Summer in the Snowies

Cooba Sport and Education Centre

Away We Go Tours link with Cooba Sport and Education Centre to offer a huge range of Winter and Summer programs based at the Centre. Cooba Sport and Education Centre is accredited through the Outdoor Recreation Industry Council of NSW (ORIC) and is a centre based on best practice, safety and quality programs. This means reassurance for your school that all programs, staffing program planning has been developed with the students and teachers in mind, to give the highest standard of service, safety and programing.

Cooba programs - making a difference

Cooba outcomes are as important as the program itself. The Outdoor pursuits program chosen is the medium by which the outcomes of Team Building, Peer support, Self esteem leadership skills are enhanced. Program leaders are focused on outcomes, not just on doing the activity. Programs cover a large range of possibilities and any program can be tailor made to meet the needs of your school.

Away We Go Tours can also link Cooba programs with Canberra and / or Snowy Mountains Educational and Ski Trips.

Summer programs ar either 3 day or 5 day in length and usually run either:

• Orientation Camps
• Outdoor Pursuit and Initiative Camps
• Crossroads programs

The itineraries and camp possibilities are many and varied the programs available include a huge range of new and innovative activities and without a doubt the kids will come away with memories and lessons learnt that will last a lifetime.

Snowy Hydro

Set uniquely within the boundaries of the Kosciuszko National Park the scheme is an integrated water and hydro electric power project consisting of seven power stations, (two of which are underground) 16 major dams and over 225 Kms of tunnels and aqueducts.

Snowy Hydro has been running educational programs for schools visiting the scheme for over ten years. Programs offer tailored educational experiences for students from Primary school to year 12.

Snowy Hydro Discovery Centre in Cooma offers a range of activities tailored to fit your schools programs.

Education Programs:

• Mountains of Power

This program is designed to give visiting students a general introduction to the Snowy Hydro Discovery Centre and the visit will include,viewing an informative and entertaining DVD presentation outlining how Snowy Hydro operates in the Snowy Mountains area and Kosciuosko National Park. Teachers will receive supporting documentation and material for follow up in the classroom.

• Knowledge Quest

This program is a comprehensive, in-depth learning experience for students across a spectrum of subject choices where Snowy Hydro offers an excellent case study. The session includes Snowy Hydro Officers giving a detailed presentation to the students on the schools chosen subject, viewing an informative and entertaining DVD presentation, outlining how Snowy Hydro operates in the Snowy Mountains area and Kosciuszko National Park. It also describes how Snowy Hydro generates clean, renewable energy and trades in the National Electricity Market. A question and Answer session, students undertake a 'Knowledge Quest' and are given a set of tasks to find the answers in the interpretive area while being guided around the exhibition and interpretive displays, reinforcing a dynamic learning experience, teachers also receive supporting documentation and material including videos, books and souvenirs for follow up in the classroom.

• Energy with Altitude

Murray 1 Power Station

Murray 1 Power Station is the second largest power station in the Snowy Mountains Scheme where each turbine is capable of producing enough electricity to supply over 95,000 homes! Next to the power station is the Murray 1 Visitors Centre.

The centre offers an exciting interactive experience with a wide range of displays, 'hands on' models and exhibits. The Education Officers can help co-ordinate an excursion to the power station where the students can:

• See inside the power station during a power station inspection.
• Look around the Murray 1 Visitors Centre and enjoy the display area.
• View an informatiove and entertaining DVD presentation.
• You can sometimes watch the trout swim by and see platypus swimming in the pondage.

The Murray 1 Power Station is an intergral part of the Snowy Mountains Scheme. The Scheme took 25 years to build and was completed in 1974. More than 100,000 people from over 30 countries came to work in the mountains to make true a vision of diverting water to farms to feed a growing nation and to build power stations to generate electricity for homes and industries.

Kosciuszko National Park and Education Centre

The Kosciuoszko Education Centre operating since 1989 offers programs that are designed to enhance understanding through direct observation and experience so that syllabus outcomes are acheived.

Primary Programs

Programs aim to give students the opportunity to observe, explore, enjoy and learn through structured activities in a supportive environment.

Exploring the Kosciarium
Students watch a short video "Sharing the High Country - Kosciuosko National Park" and have time to enjoy displays including the ' hands-on' displays in the Kosciarium while the teachers share a cuppa! Unlike the Kosciuszko Gameshow, the students are not encourage to gather written information from the displays.

Stage: 2 and 3
Available: All year
Duration: 1 hour

Kosciuszko Gameshow and Kosciarium
Students use the information they gather from display boards to compete in a loud outlandish Gameshow. The students enjoy the challenge of a competitive game and the opportunity to support their team by cheering. Teachers will see that their students are learning without being aware of it. The students' work sheets (Cheat Notes) are taken home by the teacher. After the Gameshow the students explore the hands-on displays in the Koscuarium while the teachers enjoy a cuppa!

Stage: 3
Available: All year
Duration: 2 hours

Parks R 4 L.I.F.E
This program is designed to meet the needs of students studying the 'State and National Parks' unit from the HSIE Stage 2 syllabus but it is also popular with Stage 3 groups. An invitation to visit the national park, a crossword and four of the sixteen clues needed to solve it are sent to the class before their visit. During their park visit th students will search for signs of life in the forest, learn how Aboriginal people use plants, find out about the roles of national parks employees and participate in an activity which will help them see the park in a new way. Participants will be rewarded with the missing clues for the crossword and will learn that parks are for Living things, Indigenous people, Forever and for Enjoyment. Student workbooks provided.

Stage: 2 and 3
Available: Oct - May
Duration: 5 hours

Mystery of the Bush Banquet
The Students receive an invitation (partly in code) to visit the scene of a bush banquet prior to their visit. When they arrive the children participate in a cldd discussion and a sensory awareness walk, search for evidence of life in the forest and play a game to reinforce the concept of food chains.

After lunch the students break a code to discover who was at the banquet, discuss how Australia's landscape has changed in the past two hundred years, develop a plan to reduce the impact their lifestyle is having systems and play an active runing game to discover the impacts changing natural ecosystems will have on animals. Students work sheets provided.

Stage: 2 and 3
Available: Oct - May
Duration: 5 hours

Porcupine Rocks or Rainbow Lake Guided Walks
Although we are reluctant to encourage primary school groups to embark on long alpine walks we do enjoy leading young students on walks in lower altitudes. We will teach your students about alpine plants, animals and landforms, bush safety and bushwalking etiquette.

Stage: 3
Available: Dec to April (weather and snow permitting)
Duration: 4 to 7 hours

Gudjaga Barmbli - Children's Camp
Students will visit the forest to learn how Aboriginal people obtained food, medicine, fibre and tools from local plants. Activitites include making string from plants, grinding seed and creating Aboriginal style art using natural ochre. Whenever possible we engage Aboriginal guides for these bookings. If time permits your students will also explore the hands-on activities in our Kosciarium Max 60 students.

Stage: 3
Available: Oct - May
Duration: 5 hours

Earthkeepers ^TM
Earthkeepers is for those teachers who genuinely want a learning adventure that will captivate and motivate their students, setting them off on a quest that must be completed later.
To become Earthkeepers students must earn four 'KEYS' and unlock four boxes representing Knowledge, Experience, Yourself and Sharing. A mysterious figure, ' E. M' provides the motivation and magically ties together the hidden meanings behind the 'keys'. The program includes a sensory awareness walk, four concept building activities (dealing with energy flow, cycling of materials, interrelationships and change), a bushwalk following a sketch map and diary, time for solitude and much more. Almost all activities are undertaken in the natural environment and students are actively involved in all activities. Learning is reinforced through student workbooks and participation in the team based, TV styled gameshow. Work books and participant materials supplied.

Stage: 3
Available: Oct - May
Duration: 3 days

Secondary Programs

The possibility of studying the lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere in the fragile Kosciusko alpine area, combined with looking at the impact people have had on this environment and how the area is now being managed makes this a popular study topic for senior high school geography and biology students.

Our programs include opportunities for students to acquire knowledge through direct observations, field measurement, recording information, drawing field sketches, asking questions and working in teams. The students identify, gather, interpret and evaluate information from a range of sources and communicate ideas and information.

Kosciuszko - A special place
This slide/ lecture presentation highlights the unique natural and cultural features of the area, interaction of the four spheres, human impact and park management. The session gives your students the opportunity to have questions answered by National Parks and Wildlife Service staff. Allow time to give students an opportunity to gather information from the Centre displays after the presentation. Consider combining ths presentation with the Going Up The Mountain field trip.

Junior secondary learning outcomes: Geography 5A1, 5A2, E1 Science 4.8, 4.10, 4.16, 5.10, 5.11
Senior secondary learning outcomes: P1, P2, P3, P8, H2, H5, H6, H9, H10, H12
Key competencies: 2, 5
Duration: 1 hour
Available: All year round at Kosciuszko Education Centre

Going Up The Mountain
A field trip featuring the soil, landforms, weather, flora and fauna in montane, sub-alpine and alpine zones, the impact of grazing and ski resort development, park planning and management strategies. Information is gathered from several locations beside Kosciuszko Road between Sawpit Creek and Charlotte Pass so students will need to have transport available during the day. Worksheet masters provided.

Junior secondary learning outcomes: Geog 5A1, 5A2, E1 Science 4.2, 4.8, 4.10, 4.14, 4.15, 4.22, 5.10, 5.11, 5.15
Senior secondary learning outcomes: P1, P2, P3, P8, P9, P12, H1, H2, H5, H6, H7, H10, H12, H13
Key competencies: 1,2,3,5
Duration: approx 5 hours
Available: Nov - May

Above the Tree Line Guided Walks
Guided walks to Blue Lake or Mt Kosciusko give students the opportunity to observe geomorphological features, plant and animal adaptations, human impacts and learn about the interactions of the spheres and management strategies in the alpine zone. Work sheet masters provided.

Learning outcomes: P1, P2, P3, P6, P8, P12, H1, H2, H5, H6, H10, H12 Key competencies: 1, 2, 3
Duration: 4 - 7 hours
Available: Dec - April (weather and snow permitting)

Biodiversity survey (Stage 4-5)
After an introduction to the concept of biodiversity, and the scientific equipment to be used, the students undertake a biodiversity survey in a forest environment. Their observations and measurements are recorded in a poster format.

Learning outcomes: Geography 5A1, 5A2 Science 4.2, 4.8, 4.10, 4
.14, 4.15, 4.16, 4.17, 4.18, 4.19, 4.21, 4.22, 5.10, 5.11, 5.15, 5.19
Key competencies: Geography 1,2,3,5 Science 4/5.23, 4/5.24, 4/5.25, 4/5.26, 4/5.27
Duration: 5 hours
Available: Nov - May

Kosciuoszko Triva Quiz (Stage4-5)
Participants will learn about the natural and cultural heritage of the park by collecting answers for the quiz and watching a short video about the park. Competitive drive and fun is created by the offer of trivial prizes. Work sheets provided.
Junior secondary learning outcomes: Geography 5A1, 5A2, E1 Science 4.8, 4.10, 4.16, 5.10, 5.11
Key competencies: 2, 5
Duration: 1 hour
Available : All year at the Kosciuszko Education Centre only.

Stategic Planning Meeting (Stage 6 only)
This is a role play activity in which students work in teams of 'expert' soil scientists, geomorphologists, hydrologists, climatologists, botanists, biotanists, biologists, historians, pest species officers, park planners and legal advisers. Their task is to gather information from a variety of sources, including audio tapes, centre displays, books and scientific papers, and report back to the group on the unique features of the alpine area and the impact of a hypothetical ski resort on the alpine area. Student presentations are video taped and the tape and all research notes are taken back to school. Work sheets provided.

Learning outcomes: P2, P3, P6, P8, P9, P12, H1, H2, H5, H6, H9, H10, H12, H13
Key competencies: 1, 2, 3 ,5, 6
Duration: 2 hours
Available: All year

Kosciuoszko National Park Walks

Kosciuoszko walking tracks provide a diverse range of walks, both in length and also flora, fauna, history and geology of the park.

Guided or Unguided walks are available combine a walk with a KNP program, Thredbo Day or Outdoor Pursuits program.

Thredbo

How The Alps were formed, the history of altitude training guided walk to Mount Kosciuoszko are just a few of the opportunities open for discovery when you book into a Thredbo day. A Thredbo day can include things such as an education unit aligned to curriculum, a swim in the AIS High altitude training pool, a bobsled ride, guided walk to Mount Kosciuoszko, Mount Kosciuoszko Certificate, Chair rides and more.

Yarrangobilly Caves

Include a visit to Yarrangobilly Caves and discover some of the most beautiful caves in Australia, the area has rich Aboriginal and European History. Self guided or guided tour are available. Link tours to units in Geography, History and Science. As well as Cave inspection and tours, there are a number of short walks, and the very popular Thermal Pool. Water temp is a constant 27^oC year round. Combined with a Cave tour and it makes a great fun filled learning adventure.