Tag Archives: Youth

The South Eastern Glossy Black Cockatoo is one of Australia's rarest native birds, with a population of just 8,000. Happily the staff and students at Glenbrook Public School were not willing to give up on the flocks who make their home in the Blue Mountains region, with the Glossy Black Cockatoo as the theme for their recent National Science Week program.

Led by First Nations students and community, Blaxland High School has established a native food garden and students are using crops grown in the garden as ingredients in food technology classes. The school received injections of expertise from many quarters including an Aboriginal-owned social enterprise to learn about and embrace the use of native plants for cooking and sustainability.

For two decades Claire Meijnderts of Blaxland has been a beacon of hope for children facing the challenges of having incarcerated parents. As a tireless volunteer leader of Camp for Kids, she has helped transform hundreds of lives and played a pivotal role in steering young people away from the justice system. While raising her family alongside husband Jeff, Claire has been a devoted foster Mum and has worn many other volunteer hats.

Mat van der Aa swapped detonating explosives in the Air Force for life as an outdoor educator and guide. His ‘office’ is the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, and his mission is to inspire teenagers to respect and love the bush as much as he does.

Every Autumn Blue Mountains City Council conducts water monitoring on more than 70 creeks, adding to 25 years of data. A new group of ‘Aquatic Scientists’ has joined the ranks of the professionals. Glenbrook Public School Year 6 students have been armed with the tools and knowledge to help look after the health of our waterways.

For seven years, Blaxland Preschool Kindergarten has been delivering an innovative nature-based program that encourages adventure & risk-taking. Inspired by Scandinavian Forest Kindergartens, Bush Preschool is offered to children one day a fortnight.

Tom Gleeson was just 11 when he joined his mum and 20 other Warrimoo residents in a community-based program called Sustainability Street. Locals of all ages met regularly in backyards, lounge rooms, a school hall & parks to learn about sustainable ways of living, working, thinking & acting.

As a child, Beth Healy loved reading The Secret Garden. When she became a mum, Beth created her own outdoor treasure trove at her Blaxland home. 'Dirt Mum' is passionate about spreading her love of nature and its bounties to her 9 and 11-year-old daughters and Lower Mountains school children.