Our Year 9 students recently visited Eadine Springs to apply classroom learning through hands-on fieldwork. They collected ecological data across three sites along the waterfall, which will support their science experiments leading to the written report.

At Site One, near the dam’s base, students gathered a water sample, their first soil sample, and completed a quadrat drawing of plants and ground cover.

Site Two, halfway up the waterfall, provided a second soil sample. Though waterfall flow was low due to dry conditions, signs of water movement appeared as a small stream.

At Site Three, students used digital probes to measure soil pH, temperature, and moisture before collecting their final soil sample. Our laboratory technician, Mrs Budas set up the equipment and guided the students with collecting data.

Classes rotated through the sites differently:

• Mr Hillyer’s class: Site One → Two → Three
• Mr Greenley’s class: Site Three → One → Two

After morning tea, both groups returned to the picnic area to complete a second quadrat and run a transect line, recording biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) features.

Students showed genuine interest, working well together as they carefully collected and recorded samples.

A field trip to Eadine Springs has long been part of the Year 9 Science program, introducing students to locally developed, world-recognised soil improvement methods—important for wheat farming in the region. The skills developed lead to ongoing discussions in other areas of science and to develop an interest in career pathways examining areas of soil science, ecological science and ecosystem management. The field trip also assists students with an understanding of how to care for the environment today, which will support our future.

Mr Hillyer and Mr Greenley

Year 9 Science Teachers