NOOSA District State High School year 10 humanities students have had a lesson in caring for the environment after visiting some of the region’s most iconic locations.
The excursion was part of their geographic study of coastal management on the Sunshine Coast and was designed to allow the students to fine-tune their geographic skills and develop a greater understanding of the region in which they live.
The students learnt about noxious weeds, which are regularly removed from the dunes at Peregian by volunteer groups, as well as the danger plastic poses to marine and human life.
To help share the message, Surfrider Sunshine Coast branch secretary Chris Glennie spoke to the students about the importance of keeping beaches clean.
Ms Glennie said spending time with the students was a “magical” experience.
“It was actually a really special series of talks and I felt a bit of magic with these kids,” she said.
Rubbish was collected by the Year 10 students along the northern and southern ends of Peregian Beach, which the students classified according to type.
The issue of beach erosion at Noosa Main Beach was discussed by a Noosa councillor who also provided the students with interesting information on the history of Noosa, describing the various locations of the mouth of the Noosa River throughout the years as well as the diverse ways in which the area has been utilised by people from the time indigenous tribes lived in Noosa Woods to the present day.
The students are assessing viable options to manage beach erosion at Noosa Main Beach, including sand pumping, the construction of an artificial reef and the extension of existing groynes.
The students found it fascinating seeing the inner-workings of the Noosa sand pumping station and enjoyed their birds-eye view of Noosa and its surrounds from the top of Mount Tinbeerwah.
