Excursion to Cascade
Final Note
Monday 15th September to Tuesday 16th September
Going: Only 3 more sleeps until we embark on our 3/4 excursion to Cascade. The bus will be leaving at
8 am from the school on Monday 25th September so please ensure that your child and his/her
belongings are there by 7:45am.
If your child has any medication that they need to bring with them please label the bottle or container
clearly with instructions and hand it to Mr Buckley.
Returning: Tuesday 16th September at 3:00pm. Students may be picked up at school.
Map of where we will be:
Phone: Phone reception for mobiles is poor however if you are concerned about your child please ring
the centre on 02 6657 4188. My Mobile number is 0478137007.
The information below was sent out earlier, please ensure that you have read it carefully:
STUDENT GUIDE TO CASCADE
LEARNING
A visit to any Environmental Education Centre should be thought of as a learning experience. You and
your students will be learning about many aspects of our Australian environment. Most of this
'work' (read fun!) will be completed outside and will involve some walking. You may have games, concerts,
videos, spotlighting and other activities at night.
EATING
All groups visiting can organise their own food or utilise the catering service offered by the Centre.
There is a well organised kitchen and dining room at Cascade and you may be required for duties either
in assisting in food preparation or in cleaning up. Bring your own morning tea, lunch and drink
bottle on your first day.
SLEEPING
Males and females sleep in separate dormitories and an adult sleeps in an adjoining room. There are
double bunks but you have to bring a sleeping bag and a pillow slip.
THE CENTRE GROUNDS
The Centre grounds provide space for games and activities. You are not permitted to leave the
Environmental Education Centre without informing your teacher. You will be asked to do the right thing in
ensuring that no damage occurs to plants or buildings or equipment and that the grounds are kept clean
and tidy.
VALUABLES, MONEY and LOLLIES
There are no shops at Cascade and you will not need spending money. Please consider the
environment always. Don’t bring individually wrapped and over-packaged items. Bubble gum and
chewing gum are not permitted. Valuable items like jewellery and ipods should be left at home.
MOUNTAIN WEATHER GEAR
A raincoat is absolutely essential. Cascade is a wet place at times. In the months of June to September
it can also be cold, so bring a pair of gloves, a beanie and a coat or jacket to protect you from the wind
in winter.
Insect repellent  Sunhat Clipboard 
Jumper/windcheater  Thick socks
and pencil 

Tooth- brush 
T-Shirts  Walking shoes or joggers x 2  Toothpaste 
Long sleeved shirt  Underwear
 Soap 
Long pants and shorts  Pyjamas  Towel 
Pillowslip 
Sleeping bag 
BUT PLEASE DON’T BRING:
Drinks in cans or poppers, lollies, aerosol spray insect repellent, computer games, ipods, or any
other
items that are valuable or that are not sustainably produced.
Cascade Environmental Education Centre
Camp Information
Outlined below are descriptions of the activities included in the various learning programs which maybe
included in Cascade EEC overnight programs. This information is to assist you to inform parentsand
accompanying teachers and to assist them to decide on the suitability of the activities for thestudents in
their care. The completion of the accompanying Welfare Information Return prior to your visit will assist
Cascade EE Centre staff in the safe management of students whilst at the centre.
Getting Ready for the Bushwalks.
Students are issued with packs (or take their own), raincoats (or take their own), equipment and
worksheets in the centre classroom and briefed on appropriate behaviour, tasks to be completed and the
location of the various study sites and the tracks to be used during the program.
Rainforest Bushwalks
Several forest walks are possible, lasting from 1 – 5 hours. Students walk a maximum of 3 km’s (primary)
and 6 Kms (secondary) as a class group with Centre teacher leading the group and visiting staff and
parents supervising small groups of students. At various sites, the class group divides and completes a
number of engaging activities aimed at immersing the students in the environment.
Bugs in the Rainforest
Students walk about 1 Km to nearby creek to conduct a site survey and search for water bugs. Theydo not
take their shoes off and do not swim in the creek. We then return to the classroom to observethe animals,
under microscopes or video viewer and explore food webs in the “Earth Lab”.Students also collect leaf litter
samples from sites near the centre and return to the centre classroomto extract and observe animals to
describe their adaptations and roles in rainforest nutrientrecycling.
Digging for History
Students learn about the sources of historical information and examine artefacts at the centre. Theclass is
escorted to various sites in Cascade village including an old sawmill site. Students do not enterbuildings but
are able to get close to an old steam engine. They later work in small groups and usearchaeological
equipment to dig for artefacts in specially constructed sand pits, and participate in a cross-cut saw
demonstration.
Screen Printing and Badge Making; Snail Painting Activity; Animal Camouflage
Students use coloured pencils, crayons and acrylic paints in the centre classroom in these art activities.
Rainforest Biodiversity Plant Trail
Student walk about 500 metres from the centre and then work in small groups with adult supervisionto
navigate the rainforest plant track in order to observe and identify 28 plants to measure the biodiversityof
the rainforest.