As part of the Year 11 Geography class’s investigation into Area of Study Two: Characteristics and Responses to Hazards and Disasters, they have been investigating the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires — specifically the impacts on humans and the environment. Consequently, on Friday 18 March we participated in field work at Toolangi state forest run by the Gould league. Our guide Karen (pictured above with students) was excellent in providing the students with reflections of the event and facts associated with the lead-up to the fire and the impacts on the surrounding community. It was a pleasure to take the students out for the day.
Below are some student reflections of the experience:
On Friday 18 March, I attended the Geography excursion with Mr Ryan and our guide Karen. We visited key sites associated with the 2009 Black Saturday fires and conducted a number of measurements to assess the fuel load and risk level of another bushfire ripping through the sites. Mason Falls, within the Kinglake National Park, was the highlight for me with its breathtaking views. It really made the excursion just that bit better. As a class, new friendships were formed and existing ones were strengthened. I'll leave you with one point made by Karen: ‘more interest has accumulated on the money allocated to the fires than money actually spent’.
— Mitchell Mazzarella (Year 11 Jade)
It was a fantastic excursion to Kinglake and Toolangi. It gave us the priceless opportunity to obtain some first-hand knowledge on fire management from our expert guide, Karen. We gained an incredible insight into the experiences of a local during the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires and we were treated with hands-on activities to inspect and measure the forest's natural recovery from the deadly blaze.
— Thomas Hobley (Year 11 Jade)
