Go outside and learn to cherish nature

YOUNG environmental warriors from Rye Primary School and St Joseph’s Primary, Sorrento were given the opportunity to learn about biodiversity and environmental protection under the tutelage of Mornington Peninsula ecologist Gidja Walker OAM. More than 60 children, across three sessions, attended the walk and spoke about the formation of the bay, the geology of the area and how that affected the vegetation that grows there.

Rye school principal Lachlan Featherstone said it was inspiring to see the children listening intently to what Walker said and asking relevant questions. “They definitely learned a lot from this session,” he said. St Joseph’s principal Monica O’Shannassy, ​​teachers, friends and staff from Mornington Peninsula Shire said they too had “learnt a lot”.

The sessions were made possible by the Friends of Rye Foreshore group receiving a Coastcare grant funded by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Change. The money will be used to support a project to conserve and restore the biodiverse area of ​​Whitecliffs Hill and the nearby waterfront.

Coordinator Mechelle Cheers said without the grant it would have taken years to remove the woody and other environmental weeds. Accelerating weed removal allowed native species – including moonah and banksia trees, bearded heather, orchids and thyme rice flowers – to germinate and repopulate the area. The county’s natural systems department and Naturelinks had also provided support. Cheers said the site was intended to become an education and cultural heritage precinct. “The more than 60 children who attended the sessions are the beginning of making that happen,” she said.

The Friends of Rye Foreshore group will be holding a worker bee and recruitment session on the Rye foreshore (opposite Steam Restaurant) on Wednesday 15 May from 9.30am to 12pm. Everyone is welcome. Questions at [email protected]

First published in Mornington News – May 7, 2024