World Rivers Day is a celebration of the World’s Waterways!
It highlights the many values of our rivers, strives to increase public awareness, and encourages the improved stewardship of all rivers around the world. Rivers in virtually every country face an array of threats, and only through our active involvement can we ensure their health in the years ahead.
Australia has 439 rivers, many of these rivers are quite small and are tributaries that flow into larger rivers.
A river is a natural watercourse flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of water.
A meandering stream has a single channel that winds snakelike through its valley. As water flows around these curves, the outer edge of water is moving faster than the inner.
It was great to get back in the water after a long winter break. Hearing that there were Port Jackson Sharks (PJs) at Shelly Beach got me in the water today. I lost count after about 25, there were PJs everywhere. They varied in colour and most were under a metre long.
Port Jackson Shark
Port Jackson Shark, Heterodontus portusjacksoni are very common tis time of year, between May – October. The teeth of the Port Jackson Shark are not serrated and are used to hold and break, then crush and grind the shells of molluscs and sea urchins.
Giant Cuttlefish
The Giant Cuttlefish Sepia apama are one of my favourite animals to find on a dive. On our way back to shore I spotted one under under a rocky ledge and was excited to see a second Cuttle hiding too. They are inquisitive and playful and came out in the open to check us out.
Blue Groper
The Eastern Blue Groper Achoerodus viridis is a familiar sight for Sydney Divers. The friendly Blue Groper often follows you around while you are on a dive. I have been surprised more than once to turn around and be face to face with one of these guys. You can find out more about the Blue Groper on the Australian Museum website
Smooth Stingray
We saw several Smooth Stingrays Bathytoshia brevicaudatais hiding in the sand when we were on the way back to shore. One was on top of the sand and the other had covered itself in sand. You could just see the outline of the stingray and the eyes sticking out above the sand. The Smooth stingray are the largest stingray in the world, but sometimes still hard to spot. Check out the video below (not my video).
What can you do to help preserve this amazing environment?
Remove any rubbish that you find in the water or on the beach
Remove any bits of fishing line and nets that you see
Be aware that what you do on land impacts our marine systems downstream
Today is Threatened Species Day and it is a day to raise awareness of plants and animals at risk of extinction. Threatened Species Day is also significant for me as it is the anniversary of Australian Environmental Education which I started in 2019. The last 3 years have been full of many challenges and thankfully many rewarding experiences.
In the last 3 years I have written almost 160 webpages and 70 blog posts. I have really enjoyed creating all the content for the website and to see the information being used by so many people. There have been over 175,000 visitors viewing 300,000 pages and over 8 million impressions on Google.
The What’s in your Backyard series of videos on YouTube have been watched over 20,000 times. These videos are especially popular at the moment with people wanting to connect with their local environment.
I have been delivering onsite and online programs to councils, schools, vacation care centres and students learning from home. Since starting Australian Environmental Education 3 years ago I have delivered over 350 programs reaching over 50,000 students.
I was also recently awarded one of the top sustainability blogs of 2022 by Twinkl Education. It was great to have all the hard work over the last 3 years recognised and to know that the blogs, resources and activities are utilised.
Threatened Species Day is recognised across the Australia on 7 September every year to raise awareness of plants and animals at risk of extinction. Threatened Species Day acknowledges the death of the last remaining Thylacine, Tasmanian tiger at Hobart Zoo in 1936. It is a day to reflect on what you can do to make a difference, the future is in your hands.
Australia is home to more than 500,000 animal and plant species, many of which are found nowhere else in the world. Over the last 240 years, more than 100 animal and plant species have become extinct. 1,800 animals and plants are at risk of extinction and many are iconic Australian species including east coast koalas and the greater glider.
Threatened Species Day is a time to focus on or native plants, animals, and ecosystems and look at how we can protect them into the future. Encouraging wildlife into your backyard by creating a sanctuary for native animals is a great way to start.
The What’s in your Backyard series of videos on YouTube can help you connect with your local environment. Remember just to look and listen to the world around you and you will be surprised about that you might find!
Mangroves are a vital ecosystem that benefit our environment, economy, and communities. However they are severely under threat. An estimated 67% of historical mangrove habitat has been lost or degraded worldwide, with 20% occurring since 1980.
Mangroves are found in the intertidal zones of tropical, subtropical and protected temperate coastal rivers, estuaries and bays, where they grow in fine sediments deposited by rivers and tides. Mangrove trees have a characteristic growth form, including aerial structural roots and exposed breathing roots. This helps them cope with regular tidal inundation and a lack of oxygen in the soil.
Mangrove tree and pneumatophores in Moreton Bay, Qld. BoundaryRider
Mangrove forest protect coastlines from storm surges
Mangrove forests provide breeding nurseries for a wide range of fish and crustaceans, including many species of commercial and recreational value. The forests also provide a habitat for many marine invertebrates species. Terrestrial fauna including insects, reptiles, frogs, birds and mammals use mangroves for food, shelter, breeding and feeding grounds.
Mangrove forests occur in many of Australia’s coastal regions. Today the total area is only 0.9 million hectares or 0.6% of Australia’s native forest cover. Since 1980, we have lost half of the mangrove forests. Some countries have lost more than 80% of their mangrove population.
Explore your local mangroves this weekend. If you are in Sydney head to the Badu Mangrove Boardwalk in Bicentennial Park and you’ll discover surviving riverside wetlands that shelter colourful waterbirds plus the largest mangrove forest remaining on the Parramatta River.
I have spent the last 3 weeks exploring fossil sites across NSW and Queensland. 20 days on the road with my family travelling almost 5000km across some amazing parts of Australia. This trip has been on my bucket list for a while.
Much of the journey took us over the Great Artesian Basin. The waters of the Great Artesian Basin are held in a sandstone layer laid down by continental erosion of higher ground during the Triassic, Jurassic, and early Cretaceous periods. During this time much of inland Australia was covered by the Eromanga Sea and a layer of marine sedimentary rock formed a confining layer, trapping water in the sandstone aquifer. The eastern edge of the basin was uplifted when the Great Dividing Range formed.
Lightning Ridge
Our first stop was Lightning Ridge to see opalised fossils, the famous black opal and relax in hot springs fed by the Great Artesian Basin.
Hot Springs
We went to the famous Bottle House full of rocks, fossils and curios, went underground to explore an opal mine and went fossicking. The best way to wind down after a big day fossil hunting is to soak in the hot springs. The artesian water flowing from the bore maintains a temperature of around 41.5C and the water flows at 9 litres per second.
Winton
From Lightning Ridge we made our way into central Queensland and up to Winton. Winton is a great town with lot of things to do, but we were there for the Dinosaurs.
Winton is also famous for poet Banjo Patterson and his characters are the inspiration for the nicknames given to many of the dinosaurs found around Winton. Banjo (Australovenator) and Matilda (Diamantinasaurus) were both found buried together in what turns out to be a 98 million-year old billabong.
The dinosaur bones are from rocks found in the Winton Formation, a geological layer 102-98 million years old. Since excavations began many types of dinosaurs have been found, including plant-eating ankylosaurs and ornithopods, plus the serrated teeth of carnivorous theropod dinosaurs.
Three famous species of dinosaur have been formally scientifically named from Winton:
From Winton we travelled through a beautiful part of Australia, very green from recent rains. The journey between Winton and Bedourie was truly spectacular and we were happy to find more hot springs on arrival in Bedourie.
Landscape from Winton to Boulia Qld.
Eromanga
Our next destination was to Eromanga to see more Dinosaur fossils and Megafauna fossils from Eulo. The Dinosaur fossils are found 2 metres below the current day surface and the Megafauna fossils like Diprotodon are being found in layers 1 metre below the surface.
From Eromanga we turned south and made our long way back home to Sydney.
Wellington Caves
We didn’t stop at Wellington Caves on this trip, but is is definitely worth a visit. Fossil vertebrates have been collected at the caves since the 1830’s. The fossil deposits contain bones from mammals, including bats, rodents and monotremes and from reptiles and birds. The age range of the fossils is from the late Pliocene to late Pleistocene approximately 3.5 million – 40,000 years ago.
It was an amazing journey , but I’m already planning my next trip through Lake Mungo to Naracoorte Caves and then the Finders Ranges to see the Ediacaran fossils.
World Environment Day is celebrated every 5th of June and this years theme is “Only One Earth” with the focus on “Living Sustainably in Harmony with Nature”.
“Living Sustainably in Harmony with Nature” has also been a key focus of mine since starting Australian Environmental Education. I believe you can make a difference today with every choice you make.
There are many ways that you can help to conserve Australia’s environment and be more sustainable. Think about the choices you make every day; how do you get to school, what do you put in the bin, how long was your shower today, did you remember the reusable bag for the shopping?
Help restore your local ecosystem this World Environment day with these great activities. Creating a Wildlife Habitat is a 5 part program that can help you plan and plant a wildlife habitat at your school, home or local area.
In urban areas, human development has reduced the natural habitat available to frogs. The Focus on Frogs workshop provides information and skills that will enable you to discover what frogs live in your backyard or local area.
Minibeasts in your Garden explores the diverse world of minibeasts. Discover why minibeasts are important and learn how find them in your garden or local park. The program will help you to identify common groups of backyard minibeasts and provides information and skills to conduct your own minibeasts investigation.
You don’t see many of the animals that live in your local area because they are nocturnal. Often it is the Noises in the Night that give us a clue to the nocturnal species that are living in our local area.
Today is World Water Day, the 22 March highlights the importance of freshwater. The day is used to advocate for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. This years theme is “Groundwater – making the invisible visible” and explores the importance of groundwater.
Water covers 75% of the earth’s surface, however only a very small amount is freshwater that can be used directly by people, animals and plants because:
97% of this water is in oceans and is too salty for people, animals or plants to use
2% is frozen at the north and south poles, in glaciers and on snowy mountain ranges
Only 1% is avaiable as freshwater in rivers, lakes and groundwater.
Groundwater is invisible, but its impact is visible everywhere. Our drinking water and sanitation, our food supply and natural environment–all these rely on groundwater.
Groundwater is critically important to the healthy functioning of ecosystems, such as wetlands. In deltas and coastal areas, groundwater also ensures the stability of the ground and prevents seawater intrusion under the land.
Groundwater is invisible, but its impact is visible everywhere.
Under our feet, groundwater is a hidden treasure that enriches our lives.
Almost all of the liquid freshwater in the world is groundwater.
As climate change gets worse, groundwater will become more and more critical.
We need to work together to sustainably manage this precious resource.
Groundwater may be out of sight, but it must not be out of mind.
Water is essential for all life and is the most abundant substance on Earth, yet water scarcity is one of the biggest issues facing us today. Australia is the world’s driest inhabited continent and 2019 was the hottest and driest year on record.
The natural water cycle has been modified by people to ensure a constant water supply and the safe disposal of wastewater. The Urban Water Cycle incorporates the Water Supply System, Wastewater system and the Stormwater system.
Water is the most common substance found on earth, so why is it important? Water is essential for all forms of life and can dissolve nearly anything. It can exist as a gas (water vapour and steam), a liquid (water) and a solid (ice).
Discover the frogs living in your local area this World Frog Day. Did you know that Australia has over 245 species of frog, most that are found nowhere else in the world. You can encourage frogs into your backyard by creating a frog friendly garden.
In urban areas, human development has reduced the natural habitat available to frogs. Some species are doing well like the Striped Marsh Frog, Peron’s Tree Frog and Common Eastern Froglet. Unfortunately other frog species have been in decline since the 1980s.
Striped Marsh Frog
Peron’s Tree Frog
Peron’s Tree Frog and
You can do your part to help local frogs by creating a frog friendly environment. This will encourage frogs to come to live and breed in your backyard. Create a small shallow pond in an area that is partly shaded or install a Frog Hotel.
Reducing chemicals use in your garden
Be patient and wait, if you build it they will come
Use FrogID to research the frogs that are found in you local area. This will help you work out what kind of habitat will suit your backyard best. You can use PVC pipe to create a habitat for tree frogs. Frog Tubes are an easy way to provide somewhere safe for tree frogs to live too. Use a 1 metre length of PVC pipe and stick the base in the ground or tie them to a tree. It provides a really moist environment for tree frogs to hide in.
A Frog Hotel are another great option for tree frogs and provides them a safe place to hide during the day. Check out the video below for instructions on how ro make a Frog Hotel.
Discover more about frogs and some of their amazing adaptions. There is also information to help you create a frog friendly backyard.
SeaWeek is a campaign to focus community awareness, provide information and encourage an appreciation of the sea. The dates are on 5 – 13 March 2022 and this years theme is Our SEArch – what will you discover?. The theme is based on the Ocean Literacy Principle that the Ocean is largely unexplored.
Key marine environments; ocean, coral reef and mangroves
I relate to this years theme as I love exploring the coastline and below the oceans waves. There is always so much to discover if you look. I have a range of resources to learn more about our marine world and for your to discover something new this SeaWeek.
FREE On Demand session
My Journey Beneath the Waves takes you and your students on an exploration of the marine environment. The temperate waters around Sydney are home to a variety of habitats including kelp beds and sponge gardens. These are wonderful place to dive and discover the diversity of animals that live there.
I talk about my experiences SCUBA diving and take you on a journey beneath the waves to explore this wonderful world.
Education Resources
Oceans contain the greatest diversity of life on Earth. Habitats range from the freezing polar regions to the warm waters of the coral reefs, deep sea hydrothermal vents to shallow seagrass beds and beautiful sponge gardens to giant kelp forests, marine organisms are found everywhere.
Australia is home to the over 10,000 beaches and no part of Australia is more than 1,000km from the ocean. Our coasts are impacted by our actions on land. Rubbish and microplastics can be found washed up on almost every Australian beach.
Pollution and rubbish get washed into our rivers and waterways with stormwater runoff and end up on our coasts and oceans. Over 75% of this rubbish is plastic. Plastics in the environment can take hundreds of years to break down, thereby impacting marine species for generations.
The Beach Survey provides a starting point to understand the types of rubbish in the marine environment.
