure as long as life lasts.
Rachel Carson
44
COSS
Council Reserves
National Parks
State Forest
Waterways
Bouddi National Park
Popran National Park
Terrigal
Gosford
Woy Woy
McPherson State Forest
Dharug National Park
Brisbane Water National Park
Strickland State Forest
Terrigal
Woy Woy
Gosford
Katandra Reserve
Berry’s Head Reserve
Rumbalara Reserve
Kincumba Mountain Reserve
Come and explore our expanses of green
including the Coastal Open
Space System, national parks and state forests.
45
46
Reserve Rambles
We love the opportunity to get out on weekends to explore our reserves. In this section, there are detailed directions for a few of the walks that we enjoy. You may like to follow the same route, or find some favourite walks of your own.
The first walk is accessible from Gosford, and is
suitable for people who do not have their
own transport.
The second two walks start from within the
reserves, and you would need to drive to the
starting point.
Try doing your favourite walks more than once—
maybe once in each season. How does each
reserve change, what new things do you see?
SpringLook out for wild flowers. How many types and
colours can you see? Can you find any insects
on the flowers? You could play the Exploded
Rainbow game (see page 21).
Many plants have new leaves. Can you find some
that have red new leaves? Feel them, do they feel
different to the mature leaves? Can you describe
how they feel?
SummerGo for a walk on a warm sunny day. How much
difference is there in the temperature between
shady and sunny spots? How important do you
think trees are for keeping our neighbourhoods
cool?
How many different types of birds can you
hear calling?
AutumnFungi—look carefully on the ground, especially in
shady spots. How many fungi can you see?
Look at all the different leaves growing on the
plants along the path. How many of them are
tough and prickly? This is an adaptation to a dry
environment—if the plants do not get enough
water the leaves don’t wilt and become damaged.
How many different types of seed pods can
you find?
WinterSee if you can be up by dawn on a misty morning
and at the top of the hill by sunrise. Enjoy
watching the sun rise above the mist with all the
houses hidden below the clouds. How does this
make you feel? You could have a breakfast BBQ
at Yaruga Lookout.
View from the top of Rumbalara Reserve
47
The Casuarina Walk is a challenging 2.4 km walk suitable for energetic families. There are many steps both up and down the hill. It is advised that you do this walk on a cool day, and allow a minimum of one hour to complete the walk. You may like to follow our route, or choose your own walk in this reserve.
What you will need:
• water
• walking shoes
• insect repellent
• hat and sunscreen
• a compass
Optional:
• small bag for treasures
• Exploded Rainbow activity colours in a small
bag
• Sound Map activity sheets for each child
If you are driving, park at the end of Donnison
Street in the car park at Henry Wheeler Place.
If you are going to play Exploded Rainbow on
the walk, get each child (and adults if they are
participating) to choose a colour from the bag.
They will be looking for something that is the
same colour along the walk.
There are a number of tree species along this
walk. You may want to ask your children to find
one capsule/cone/seed pod from each type along
the way. You can put these into your treasure
bag. Ask them only to pick up things from the
ground, not live ones on the plants as they need
to be able to drop their seeds to reproduce.
Walk to the top end of Donnison Street and up towards the platform. You will see an information sign with a large map just before the platform.
If you look at the map, you will be doing the
Casuarina Walk which is marked in pale blue.
Walk up the sandstone steps to the fire trail, and turn right onto the fire trail.
As you walk along the trail, can you see the trees
with rough, ridged bark and fine needle-like
leaves? These are the casuarina trees that give
the walk its name. Can you find a casuarina cone
(seed pod)?
You will also see lots of ferns growing along the
side of the trail. Feel the fern fronds. There are
some spots along the track where there is water
seeping out of the hillside, where you may see
delicate maidenhair ferns.
Casuarina Walk Rumbalara Reserve
48
Walk along the trail until you see a large tree with knobbly roots next to a steel staircase on the left. Turn off the fire trail and go up the steel stairs and sandstone steps. You will come to a track junction at the top of the steps. Turn left and continue up the hill past the information sign. Go up another set of sandstone steps and steel stairs. Pause at the top of the steel stairs in the small flat spot.
Use your compass to find where north is, and
then look through the trees to the west. Can you
see the railway lines in Gosford?
Continue up the next set of sandstone steps that lead to the top of the ridge.
As you walk up the steps, you will see a big
sandstone outcrop on the left. Why do you think
the rocks stick out at the top of the hill?
Can you find the little overhang beside the track?
Try sitting in here and imagine sheltering from
a storm.
At the top of the sandstone steps, you will see two benches. Stop and have a rest.
Use your compass to find north again, and then
look south, where you can see Brisbane Water
and in the distance Lion Island, which is at the
mouth of the Hawkesbury River. Look west down
over Gosford.
Follow the track along the ridgeline.
It is open and cleared up here. Look around at the
surrounding hills and valleys.
About 100 years ago, this whole area would have
been very open with hardly any trees. The hills
were cleared for grazing cattle, and the valleys
were planted with orange orchards. Can you
imagine trying to cut down all the trees on one of
these steep hillsides?
As you walk along, how many different birds can
you hear?
Who will be first to spot the sitting man?
Keep walking along the ridgeline until you reach the bronze statue of Sturt the explorer.
At his feet, you can see a map of the routes that
he explored.
Turn and look west, and you will look down over
the Gosford Hospital.
You could try doing a sound map here to
compare to another area. How much noise can
you hear from Gosford?
Hyacinth orchid by Lisa Ford
49
Keep walking along the ridgeline until the track starts to run uphill. At this point you will see a small track to the left and a sign for Casuarina Walk. Turn left along this small track and walk up the sandstone steps.
At the top of the steps there is a large, smooth-
barked tree. Feel the bark. Look at the trees
around you. Imagine what it would be like to live
as a tree up here. Would it be hot? How would
you get water? What would it be like in a storm?
How much soil is there?
Continue along the track, up the next set of sandstone steps and to the little car park. At the car park, turn left, following the Casuarina Walk sign. A short way along, the track splits, with one track running down the hill with another Casuarina Walk sign. Follow the track down the hill to the place where it goes between two big rocks.
Look at the mosses and lichens on the rocks.
Very gently touch the mosses and lichens without
damaging them. How do they feel?
Follow the track down three sets of steel stairs. Stop at the top of the 4th set of steel stairs and look down the hill.
Can you see all the ferns? Can you see the black
fire scars on the trees? This is an area that has
been regularly set fire to by arsonists.
Go down the steel stairs, and follow the track down past the next set of steel stairs. At the T-intersection, turn left down the hill. This track will soon be upgraded with stone steps and steel stairs. You will go down a fairly steep part of the hill. Where the track levels out for a few metres, you will find another track intersection. Turn left at this intersection. Walk along the hillside through the ferny forest.
Use your compass to check which direction you
are walking in.
Follow the track all the way back to the platform at the end of Donnison Street where you started.
Slugs eating a fig by Lisa Ford
The Red Gum Walk is about 2.1 km and recommended for families with children who like bushwalking. You may like to follow our route or choose your own walk in this reserve.
What you will need:
• Drinking water
• Good walking shoes
• Sun protection
• Insect repellent
Drive to Dolly Avenue, Springfield and follow it up
the hill to Yaruga Lookout and Picnic Area. Park
here and gather your things together for a walk
of approximately 2 km.
The walk has quite a few stairs. If you follow the
route we have suggested, most of the stairs lead
downwards.
Start from the car park at Yaruga Lookout.
Your first point of interest is Yaruga Lookout,
which has views over Brisbane Water. Can you
imagine how this area would have looked before
European settlement? If you were a ship’s captain,
could you navigate a boat through all the twists
and turns from the sea to Gosford?
Walk down the steps on the eastern or left hand side of the lookout and head down the hill.
As you walk down around the second bend, can
you see the big old blackbutt tree? Why do you
think they are called blackbutts?
Keep walking down to the steel steps.
Half way down the steel steps, stop at the bend
where the smooth-barked apple tree (with the
orange trunk) is growing. Feel the smooth bark
on the tree. Is it cool or warm? Is it peeling off
today? Why would the tree shed its bark?
Turn around and look at the big sandstone rock
opposite the tree. What can you see growing
on it?
Walk to the bottom of the steel steps.
At the bottom of the steps, look up to the cave.
The soft sandstone has been worn away by the
weather.
Follow the track along the base of the big rocks and down the steel stairs.
At the bottom of the steel stairs, stop and look at
the ferns growing beside the track. Feel the fern
fronds (leaves). Most of the ferns here feel very
soft. They are called false bracken or soft bracken
ferns. The smaller ferns with drier, rougher leaves
are called Blechnum or hard fern.
50
Harlequin bug by Lisa Ford
Red Gum WalkRumbalara Reserve
Keep walking along the track until you see the big tree fern growing on the lower or right hand side of the track.
Near the big tree fern look at the sandstone rock
face. Feel the rock. How was it made? What
happens when the sandstone breaks down?
Where does the sand go? It is washed down the
hill, down the creek and out to sea where the
currents slowly wash it up the coast and deposit it
on the beaches of northern New South Wales and
even Queensland.
Keep walking, and go down the sandstone steps, and then the steel ones. Walk along the flat part of the track towards the next steel steps.
Just before the steel steps is a big rock on the
high or left hand side of the track. How many
types of moss and lichen can you see on the
rock?
Look at the tree growing at the base of the
rock—feel the bark and look up at the leaves. It
is a casuarina tree and the seeds of this tree are
in little cones that are a favourite food for glossy
black-cockatoos. Can you make a sound like a
cockatoo calling?
Keep walking over the steel steps and up the hill.
Just before the track heads down again, look at
the big tree growing on the rock. How does it
hang on?
Walk down the hill towards the next set of steel stairs.
At the top of the stairs you can have a rest on the
wooden bench. Sit and imagine using this shelter
if it was raining. What else might seek shelter in
these caves and overhangs?
Walk down the steel stairs.
At the bottom of the stairs, count the number of
casuarina trees growing beside the track before
the next stairs which go up the hill again.
Walk along the stairs and long walkway.
Look down the hill. Can you see all the ferns?
This is the habitat of the potoroo who loves to dig
around in the soil for its favourite food: fungi.
51
Water fern by Marjo Pätäri
View from Yaruga Lookout
Walk along to the next wooden bench.
This is a good spot to have a rest and a drink of
water. If you are here in summer, can you hear
the cicadas? They look like big bugs whilst they
are in the trees making all their noise, but did you
know that they spend most of their lives as large
grubs under the ground, eating tree roots? Can
you find the dried out skin of a cicada grub which
has climbed up out of the soil and hatched into
an adult on a tree trunk?
Keep walking along and down the hill.
Listen carefully. What is louder—the sounds of
nature, or the sounds of traffic?
After you go around the big corner, stop at the big tree stump on the left side of the track.
Look down the slope into the gully. Can you see
the palm trees at the bottom? This is where the
rainforest grows, in the wet gullies along the
creeks where it is protected from the wind and
hot sun.
Walk up towards where you can see the next steel walkway. Just before it you will find an intersection, turn left and go over the walkway and up the hill.
Can you see any diggings on the path?
Bandicoots are little animals that come out
at night and dig in the soil for tasty insects,
earthworms and tubers. Did you know that
many of the native lilies have bulbs like daffodils?
These bulbs are a great source of food for many
creatures.
At the top of the hill, look to the right for two sandstone steps. Go up these steps towards Dolly Avenue. Look out for the track marker on your left, and turn right at this marker and walk across Dolly Avenue. Follow the sign on the other side of the road that says Mouat Walk. Follow the track for about 50 m until you see a small track on your left. Follow this track down the hill.
Look out on the left side for a beautiful big
smooth-barked apple with the dimpled orange
trunk.
Keep walking along the track.
Feel the ferns growing beside it. They look the
same as the ferns on the other side of the hill,
but these ones are tougher, more sclerophyllous.
These ferns are called bracken ferns, and they
grow on the hotter, drier western side of the
ridge. Sclerophyllous leaves have lots of lignin in
them which is the main component of wood. Lots
of lignin in the leaves means that they are stiff
and leathery and don’t get damaged if it gets very
dry and they wilt. The lignin supports the cells
and stops them from collapsing and dying from
lack of moisture. It gives the plant a chance to live
longer and wait for rain, and is an adaptation to a
dry environment.
52
Shedding bark by Fiona Lambell
Follow the track up the sandstone stairs.
At the top you will see a fallen tree with a big
rock in its roots.
Keep following the track and stop at the Wannagan lookout.
This is a good spot for a little break and a drink of
water. As you look west from the lookout, which
suburbs can you see? Can you see the sports
field?
Keep walking along the hill side (not up the track to the road).
Can you see the big water reservoir tank on
the left? This tank is filled from the main water
supply and is a back-up for the coastal and Erina
reservoirs in case one or more of them fails. There
are two other water reservoirs in Rumbalara
Reserve: one at the end of Bayview Avenue which
services Springfield, and one at the end of Dolly
Avenue which supplies North Gosford.
Follow the track as it starts heading back down the hill.
As you start heading back down the hill, can you
see the banksia bushes? Feel the knobbly bark
and look at the seed pods. These are special
seed pods that stay tightly shut during a fire
keeping the seeds safe, and then open after a fire
releasing the seeds into the rich ash bed.
Cabbage tree palm by Lisa Ford
Keep walking along the hill side.
Where the track goes near the edge you can
see lots of young casuarina trees down the hill.
In a few years, this may be a favourite spot for
glossy black-cockatoos—as long as no one sets
fire to them. These trees die in fires (unlike the
eucalypts) and then the cockatoos go hungry.
Follow the track up the hill.
Can you see all the grass trees? You may also see
some soft water ferns in sheltered spots where
there is run-off from the rocks and a bit of shade
from the sun.
Keep walking until you reach the water tower track, cross this track to Dolly Avenue, cross on the pedestrian crossing and follow the road back to the picnic area.
53
Native fuchsia, Gosford City’s cultural emblem
Waterman WalkKatandra Reserve
54
The Waterman Walk is an easy walk of about 700 m suitable for most families, however, there are some steps. This walk is a favourite with bird watchers. You may like to follow our route, or choose your own walk in this reserve.
What you will need:
• Drinking water
• Good walking shoes
• Sun protection and hat
• Insect repellent
• Picnic
Drive to Katandra Reserve via Katandra Road,
Holgate and park in the car park.
Walk to the top of the car park to the information
sign. You will see a large routed sign at the top of
a walking track that reads:
Lookout 2800 m
Waterman Walk
Seymour Pond
You will be doing the Waterman Walk.
Follow the track down the hill. At the first bend, about 40 m down the track, look at the rocks beside the track.
How many types of mosses and lichens can you
see? Did you know that lichens are not a plant,
but are made up of combinations of fungi and
algae? This is called a symbiotic relationship,
where both of the species benefit from the
relationship.
Keep walking down the track, past the gate, down the steps and down the slope to the bend with a large, pale-trunked tree.
Feel the smooth tree trunk. Is it warm or cool? Is
there any bark peeling off? Why do you think the
bark peels off?
Walk down the steps.
As you walk down, what do you notice about the
vegetation? Is it getting thicker as you go down
the hill towards the rainforest? Can you hear the
bell birds (bell miners)? When you reach the spot
where the palms are growing beside the track,
you have reached the rainforest.
Brown cuckoo-dove by Lisa Ford
55
Seymour Pond by Marjo Pätäri
Walk down the concrete steps into the rainforest and stop at the bottom.
How many types of birds can you hear? Can you
see any of them?
Walk along the track to the clearing with the white beech plaque.
What do you notice about the vegetation in the
clearing? How is it different to the rainforest? The
open canopy here lets more sunlight reach the
ground so there is a thick groundcover of ferns
and grasses.
Follow the track down the steps into the gully and across the two wooden bridges to Seymour Pond.
Seymour Pond is an old dam that was built to
water the vegetable gardens of a local family who
lived on the reserve before it was managed by
Council.
At Seymour Pond, take the left track (with no gate) around the pond.
As you walk along the track, look at the trees on
the left with the vines growing up them. Why
do the vines do this? They are called monkey
rope vines and are an important food source for
the caterpillars of the blue tiger and black crow
butterflies.
As you walk around the pond, keep an eye out
for turtles. As they are reptiles, they like to climb
out of the water and bask in the sun on logs and
rocks.
Follow the track along the edge of the pond to the platform.
Look at the reeds growing out of the water. Can
you see any dragonflies on them? Dragonflies
are insects that lay their eggs in water. The eggs
hatch into larvae that live in the water, eating
other insects and even small fish if they can catch
them. They then emerge from the water, climbing
up a reed or stick and hatch out into an adult
dragonfly. The adult dragonflies are predators
too, zooming around above the water, looking
out for prey with their well-developed eyes.
Return to the walking track and keep walking to the wooden boardwalk section. This is at the top end of the dam called Seymour Pond.
Can you see where the creek runs into it? What
sort of bottom does the creek have? Where did
all the sand come from?
Strangler fig on rock by Marjo Pätäri
56
As you continue along the track, briefly stop at the wooden bridge with handrails.
Listen to the sounds of the water running and the
calls of the birds.
Keep following the track to the bench by the bridge.
Have a rest and a drink. This is a great spot to do
a sound map.
Keep walking along the track.
As you walk keep an eye out for the many types
of fungi that grow on old dead wood, living trees
and on the ground. How many types can you
find?
You will also notice that there are lots of
tree roots crossing the track. These are called
spreading surface roots and are found in
rainforests where the soils have low nutrients.
Most of the goodness in the soil is in the top layer
just under all the leaf litter, and the trees try to
get as much food as they can by spreading their
roots along this shallow layer.
Keep following the track around the pond until you get to the intersection at the bottom end of the pond. Turn left along Toomey Walk to the steps.
When you get to the steps, look at the strangler
fig that looks like a network of roots with no
middle.
What happened here? A long time ago, a bird
dropped a fig seed high in the canopy of a tree.
The seed germinated and sent roots down the
trunk of the tree, racing to the ground. When
they reached the ground, they started sucking
up food and moisture, and more and more roots
grew down from the little plant at the top.
As the roots got bigger, they strangled the tree
inside. It could no longer grow and expand, and
eventually died and fell over. It has now rotted
away completely, leaving just the strangler fig
roots that were around it. Can you see the fig
tree at the top of the hill where it is growing up
into the sunlight?
Follow the track and go up the long set of steps, and along the flat section.
As you walk along the flat section, look out
for the enormous tree on the left with the big
bracket fungi growing out of the trunk.
Follow the track and cross the creek three times over the little wooden bridges. After the third bridge, you will soon come to a platform built around a strangler fig on a rock.
Have a close look at how the roots are growing
around the rock.
You have now come to the far end of your walk. Turn around and follow the track back to Seymour Pond (it is the low track as you leave the platform). At Seymour Pond you may want to have a rest and a picnic at the tables beside the pond.
You will find that there are many birds down
here, and you may even see one of the big skinks
called land mullets.
Walk back up the hill to the car park.
Coral fungi by Rick Worthy
Quarry at Cappers Gully, Rumbalara Reserve
by Marjo Pätäri
Exploring Our COSS
Things of Interest• Cappers Gully Quarry, Rumbalara Reserve
• Bronze statues, Rumbalara Reserve
• Seymour Pond, Katandra Reserve
• Fig on a rock, Katandra Reserve
Lookouts • Yaruga Lookout, Rumbalara Reserve
• Colin Watters Lookout, Kincumba
Mountain Reserve
• St Johns Lookout, Katandra Reserve
• Marie Byles Lookout, Killcare Heights
Picnic Areas• St Johns Picnic Area, Toohmeys Road,
Katandra Reserve
• Yaruga Picnic Area, Dolly Avenue,
Rumbalara Reserve
• Honemans Picnic Area, Island View Drive,
Kincumba Mountain Reserve
Walks in the COSSThere are many walks for you to discover
in the COSS reserves. Check out
www.reserves.mygosford.com.au for
places to visit. Download a COSS reserve
map from Gosford City Council’s main
web site, pick one up from a local Tourist
Information Centre or ask for one to be
posted to you, call 4325 8222.
Beginners/Little Legs• Iron Bark Loop, Rumbalara Reserve
• Waterman Walk, Katandra Reserve
• Kanning Walk,
Kincumba Mountain Reserve
• Jane Young Walk, Berrys Head Reserve
More Challenging• Red Gum Track, Rumbalara Reserve
• Flannel Flower Walk,
Rumbalara Reserve
• Glassons Walk,
Kincumba Mountain Reserve
• Morelia Walk, Berrys Head Reserve
• Themeda Walk, Berrys Head Reserve
Long Walks• Railway to Rainforest Walk,
Rumbalara/Katandra Reserves
• Sid Pulsford Track,
Kincumba Mountain Reserve
57
Web sites
Family Nature Clubs
Children & Nature Networkwww.childrenandnature.org/movement/naturalfamilies/clubs
Nature Play WAwww.natureplaywa.org.au/familynatureclubs
Happy Trails Family Nature Clubwww.happytrailsclub.net
Kids In The Valley Family Nature Clubwww.kidsadventuring.org/blog
Sharing Naturewww.sharingnature.com
Places To Go
COSS Reserveswww.reserves.mygosford.com.au
Wild Walkswww.wildwalks.com
National Parkswww.environment.nsw.gov.au/nationalparks
Central Coast Marine Discovery Centre www.ccmdc.org.au
Royal Botanic Gardens – children’s activities
www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/education/children_and_families
Plants And Animals
Australian Museumwww.australianmuseum.net.au/animals
www.australianmuseum.net.au/Wild-Kids
Backyard Buddieswww.backyardbuddies.net.au
Owl Callswww.owlpages.com/sounds
Frogswww.frogs.org.au/frogs/of/New_South_Wales
Birds In Backyards www.birdsinbackyards.net
ButterflyHousewww.lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au
Insectshttp://anic.ento.csiro.au/insectfamilies
Native Plantswww.anpsa.org.au
www.australianplants.org
Reference/Other
Weather www.bom.gov.au
Fire Weather www.rfs.nsw.gov.au
58
I’d Like to Learn More About Nature
Places to Go, Things to Do
Group Activities
BushCarewww.gosford.nsw.gov.au/recreation/natural_areas/bushcare
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Discovery Programwww.environment.nsw.gov.au/tours/AllAboutDiscoveryWalksTalksAndTours.htm
Ocean and Coastal Care Initiativeswww.occi.org.au
Discovery Walks www.environment.nsw.gov.au/NationalParks/Tours.aspx?region=central-coast#tours
Earthwatchhttp://www.earthwatch.org/australia/our_work/education
Zoos and Parks
Australian Reptile Park, Somersby www.reptilepark.com.au
Australia Walkabout Wildlife Park, Peats Ridgewww.walkaboutpark.com.au
Taronga Zoo, Sydneywww.taronga.org.au/Zoo
59
I’d Like to Learn More About Nature
When your Family Nature Club is not out exploring nature, here are some other activities you may want to get involved in.
Gosford Regional Gallery
The Gosford Regional Gallery and Art Centre at
East Gosford runs many children’s activities and
art classes in school holiday periods. The Gallery
Shop also has low cost artists’ drawing kits for
children to get started on their own art works.
Find out more about the gallery online at www.
gosfordregionalgallery.com/artclasses.htm
Swimming Pools
Gosford Olympic Pool and the Peninsula Leisure
Centre have lots of fun and exciting activities to
choose from, as well as learn-to-swim lessons.
Visit the pools on weekends and in school
holidays for thrills and spills as you plunge down
our splashtastic slippery slides. The Peninsula
Leisure Centre also has fantastic holiday programs
including soccer, netball and kids’ club. Having a
birthday party? You can book Gosford Olympic
Pool or Peninsula Leisure Centre for a day to
remember.
Gosford City Council Programs and Activities
Parks and Playgrounds
Gosford City Council acknowledges the rights of
children to play and grow in a stimulating and
safe environment. Through the provision of parks,
reserves, foreshores and playgrounds we aim
to provide opportunities for recreation for our
current and future generations.
www.playgrounds.mygosford.com.au
www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/recreation/playgrounds
Environment
Council’s Environment section runs environment
and sustainability workshops and community
education initiatives. The Environment section
works closely with local schools on various
environmental education topics. You can meet
the Environment team at local events where they
run sustainability workshops and help you find
ways to save money on your electricity costs.
Find out more about our Environment section
online at www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/environment
60
15 Things to Do Before You’re 12 (page 40)
1. Make sure the water is clean and safe, and enter
carefully.
2. Visit Terrigal Beach on a calm day.
3. Find your favourite feature at your local reserve.
4. Make the paper look old and the treasure
well-hidden!
5. Find a tree with low branches and smooth bark.
6. Go for a walk after rain.
7. Join one of Council’s learn-to-swim programs at
Peninsula Leisure Centre or Gosford Pool.
8. Try growing something you can eat, such as a
tomato, snow pea or pumpkin, or plant a sunflower
seed.
9. Find a good spot with lookouts and hiding places.
10. Cicadas come out in summer.
11. Try a local beach such as Avoca or Pearl Beach.
12. Choose a plant that prefers low light and don’t
over-water.
13. Take a star map or app to help you identify the
constellations.
14. Nature photos work best around sunrise and
sunset.
15. Look up common birds of the Central Coast.
20 Before You’re 20 (page 41)
1. You will get a better view from the top of a hill.
2. Notice the rain drops sparkling on the leaves.
3. Choose something you like to eat. Tomatoes are
easy to grow when it is warm weather.
4. Try searching for walks on the Wild Walks web site.
5. Try the internet for information on how to do this.
6. Research when there is a full moon and check the
tides for a low tide.
7. Research local waterfalls and plan a trip on a hot
summer day.
8. Try Kincumba Mountain Regional Reserve.
9. Try Brisbane Water or Bouddi National Parks. Don’t
forget to buy your camping permit.
10. You won’t get cold if you do this in summer.
11. Pick a night with no clouds.
12. Try RSPCA, RFS, SES or Marine Studies Centre.
13. Find a place where the water is clear and shallow,
and keep away from boating channels.
14. Clean Up Australia Day is held in February or
March. www.cleanupaustraliaday.org.au and
Take 3 Campaign www.3things.org.au
15. Tell a story about why you love this place.
16. Choose a place where the water is clear, calm and
shallow.
17. Try Erina Creek at Holgate or Matcham. The hour
just before sunset is a good time to spot them. If
the water is still they are easier to spot.
18. Aboriginal Australians from the Brisbane area used
this word to refer to a temporary shelter made with
branches and bark.
19. Don’t forget a fishing licence and learn about legal
sizes for your catch.
20. Try the Kanning Walk at Kincumba Mountain
Reserve.
Need Some Help? Tips for the Activity Sheets
61
Colouring-in Sheet 1 (page 87)
Stink bug by Brent Evans
Colouring-in Sheet 2
(page 89)
62
St Andrews cross spider by Lisa Ford
Need Some Help? Tips for the Colouring-in Sheets
The COSS Family Nature Club guide is derived
from the inspirational work of Richard Louv,
Children and Nature Network and the nature
clubs they support.
Much of the material in this guide has been
adapted from the Nature Play WA Family Nature
Club web site.
Many of the activities come from Joseph Cornell’s
books Sharing Nature With Children I and II.
63
Waratah, the floral emblem of NSW
Acknowledgements
1. Cornell, J. (1998). Sharing Nature With
Children: the classic parents’ and teachers’
nature awareness guidebook. Second edition.
DAWN Publications, Nevada City, CA.
2. Cornell, J. (1989). Sharing Nature With
Children II. DAWN Publications, Nevada City,
CA, USA.
3. Louv, R. (2005). Last Child in the Woods.
Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit
Disorder. Atlantic Books, London.
4. Louv, R. (2011). The Nature Principle. Human
Restoration and the End of Nature-Deficit
Disorder. Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill,
North Carolina, USA.
5. Ward, J. (2008). I Love Dirt! 52 Activities
to Help You and Your Kids Discover the
Wonders of Nature. Trumpeter Books, Boston,
Massachusetts, USA.
64
Photo CreditsPage 3. Nick Friend
Page 7. Kelly Drover
Page 12. Brent Evans
Page 20. Lisa Ford
Page 34. Kellie Newby and Lisa Ford
Page 44. Nick Friend and Lisa Ford
Page 46. Marjo Pätäri
Page 58. Kellie Newby
Page 59. Donnelee Collins
Page 60. Lisa Ford
Page 61. Anna Deegan
Page 64. Fiona Lambell
Page 66. Lisa Ford
Page 76. Kelly Drover and Lisa Ford
References
Useful DocumentsThe information on the following pages will assist you in
organising your family nature club outings. You will find a
Schedule and Calendar, Destination Check List, Leader’s Check
List, Large Group Activities information sheet and a Comments
and Suggestions page.
More copies of these forms, as well as activities sheets not
included in this guide, can be downloaded from our web site at
www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/recreation/natural_areas/COSS-family-
nature-club/family-nature-club-activities-and-downloads
65
Sunshine is delicious, rain is
refreshing, wind braces us up,
snow is exhilarating; there is really
no such thing as bad weather, only
different kinds of good weather.
John Ruskin
66
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Register Your Club
Register your family nature club to get your free COSS T-shirts and stay informed about COSS Family Nature Club activities.
To register, download, complete and email a registration form, or fill in this and the following page (if required) then scan and email to us at:
Alternatively, tear out the completed page(s) and post to:
COSS Family Nature Club
Natural Open Space Unit
Gosford City Council
PO Box 21
GOSFORD NSW 2250
Family Nature Club Name: ......................................................................................
Organiser/Leader Name: ........................................................................................
Daytime Contact Phone Number: ...........................................................................
Email: ........................................................................................................................
Club Members:
Name: Male/Female: Age: T-Shirt Size:
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Name: Male/Female: Age: T-Shirt Size:
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Schedule and Calendar
Once you and your first family nature club members and have completed one or two adventures, arrange a time to sit down together and plan more.
Each trip will be more enjoyable and relaxed if you are organised. Decide how often you plan
to go and for how long. Plan your trips based on the expected weather—active walks in winter,
visits to creeks and beaches in summer.
How often:
Once a week on ...............................................................................
The first .................................................................... of each month
The first .................................................................... of each season
Once a year on .................................................................................
Date: Time:
Location: Activity:
Date: Time:
Location: Activity:
Date: Time:
Location: Activity:
Date: Time:
Location: Activity:
70
Schedule and Calendar
Once you and your first family nature club members and have completed one or two adventures, arrange a time to sit down together and plan more.
Each trip will be more enjoyable and relaxed if you are organised. Decide how often you
plan to go and for how long. Plan your trips based on the expected weather—active walks in
winter, visits to creeks and beaches in summer.
How often:
Once a week on ...............................................................................
The first .................................................................... of each month
The first .................................................................... of each season
Once a year on .................................................................................
Date: Time:
Location: Activity:
Date: Time:
Location: Activity:
Date: Time:
Location: Activity:
Date: Time:
Location: Activity:
71
• Travel time to destination ................
............................................................
• Accessible by public transport
Yes / No
• Convenient meeting place ...............
............................................................
• Adequate parking for the group
Yes / No
• Family-friendly loop walking track
Yes / No
• Other activities .................................
............................................................
• Educational opportunities ...............
............................................................
............................................................
• Access fees Yes / No
How much: $ .....................................
• Water feature
Lake Stream Pond Puddles
• Need permission for groups over 20
Yes / No
• Public toilets Yes / No
• Picnic tables Yes / No
• BBQs Yes / No
Plan B—You may need an alternate plan in case of park closures due to fire bans or bad weather
Alternate destination ....................................
Alternate meeting location ............................
Appropriate gear for being outdoors
Destination Check List
Completing a check list before you go will help you and the other members of your club to be organised and prepared.
Swimmers Boots Sunscreen
Hats Water Insect Repellent
72
• Travel time to destination ...............
...........................................................
• Accessible by public transport
Yes / No
• Convenient meeting place ..............
...........................................................
• Adequate parking for the group
Yes / No
• Family-friendly loop walking track
Yes / No
• Other activities .................................
...........................................................
.
• Educational opportunities ...............
...........................................................
.....................................................
• Access fees Yes / No
How much: $ .....................................
• Water feature
Lake Stream Pond Puddles
• Need permission for groups over 20
Yes / No
• Public toilets Yes / No
• Picnic tables Yes / No
• BBQs Yes / No
Plan B—You may need an alternate plan in case of park closures due to fire bans or bad weather
Alternate destination ....................................
Alternate meeting location ............................
Appropriate gear for being outdoors
Destination Check List
Completing a check list before you go will help you and the other members of your club to be organised and prepared.
Swimmers Boots Sunscreen
Hats Water Insect Repellent
73
Leader’s Check List
Pens and pencils for sign-in sheet and forms
Sign-in sheets and other participant forms
All special equipment needed for the day’s activities (field guides, magnifying glasses, paper)
Extra water and snacks (just in case)
Leader’s first aid kit
Make sure that parents and guardians stay with their children at all times
Allocate tasks to different people to make the day run more easily for you
Have fun!
Downloadable FormsYou can download extra forms and activity sheets from our web site:
www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/recreation/natural_areas/COSS-family-nature-club/family-nature-club-activities-
and-downloads
To keep track of the contact details of your family nature club: Activity sign-in sheet Leader’s check list Participant check list
Photo Release FormsIf you plan to take photos and use them on your blog, flyers or other advertisements, you will need to get permission from participants who may be in those photos.
74
Leader’s Check List
Pens and pencils for sign-in sheet and forms
Sign-in sheets and other participant forms
All special equipment needed for the day’s activities (field guides, magnifying glasses, paper)
Extra water and snacks (just in case)
Leader’s first aid kit
Make sure that parents and guardians stay with their children at all times
Allocate tasks to different people to make the day run more easily for you
Have fun!
Downloadable FormsYou can download extra forms and activity sheets from our web site:
www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/recreation/natural_areas/COSS-family-nature-club/family-nature-club-
activities-and-downloads
To keep track of the contact details of your family nature club: Activity sign-in sheet Leader’s check list Participant check list
Photo Release FormsIf you plan to take photos and use them on your blog, flyers or other advertisements, you will need to get permission from participants who may be in those photos.
75
You will not need permissions for most of your
family nature club outings. However, if you have
large groups you will need permission in some
areas. It is important to notify the manager of the
area that you will be in, as it helps them to plan
and prepare e.g. ensuring that any amenities are
clean and ready for a large group, and that they
know that there is a large group, and that they
know a large group is in the area if there is an
emergency such as a bushfire.
Council ReservesIf you plan to have a group of more than 50
people in a Gosford City Council reserve, you will
need to fill out the application form at least 8
weeks before the event. Please call
(02) 4325 8222 for more information.
You can search for Council Reserves on
www.reserves.mygosford.com.au
National ParksFor groups of 20 or more visiting national parks
in the Central Coast area, you will need a group
activity permit. Please call (02) 4320 4200 for
more information.
You can search for national parks on
www.environment.nsw.gov.au/NationalParks
Strickland State ForestThere is no requirement to get a group activity
permit in Strickland State Forest unless it is
organised by an incorporated organisation. If you
would like more information about Strickland
State Forest, please call 1300 655 687.
Large Group Activities
You can find out more about Strickland State
Forest on www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/forests/locations/
strickland
If you are unsure what to say when you ring
or email the land manager, here are some
suggestions to use or adapt:
I am part of Gosford City Council’s COSS Family
Nature Club Program. Our club is made up of
local families who are interested in learning more
about nature, and encouraging our children to
develop their skills and abilities through free play.
In July 2012, I started organising a family nature
club through my children’s school to explore the
natural areas on the Central Coast. I know that
other families will be more likely to explore our
natural areas if I invite them to join us and others
for an adventure.
We have selected your park/reserve to explore on
our September club outing. I understand that we
may need permission to conduct this activity as
we have thirty people attending. Can you please
let me know what I need to do to get a permit
and/or permission for our activity?
I am hoping that by introducing our club
members to your park/reserve, it will lead to
increased understanding and appreciation of the
beauty of the Central Coast environment. If you
have any brochures or other information that you
would like me to give to our members, please
send me a copy.
If you would like more information about
Gosford City Council’s COSS Family Nature Club
Program, please contact the Natural Open Space
Unit on (02) 4325 8222.
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... direct exposure to nature is
essential for … physical and
emotional health of children and
adults.
Last Child In The Woods by Richard Louv
Comments and Suggestions
77
We welcome your family nature club stories, pictures, comments and suggestions. You can email us at:
or write your comments below, tear out this page and post to:
COSS Family Nature Club Natural Open Space Unit Gosford City Council PO Box 21 GOSFORD NSW 2250
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79
Exploded Rainbow Colour Sheet
Cut out all of the rectangles on this page and keep them in a container or bag to use for the Exploded Rainbow activity on page 21.
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Nature Diary Pictures
Cut out these animal and plant pictures to decorate your Nature Diary (see page 28)
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1.
5.
7.
4.
8.
6.
3.
2.
1. Pink wax-flower 2. Grey-headed flying-fox 3. Waratah 4. Brown cuckoo-dove 5. Wedge-pea flower 6. Honey bee 7. Green and golden bell frog 8. Cicada exoskeleton.
82
Nature Diary Pictures
Cut out these animal and plant pictures to decorate your Nature Diary (see page 28)
83
1.
5.
9.7.
4.
8.
6.
3.
2.
1. Swamp wallaby 2. Kookaburra 3. Drumstick flower 4. Broad-tailed gecko 5. Bent-wing ghost moth 6. Tea tree flower 7. Eucalypt capsule 8. Wattle seed pod 9. Beetle.
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My Dream Forest
85
86
Find the correct colours for this shield bug...
Choose your own colours or see page 62 to do it nature’s way.
87
Colour-in the Stink Bug!
88
89
Colour-in the Spider!
Choose your own colours or see page 62 to do it nature’s way.
90
Can you find the...Death AdderLong-eared BatLyrebirdSugar Glider
Bush-stone CurlewKoala ButterflyFlannel Flowers
Colour-in the scene and see if you can find the animals and flowers
91
92
Can you find the...Swamp WallabyPlatypusRainbow Lorikeet
Green and Golden Bell Frog Bottlenose Dolphin Cockatoos
Colour-in the scene and see if you can find the animals
93
94
Our Family
Nature Club!
