Dolphin Research Institute - Student Leaders

On Tuesday 12th September our Year 6 DRI Ambassadors had an informative and interactive day on the Chelsea foreshore for our Coastal Workshop.  Milly, Tahlia and Sophia spent the day with other students from ten local schools.

The ambassadors began the day watching Jackson from the City of Kingston. He  

demonstrated how he used a mechanical litter collection daily and then discussed the issues with litter found on the local beaches. This is not only an environmental issue but an economic one with the vast associated costs of equipment, staff and transport. 

Next, we participated in a weeding session with staff from The City Of Kingston. They showed us how to remove the marram grass, which is an introduced species that is smothering endemic plants.

Then it was on to a planting session with staff showing us how to plant pig face and spinifex. They also discussed how important it is to replant the sand dune to provide habitats for blue-tongued lizards and other creatures, and stabilise the dunes to reduce erosion.  

We also had an amazing session with Hudson from Living Culture who had the  

Ambassadors’ attention as he talked about his mob from Thursday Island in the Torres Strait Islands. He showed how to use a boomerang, club and woomera and what each was used for. The students were able to try throwing a spear using the woomera. (A woomera is an Australian Aboriginal wooden spear-throwing device.) Sophia, Tahlia and Milly did an amazing job throwing their spears. 

Next, the students worked together to try and start a fire. They needed to rub a stick into a base using the palms of their hands . The stick was made using Austral Mulberry. The dry flower stalk of the Southern Grass tree was used as the base where the stick was placed into. 

Ambassadors got hands-on during the Sand Sort workshop, racing to identify marine litter. We followed up with a discussion on the issues and solutions to litter on our beaches with the number one solution TO REDUCE our consumption of single-use items!

We finished off the day with a paddle and handstands in Port Phillip Bay. Thanks to Mandy and Jacqui from the Dolphin Research Institute for another amazing session on how we can help look after our bay and the environment.