Discovery & Learning
Bird observing
There are more than 60 species of birds at Munibung Hill. Learn about the importance of habitat and the critical need to protect and preserve veteran trees – the ones with hollows essential as nesting places for many species. Find out more – connect with Hunter Bird Observers
Education and excursions, Research and field studies
Pre-schools, Primary and Secondary schools – We encourage teachers to include Munibung Hill as a place of learning for subjects across the curriculum. Home schooled children are also very welcome. An assessment of how Munibung Hill is able to contribute to curriculum requirements has been provided by Warner’s Bay High School, Instructional Leader, Future Focused Learning, Tobias Husband, 14 August 2018. Examples are listed here.
Geography
A mixture of coastal wet gully forest, Narabeen Moist Forest and Spotted Gum/Ironbark Forest provides a rich variety of biodiversity for field study opportunities and endangered species management.
CAPA (Creative Arts, Visual Arts and Drama)
At 169m high it provides unparalleled panoramic views of the lake and opportunities for landscape drawing classes and photography.
Science
The proposal of an observatory and planetarium site on the western face of the hill is particularly exciting to our Science faculty and again provides an opportunity for learning that does not exist anywhere else in our local or even regional space.
History
The area has a long history as a meeting site and deep connection to the Awabakal nation. For our Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal students, it would be a great show of respect to show our students that despite over-development and fragmentation of the areas surrounding the school we can protect the remaining significant areas and use them for cultural and educational activities.
PDHPE (Personal Development, Health and Physical Education)
The area is already being used in an unrestricted and environmentally destructive manner by trailbikes. These trails if properly managed and connected to local communities would provide opportunities for our students to engage in bushwalking, running, cycling and general fitness activities.
TAFE and Universities – We invite students and department heads across the various TAFE and university faculties and disciplines to consider Munibung Hill when selecting sites for fieldwork and research.
Geodiversity, Nature Quiz and more
- Geocaching – This discovery program has been around for years and records show that people have been visiting Munibung Hill in search of geocache sites since 2011. See Geocaching Australia for more.
- Earth caching (a subset of Geocaching) – a more specialised form of Geocaching with a focus on geological aspects of the landscape: Geoscience Australia. International Earth Cach Day is held on the first Sunday of Earth Science Week in October, hosted by the Geological Society of America. An explainer explains: Let the Earth be your teacher. GeoScience Australia provides this backgrounder: Mapping Our World
- Geodiversity self-guided tours – Geo History Walk part of the 12 Great Walks – are a means of encouraging geoconservation across the generations
Geological Timescale learning – see Geoscience Australia - Indigenous heritage – see MHCS Fivefold Vision for Munibung Hill
- Learn language one word at a time – Awabakal to English Dictionary, Community Edition, a production of the Miromaa Aboriginal Language and Technology Centre
- Learning for life – Let nature be our teacher: David Orr: What Is Education For?
- Locate the high point at the locator – Trig point and GPS coordinates
- Nature quiz and study – for families looking for ideas when in nature here is the Curiosity ID Quiz from MHCS and more Resources available from Nature Play Australia
- Pollinator corridor – Munibung Hill is a geographically significant native vegetation and corridors area for bees and birds and mammals. Click on the highlighted link and scroll down to get an appreciation of the area. Consider helping Cardiff Area Sustainable Neighbourhood Group with their Pollinator Corridor project.
- Read MHCS newsletter, Munibung Musings – subscribe at About Us
- Reading with new eyes – Local Land Services publication: Reading the Landscape
- Walk and talk / Care and share – take one or more of the 12 Great Walks then talk about/share your experience with family and friends.
