Our specialist educator and knowledgeable guides team can facilitate a range of hands-on, immersive experiences to learn about local biodiversity and connect with nature. Please complete the enquiry form of the bottom of this page and our educator will be in touch.
Cost: $5pp, which includes facilitation, resources and hire of the Nature Discovery Centre. Please reach out if this cost is prohibitive. We want to enable all children and schools to participate in our programs.
Duration: The minimum time for guided programs is 1 hour, however we encourage schools to allocate 2-3 hours to get the most out of the experience. Two sessions can be booked for a full day excursion to the Botanic Garden. Alternatively, Yarilla Arts and Museum also offers fantastic educational programs and is only a 10-minute walk.
Biodiversity Field Studies
Our interactive Biodiversity Field Studies are an opportunity to practice fun, hands-on scientific and geographical inquiry skills and find ‘real world’ relevance for classroom learning. Field Studies can be simplified or extended to suit all ages and stages. Book two field studies to create a full day program.
Options include (click here for full description and curriculum alignment):
- Minibeasts in the Garden – insects and soil / pond ecology
- Burn & Learn – fire science and technology
- From Little Things, Big Things Grow – plant lifecycles, seed dispersal and plant reproductive strategies
- Murder in the Forest: An Ecological Mystery Game – wildlife tracking and ecology
- Beaks ‘n’ feet – bird morphology and ecology
- Bird Language 101 – acoustic bird ecology
- Fabulous Frogs – frog ecology and freshwater habitat health
“…the students absolutely loved the whole experience! Jaid was absolutely fantastic, so engaging and wonderful with the students. She really worked with their level of understanding and curiosity and made the tour and talk easy to participate in and dynamic, so she didn’t lose the children’s interest”
– Carlie Fairburn, Living School Australia
Discovery Walks
Our guided Discovery Walks are not just a bushwalk; we interweave stories, observations, games, and sensory practices to bring the experience to life, deeply engaging students and developing their understanding and appreciation of the natural world.
Wonder Walk
An invitation to slow down and experience the forest with all of the senses and your full attention. We stop several times to taste, see, smell, hear and feel the forest, as well as to hear awe-inspiring stories and facts that will leave you with a greater sense of appreciation and connection.
Rainforest Revival
Take a walk through our hand-planted rainforest and witness the incredible resilience of nature. More than 350 native species were planted here in 1987, transforming what was once degraded, weed infested paddock into a lush and biodiverse subtropical rainforest. The plantings represent five rainforest types found on the NSW North Coast, ranging from Palm Swamp to Subtropical Rainforest.
Our Habitat Our Home
Visit different plant community types including Mangrove Forest, Dry Open Forest, Sedgeland Paperbark Forest and Wet Ferny Forest. Keep an eye out for signs of wildlife, from birdsong and burrows to scats and tracks, and learn about the creatures that live in the different habitat types.
Nuts About Gums
Trace the evolutionary journey of eucalypts, from their humble roots as fringe dwellers at the edges of vast, ancient rainforests, to the incredibly diverse genus of trees that dominate the Australian bush today. The story of eucalypts is an epic tale of surviving and thriving across the driest and most fire prone continent on Earth. Learn how to identify four common local eucalypt species by observing differences in bark, leaf shape, seed capsules, and habitat, and discover why old gum trees enable the Botanic Garden to provide refuge for rare wildlife, such as Powerful Owls and Squirrel Gliders.
Mighty Mangroves
The Mangrove Boardwalk takes you out over Coffs Creek, into the tidal mangrove forests and mudflats that are part of the Solitary Islands Marine Reserve. Look closely to observe the incredible biodiversity that this habitat supports. You may spot small fish darting about, crabs signaling with their claws, flashes of blue as Kingfishers zoom and dive, and the graceful movements of waterbirds such as ibis, egrets, herons and darters. Learn about the vital role mighty mangrove forests play in holding the shoreline steady against powerful storms and floods, and in capturing staggering amounts of carbon safely in the mud.
Wildlife After Dark
Set off on a spotlighting safari to search for possums, gliders, koalas… and other little critters whose eye shine in the dark! We will learn where the wild creatures live, what they eat and why they make such strange noises in the dark. We will also use a UV torch to reveal the brilliant fluorescence of flowers, lichen and insects.
Tour the Cynthia and Alex Floyd Botanic Science Centre
Visit our regional seed bank and herbarium to learn about the scientific conversation work that takes place at the North Coast Regional Botanic Garden. See how native seeds are processed and stored so they can be distributed quickly to restore forests after a natural disaster. Take a look at real botanical specimens from the herbarium to understand how and why botanists keep scientific records of plants.
