Animals and Permaculture
Avicultural Society Bird Expo
On Sunday the 16th of June, Templestowe College once again hosted the Avicultural Society’s Bird Expo. It was a successful day, with many bird lovers coming to get involved whether buying, selling or looking; it was a fantastic day for everyone who came.
There was a wide range of exotic and native bird species at the event, there were even some species we had never seen before!
Thank you to all the students and staff who got involved and helped on the day! Templestowe College’s Animals Program managed to sell a few birds, as some of our birds weren’t suitable for our program. The downsize now means that we can use their aviaries to extend the current bird’s aviaries. This benefits our birds as they will have more space to fly around, and we can include more enrichment for them so that they can express more natural behaviours.
With lots of excitement throughout the day, it was clear the Bird Expo continues to be a highlight for the bird community. We look forward to next year’s event and hope to see even more bird enthusiasts join us at this amazing event.
– Sophie H and Charlotte G
Bee Club Varroa Mite Workshop
Feathers and Fur student Emma organised an amazing incursion for Bee Club as part of her passion project! It was great to welcome Ashton Edgley, Senior Varroa Development Officer from Agriculture Victoria, who educated Bee Club on how to reduce the risk of disease in our school beehives and taught them all about the Varroa mite, how to check for it and how to manage it if it reaches Melbourne. During the workshop, students got hands-on inspecting our own beehives, with very happy and healthy bees buzzing away!
Zoos Victoria Youth Leadership Program
Over the course of 10 days, we participated in an immersive leadership and conservation program centered around Melbourne Zoo and the protection of the Leadbeater’s Possum. We started by connecting with each other and the wildlife, meeting the zoo director and reflecting on what leadership means to us. To build teamwork, we completed a “Race Around the Zoo” challenge and learned about animal welfare policies.
We explored different leadership styles and heard from past Youth Conservation Leaders who shared their experiences. We studied the biology and adaptations of the Leadbeater’s Possum and worked together on scavenger hunts. We went on a walk through the sanctuary and it was a wonderful way for us to connect to Country and nature.
Following on from the nature walk, we saw the “Spirits of the Sky” presentation, followed by campfire reflections. Guided by conservation scientists, we visited Haining Farm to learn about the leadbeater possum habitats and conservation efforts, participating in tree planting and habitat restoration with Parks Victoria rangers. We toured the Leadbeater’s Possum Recovery Centre, the only breeding facility in the world, and experienced spotting these creatures in the wild. We reflected on our personal values and the importance of community engagement in species recovery. With a Bushland Ranger, we explored practical conservation methods like pest control and ecological burns.
At Healesville Sanctuary, we shared research, explored our leadership strengths, and connected with friends from The Alpine School. A highlight was hiking to the Lowland Leadbeater’s Possum habitat, observing native species, learning habitat assessment, and practicing tracking. We refined our community engagement plans and presented them to stakeholders for feedback. Workshops helped us build communication skills, and a visit to the Parliament of Victoria deepened our understanding of how laws support conservation. On the final day, we reflected on all we had accomplished, prepared for graduation by organizing roles and filming videos, and enjoyed behind-the-scenes experiences at the zoo. We also learned about volunteering opportunities to continue our conservation journey.
This experience not only deepened our commitment to protecting the Leadbeater’s Possum but also inspired us to take back the knowledge and skills we have learnt in the program to our community!
– Charlotte G and Abbie A.L
Bush Dance
The TC Bush Dance was a huge success! We want to thank everyone who came along to make it such a special night. The energy in the room was filled with excitement as people of all ages joined in the dancing and fun.
We were thrilled to welcome the band Bushwahzee, who captivated the audience with their outstanding music throughout the evening. With the help of an experienced dance caller, guests were guided through a variety of classic Aussie bush dances.
The evening wasn’t just about dancing, there was something for everyone. Our raffle and silent auction were a big hit, and we’re grateful for the generous support from our community.
All funds raised will go directly towards supporting the ongoing development of our path that runs through the permaculture garden to make it more accessible and enjoyable for everyone.
Food was another highlight, with many enjoying delicious baked potatoes loaded with toppings, while others lined up for a good old-fashioned sausage sizzle.
A big thank you to all the volunteers and staff who helped make this event possible. We truly couldn’t have done it without you.
We’re already looking forward to next year's Bush Dance!
Trade Training
Semester 1 saw the launch of our new class ‘Trade Training’. This was an exciting space that taught students the skills around planning, conducting and managing projects, as well as communicating with their “clients” that had posted tasks or projects they needed completing. The Trade Training class worked closely with our Animals Program, to solve their challenges and provide additional enrichment items for their animals. Some of the awesome projects that were carried out included:
The design, framework and construction of our new “rabbit mansions” in Feather and Fur. Still in the final stages of completion, these new rabbit hutches are built like mini-houses, with pitched roofs and nestled on a concrete base for cleaning.
The research, design and building of two “snake trees”, designed to provide physical and mental enrichment for some of the beautiful pythons in the TC Reptiles class.
The construction of a goat play structure, to provide additional climbing opportunities for our goats, that love to be elevated and stand/sit on random items.
The “goat crush”, which is a structure to assist us with safer handling of our goats and sheep, allowing for hoof checks and hoof trims without the need to restrain an animal or lay them down, which can be stressful for the animal and our joints!
The Working with Animals program is so thankful for all of the awesome work completed by the Trade Training classes this Semester. We can’t wait to continue working with them in future!
