Learning Resources
Education Kits
Our curriculum-aligned, ‘outdoor classroom ready’ Education Kits are designed to help busy teachers organise high quality learning experiences in the Botanic Garden. Each kit contains lesson plans and detailed teacher notes for a self-guided walk, as well as learning activities to do before and after your visit to get the most out of your excursion.
The Art in Nature: SHAPE and Our Habitat Our Home kits are currently available for free download as an introductory offer to celebrate the opening of the new Nature Discovery Centre.
Our Habitat, Our Home Education Kit
Explore what a habitat is at school and in the Botanic Garden. Take a walk through six habitat types in the Botanic Garden, observe what plants and animals live there and consider why. The kit provides detailed notes along with a photoset of the animals for each habitat. A special focus is on the importance of old growth trees and habitat hollows, with a “Habitat Tree’ match up activity. Aligned to the Living World strand of the ES1-S3 science syllabus.
Art in Nature: SHAPE Education Kit
Explores the art and science of nature with a focus on leaves. Students to use their imagination and powers of observation along the “Plants with Strange Names” walk and undertake a range of creative activities to represent plant diversity. Aligned with the S1-S3 Creative Arts syllabus and S1-S2 Science and Technology syllabus.
Information Leaflets
- Garden Information and Map
- Garlambirla Walk (Gumbaynggirr plant knowledge)
- Our Habitat, Our Home Walk
- Wildlife of the Botanic Garden
- Birds of the Botanic Garden
- 105 Birds of the Botanic Garden (list of species you might see and in which season)
- Powerful Owl
- Journey into the Subtropics
- The Glasshouse
- The Lake and Japanese Garden
Taking care of wildlife
Owl friendly garden – Birdlife Australia
A guide to feeding wild birds in Australia – Birdlife Australia
Attracting Insect eating birds to your garden – Cornell Lab, Cornell University
Nest Box Guidelines– North Coast Regional Landcare and Charles Sturt University
Botany and Plant Identification
North Coast Regional Botanic Garden’s Living Plants Collection – our digital database and interactive map to discover plants
Plant Science Learning Hub – Created by the Australian National Botanic Garden, this is a free educational resource designed for educators and students to explore the science and stories of Australian native plants. Explore plant life cycles, structure, pollination and more.
Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants
Citizen Science
Use these apps and get involved with these events to participate in science and conservation efforts.
Aussie Bird Count – a week of counting during bird week using a special, easy to use app. Next bird count October 2024.
BirdData – Birdlife Australia’s bird counting app.
Birds in Backyards Seasonal Surveys. As the seasons change, record the changing birds.
BirdLife Australia – An Australian Organisation dedicated to education about, and the preservation of Australian birds.
eBird – an app that helps you create lists of the birds you see and that is used by scientists across the world.
FrogID – your 20 second recording of a local frog can make all the difference.
Frog ID Week A week of collecting extra frog recordings.
Great Glossy Black Cockatoo Count Help these endangered birds.
Great Southern BioBlitz an annual event using iNaturalisst to find as many plants, insects and animals as you can. Local Great Southern Bioblitz Group
iNaturalist. A great app to help identify things you find by photo.