Year 8 Geography

On Monday 5 May, Year 8 Home Groups 8.5 and 8.6 went on a Geography fieldtrip to Lake Mountain and Marysville. Here, we saw the devastating impact of the deadly Black Saturday bushfires which are still evident and impact many people today, as we learnt about the factors that caused the fires to have been so destructive.

We went on several trails to observe the mountain from different perspectives and filled in pages in our booklet, including a field sketch of Marysville from the summit of Lake Mountain. There was also a person who introduced the various vegetation and wildlife around us as well as answering any questions we had. I was surprised to learn that the fire benefits native vegetation, as it is a method used by some of them to reproduce. It was fascinating to see the various strategies and methods that different trees and plants have developed over time to adapt to withstand bushfires.

Despite the abundance of stags (burnt trees unable to regenerate) on the mountain, the land was slowly re-generating as new growth pushed through, healing the wounds inflicted by the bushfires. Much like the mountain and vegetation, the people of Marysville and Lake Mountain, though bearing scars that run deep and will not fade, have slowly rebuilt and recovered over time, displaying admirable and inspiring resilience through times of hardship.

Overall, this excursion was both memorable and eye-opening, as we witnessed the catastrophic impact of the Black Saturday bushfires and saw how much Marysville and Lake Mountain have bounced back and evolved since then, a reminder of nature’s endurance and power to regrow, as well as the perseverance and unwavering determination of those affected.

Written by

Leah C (8.5)