We know what kind of activity you want to do in the school holidays – something completely different and away from the crowds!! We are excited to announce a brand new activity into our 2021 summer school holiday program! It is an easy science activity designed for kids.
The Waterbug Blitz is a nationwide project, empowering the community to become ‘citizen scientists’ for a day. Under the guidance of out Outdoor Leaders you will explore local freshwater creeks, rivers and wetlands to learn about the fascinating world of waterbugs.
The Lodge has picturesque creek frontage , and we will be ankle-deep in the shaded and cool water while we use nests to catch the critters that live in our pristine creek environment. This is the best science experiment for kids because they are playing and having fun while collecting valuable science data.
Lead scientist and freshwater ecologist, John Gooderham said the Waterbug Blitz aims to assess the status of waterways nationwide by surveying aquatic macroinvertebrates – known as waterbugs – that inhabit rivers, creeks and lakes.
“These ecosystems are intrinsically connected to the lives of all Australians and play an important and often underestimated role in our environment and economy. Waterbugs are good biological indicators of the state of freshwater systems. Some species such as stoneflies and mayflies are highly sensitive to pollution while beetles and bloodworms are more tolerant. The greater number and variety of the more sensitive bugs, the healthier the system is” said Mr. Gooderham.
“These ecosystems are intrinsically connected to the lives of all Australians and play an important and often underestimated role in our environment and economy. Waterbugs are good biological indicators of the state of freshwater systems. Some species such as stoneflies and mayflies are highly sensitive to pollution while beetles and bloodworms are more tolerant. The greater number and variety of the more sensitive bugs, the healthier the system is” said Mr. Gooderham.
The new school holiday activity is a perfect hands-on science activity for the whole family. Parents can attend with their children and discover how to collect waterbugs with various tools, learn identification methods, record the data and then finally return the water bugs back to their home in the creek unharmed. Not only is the activity great for getting kids outside in nature and exploring, but they will also be contributing to valuable nationwide research!
Teams of 2-4 people (5yo+) will be catching and identifying the water bugs caught for the 90 minute activity. We recommend that an adult helps up to 3 kids – but everyone is welcome. Teams of 2 are $40 per team, and each additional person is $10. To get the most out of our leaders expertise, there will be a maximum of 3 teams.
If you are interested in being involved in our FREE trial run of the activity on the 30th of December, get in touch with us ASAP as places are limited. Or alternatively keep an eye out for the activity in future school holiday adventure activity programs!
We have a heap of other kid-friendly school holiday activities on offer – check out our calendar and make a booking today!
Now you know what to do if anyone says they are bored in the school holidays!
