Ecolinc is located on lands of the Wathawurrung people of the Kulin nation. The Ecolinc wetland features a range of indigenous plants, including plants that are utilised by the First Nations people for a range of uses, such as; food, medicine, fibre, tools and weapons.

Indigenous plants are increasingly being sort out for a range of applications in contemporary Australia. Examples include Eucalyptus oil used for medicinal and cleaning products, indigenous foods incorporated into recipes to explore novel flavourings; and growing interest in rehabilitation of native landscapes to support conservation of Australian ecosystems.

In Ecolinc’s Indigenous Plant program, we introduce students to plants that are particularly suited to the local climate of southern Victoria, they are easily propagated and raised, and indeed will thrive with little additional water or fertiliser.

How can knowledge of indigenous plants and their uses, improve our understanding of First Nations people, cultures and modern applications for use?

In this program students will:

• Identify a range of Australian indigenous plants
• Learn about the properties of a range of Australian indigenous plants, including smell, structure and habitat
• Understand how Australian indigenous plants are used as food, medicine and materials by First Nations people
• Learn how to propagate bush food seeds and cuttings

Students will:

• Explore the Australian indigenous plants in Ecolinc’s indigenous garden
• Identify a range of indigenous plants, their properties and their uses
• Learn about First Nations people’s use of indigenous plants for food, medicine and as materials
• Propagate bush food seeds and cuttings in the glasshouse

Note

• Part of this program is run outdoors; teachers must ensure that students have weather appropriate clothing (e.g. hats, jumpers, sunscreen etc).
• Students will be handling indigenous plants; teachers should consider students’ allergies as necessary.

Science – Science as a Human Endeavour:

• Data from observations obtained through scientific inquiry can be used to develop explanations of natural phenomena (VC2S4H01)
• Scientific knowledge, skills and data can be used by people to explain how they will meet a need or solve a problem (VC2S4H02)

Science – Science Understanding

• The properties of natural and made materials, including fibres, metals, glass and plastics, influence their use and re-use (VC2S4U05)
• Rocks, minerals and soils are important Earth resources and have observable properties that enable them to be used in a variety of ways (VC2S4U06)

Geography – Geographical Knowledge and Understanding

• The relationships between people and their place and its environment (VC2HG4K01)
• The importance of environments, including natural vegetation and water sources, to people and animals in Australia and on another continent (VC2HG4K03)
• The functions of vegetation in the environment and the characteristics, spatial distribution and location of the main types of vegetation in Australia and the world, such as forest, woodland, savannah, grassland and desert, including the uses of vegetation by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (VC2HG4K04)
• Locate, collect and record information and data from a range of sources, including from fieldwork, maps, photographs and graphs (VC2HG4S02)

Capabilities – Critical and Creative Thinking

• The construction and use of open and closed questions for different purposes (VC2CC4Q01)

Capabilities – Intercultural Capability

• Understandings that can be gained from intercultural experiences, including a critical perspective on, and respect for, diverse cultures, including their own (VC2CI4C02)

The following Learning Continuum is a guide for teachers to show the links between the programs Ecolinc offers onsite, online and through outreach. The Learning Continuum can be used to access Ecolinc resources to support the development of units of work.

Outreach programs are conducted by an Ecolinc education officer at your school. They are available to moderately disadvantaged primary schools in the Geelong, Ballarat and western suburbs areas (or within 100km radius from Bacchus Marsh).