A memorable experience

In March the two VCE Biology classes attended a very informative Biology camp in Portarlington. The camp went for two days and looked into the life of organisms in different environments. It included various activities to make up half of the second SAC for the term. Some of the activities included looking at the intertidal zone and snorkelling.

On the Thursday, 46 Biology students and 5 teachers made their way to Portarlington where they would stay the night. They dropped off their belongings and immediately made their way to Barwon Heads rock platform. The students had to examine the patterns and distribution of animals and plants at the rocky shore using transect lines and quadrats.

In the afternoon, the group stopped for a lunch break, then made their way to the Swan Bay Mudflats. The exploration provided students with an opportunity to investigate the mudflat ecosystem of Swan Bay – a marine reserve. Students were required to study the microhabitats within the area. A follow up laboratory study the next day would help investigate the microorganisms living in the mud and water samples from Swan Bay.

After a long and tiring day, the students had an opportunity to shop for dinner at the local supermarket. They arrived back at the resort where they could finally relax for the remainder of the day.

On the Friday, once everyone had had their breakfast, the two classes split up. One class had the marine aquarium activity while the other went snorkelling and then they swapped.

The marine aquarium was home to many local animals such as cuttle fish, sea stars and different species of fish. The students got a chance to touch some of the little organisms in the rock pool, but also watched the instructors feeding the animals. It was a good source of information about how different animals eat and how they cope living in a tank.

Once everyone had seen the animals they went to the back. The instructors had brought some tube worms found locally and each group was given a tub with tube worms and water. The task was to see what other things were living inside with the worms and note these findings.

Lastly, the most exhilarating part of the camp – snorkelling! The students arrived at Port Phillip Bay for their final investigation of the field trip. They tightly fitted on their wet suits and were ready to jump on the boat and head to one of Victoria’s Marine National Parks: Pope's Eye. Supervised by qualified instructors, the students were in the water and had a chance to explore a wide range of animals and plants. “That was my first time snorkelling, and I loved it. An awesome way to finish off the camp,” said James Holm.

“The biology camp was a memorable experience that was packed full of excitement and fun,” said Anthony Georgakopoulos. Joe Whitehead who also attended the camp said, “The camp was a great experience, it gave me an insight into the different types of environments at Queenscliff and Portarlington. I also enjoyed the snorkelling and boat trip. Overall it was a fun and enjoyable experience.”

Anthony Georgakopoulos and Joe Whitehead

Year 10 Journalism

YEAR 9 TEXTURAL MEDALLIONS