An exciting and interactive camp in Queensland is hoping to ignite a passion for conservation in bush kids.
Armed with binoculars, hats and small animal traps, the primary school students from the Capricornia School of Distance Education (CSDE) march into the long grass.
They are on a camp at Carnarvon Station Reserve and they are looking for elusive mammals and lizards.
Their guide, Bush Heritage ecologist Dr Alison Howes, is teaching them how to become 'bush detectives' because some species can be hard to find.
"With ecology, we study how animals use the environment … but sometimes we don't always get to see animals in the environment but that doesn't mean that they're not there or that they don't exist," Dr Howes explained.
"So we become 'bush detectives' and look for other evidence that animals may be in the environment."
Budding ecological sleuth Anton Smith said there were a range of clues that animals had been in the area.
"You can see their poo and their tracks; if it's something like a koala you can see scratches on the trees."
A chance for students to see their mates
The students are all from remote stations across Queensland and do their schooling from home through the school of the air.
CSDE principal Ian Bielenberg said the opportunity to learn from an ecologist was an exciting one for these country kids.
"It's important on a number is different levels — first of all the socialisation that distance education kids get is very limited," he said.
"This is a world first as far as we know … I don't know of any other school in Queensland that's had the opportunity to come to a remote location like this and to work with scientists who are so highly skilled."
Ecologists of the future
It is hoped these experiences will spark a commitment to science and the environment that may see some pursue a career in the field.
"Through important topics like climate change, society is starting to realise the impact we have on the environment," Dr Howes said.
"I think it's important that we encourage our younger generations to understand the significance of that; they're the next stewards of the land.
"It's really important for them to understand that and to have the knowledge of how to protect the environment and look after species within it."
