St Leonards and Portarlington Primary Schools each participated in an environmental education day with Bellarine Bayside and Bellarine Catchment Network to learn more about the nature of their local environment. St Leonards Primary School had eighty students participate on 24 March 2016 on the foreshore area to the west of Bengalat Reserve (formerly Area 3), while Portarlington Primary School had 52 Grade 5&6 students participate on the 22 April 2016 in Little Reserve and on the Portarlington foreshore.
On each day the students participated in several fun and interactive environmental activities, including:
At the end of the activities, each student made a commitment to help their local environment. These commitments were collated and presented to each school as a book. Examples of commitments include “picking up rubbish and planting things”, “putting live animals back in the water”, and “caring and loving the environment”.
Bellarine Bayside acknowledges the Wadawurrung People as the Traditional Custodians of the Bellawiyn land, waterways and skies, and we pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. We recognise the unique ability of Wadawurrung People to care for Country and the intrinsic spiritual, cultural, economic, social and environmental connections they share with the land and waters. We are committed to partnering with Wadawurrung to achieve effective management of Country through self-determination.
Bellarine Bayside is committed to providing respectful and inclusive workplace, valuing the unique contributions, skills and perspectives of each individual. We are committed to providing a work environment free of discrimination and harassment.