WATER EDUCATION

The Central Highlands Water Education Program and Central Highlands Region Waterwatch are currently conducting programs in schools in our region (click here for regional map) with the aim of developing greater awareness and understanding of local water and environmental issues which affect us all.

Our various water and environment programs are flexible and may be used at different times with some or all of your class. The activities are open-ended and will allow children to be challenged at their own levels: -

1. Central Highlands Water Education Program

The aim of the Central Highlands Water Education Program is to educate children on water and wastewater issues within their local environment. Please click here for details on the Central Highlands Water sample planner of C.S.F. levels 3 & 4.

The stages can be modified to suit the needs, experience and interest of your school, students and region. The sample planner is part of our free education kit for schools, which caters for all age levels.

Central Highlands Water's new Outdoor Education Centre is an excellent focal point for various educational tours and activities. School groups who visit and become involved in the centre's activities will leave having gained more knowledge about the vital importance of water in their environment and everyday lives.

The centre, located in our picturesque Kirks Reservoir Park, Ballarat Victoria, is designed to accommodate approximately two average sized school classes.

Please contact pblackbu@chw.net.au. for further information about the Central Highlands Water Education Program or the Outdoor Education Centre.

2. Waterwatch

Waterwatch is a national community water quality monitoring program. A comprehensive Waterwatch Education Kit is available for use within schools, and the Waterwatch Coordinator is available (free of charge) to work in schools in the region with their monitoring activities. A large range of resources is available for regular monitoring groups to use in conjunction with their learning programs. Please contact A Harris. for further information or visit the Waterwatch web site on www.vic.waterwatch.org.au.

• Water education can be approached through the streams Time, Continuity and Change, People and Space, Resources or Natural and Social Systems. Please click here for details on the Central Highlands Water sample planner of C.S.F. levels 3 & 4.
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• The time commitments to these programs by a class are very flexible, ranging from 1-hour sessions to a whole terms work.
  
  

• The first hand experience of the Outdoor Education Centre, tours and stencilling side entry pits will leave a lasting impression on the children who play an important role in our water and environments future. Our programs take the classroom theory and place it into real life experiences.
  
  

• Waterwatch programs in the Central Highlands Water region can be incorporated into catchment education programs.

For further information, please contact:

Peter Blackburn, Education Program Central Highlands Water Education Officer Ph. 03 5320 3157 E-mail. pblackbu@chw.net.au