To further their understanding of the complexities involved in challenging the position of keystone species in ecosystems, our Year 11 Biology students undertook a field trip to the Great Ocean Road Wildlife Park where David Lasarow outlined the vital importance of dingo protection and reintroduction into Australia’s national parks. David explained how dingoes kept ecosystems in balance, living alongside Aborigines until colonists drove them out. Dingoes are ‘Top Order Trophic Regulators’, evolved to be at the top of the food chain as food source regulars, responsible for the whole system in their world to stop it collapsing. They do this by regulating the bigger animals, maintaining a pack with an alpha male and female and pairs beneath them that establish territory of between 10-60sq km that becomes the pack’s universe. As dingoes, the keystone animal, are taken out of some environments, systems can collapse into a downward trophic cascade with animals like kangaroos multiplying leading to starvation or culls and feral cats and dogs being poisoned to avoid over killing native animals. Comparing the re introduction of wolves into Yellowstone National Park as a successful example of the re establishment of a healthy ecosystem, David explained that there are introduction options such as trials in contained environments. Students were fortunate to meet two dingos that gave us even more perspective into this complex ecological discussion, thanks for your insight David.

​Investigating local agribusinesses and the use of agritech, our Year 9/10 AgHort students undertook a field trip to Timboon Wholesale Nursery so they can observe how this works in actual horticultural -agricultural businesses. Owner, Faith Yao, described the wholesale nursery business that was originally established by the Bullen family in 1974 and that she and her partner, Danny Li, purchased in 2021. As a specialist wholesale nursery, they produce quality potted cyclamen, hydrangeas and lisianthus that are sold to retail nurseries such as Bunnings and to florists in Victoria, NSW and South Australia. Students toured the potting shed, control room, greenhouse, and propagation sheds to see how they were all designed with optimum plant growth in mind. They learnt that although Timboon was a great location to raise these flower crops, the weather, humidity, light, pests, temperature, moisture and soil chemistry had to all be carefully curated and controlled in the automated greenhouses to ensure that the best quality plants are produced for retailers to sell to consumers. Faith described how they use biological technology or beneficial bugs to reduce the use of chemical spray and they are excited to be involved in drone trials to help monitor and maintain the health and optimum growth of their plants. Thanks Faith

TAP's On!, our annual curriculum expo, is on again next Thursday so some of our students created colourful invitations to intice their parents and families to see our expansive TAP curriculum at Timboon P-12 School. Aren't they gorgeous, will you be there?!

Our Year 9/10 AgHort students are exploring the use of agritech and drone usage in agriculture, so we invited the general manager of the Webber and Chivell drone division, Rhys Baxter, and agronomist, Glenn Cain, into the classroom to outline the drone services and applications that are applicable in our region. The business has 8 drones that are primarily used in mapping, aerial spreading, spraying and seeding but also to monitor crops, assess soil health, nutrient deficiencies, moisture damage, insect or disease impact. Students could see examples of the accuracy of the drones for mapping as detailed information about the topography, area and soil composition can be used as a basis for more strategic spraying or fertilizer applications with an accuracy of 2cm as compared with 20-30m when using a helicopter or plane. Local businesses were contracting drone pilots to provide more precise, less labour intensive, timely, safer and a more efficient use of chemicals and fertilizer to reduce costs and environmental impacts. Rhys outlined the extensive education and training that drone pilots had to undertake including CASA certification, AG Vic approval with a chemCERT and AQF 3 certification to operate the mapping drone and the DJI T series with live screens linked from the office from the spreader tablets. Students heard about the manoeuvrability and speed of the mapping drone and the carrying capacity of the drone fleet including the DJT 100 with a 75L liquid tank and a 75kg granular tank. Rhys then demonstrated the operations of the DJT100 as it spread Mr Braham’s organic bug stopper mix of chilli, garlic, horticultural soap and water over our potato plants to reduce insect impact on our crop. Drone usage is an expanding field across agriculture, mining, forestry, construction etc; an exciting career option for the future.

Only 10 days to go and preparations are well underway for TAP's On! 2025.
​What are you excited about; the dog vs drone or seedbombs or Precious Plastics or CFA Sim table or fishing workshop or waterbugs or FarmBot or AI sessions or honey harvesting or even a forensics focus?? 

​Farms are the most dangerous workplaces in Victoria and this is further compounded as farms are often both workplaces and residences. The Year 5/6 TAP into Farm Safety field trip to Whitehead Farms gave students the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and reinforced their learning about the importance of farm safety as previously introduced by the VFF’s Making Our Farms Safer (MOFS) Farm Safety Advisor, Holly Darcy. During their excursion to Whitehead Farms, students rotated through 5 workstations, learning about safety in the dairy and cattle yards with Mat Whitehead while Darren Wright (Swayne and McCabe) explained the risks associated with farm machinery as Ken Jane and Liz Steel, Nullawarre (Community Emergency Response Team - CERT) taught DRSABCD, the recovery position and introduced the Emergency+ app. Safe animal handling practices and zoonoses were outlined by Craig Wood (ProDairy), supported by Renee Whitehead while Holly Darcy outlined the correct storage and handling of chemicals and safety around silos and dams. After demonstrating their knowledge with a quick quiz, students enjoyed Cheesy Peelers and flavoured milk and supplied by Coles and Darren donated Swayn and McCabe hats to the students. Thank you to Mat and Renne for hosting our students at such a busy time of the year and to our presenters for helping to keep our kids safe! 

​Continuing their investigation of renewable vs non renewable energy sources, our Year 7 students welcomed Sara Church and Leah Kinman from Acciona Energia into their classroom. After describing their roles as the Coordinator of Land and Asset Management and the Site Coordinator at the Mortlake South Wind Farm respectively, Sara introduced the company that has renewable projects in 20 countries and only works with renewable technologies, specifically, wind, solar and hydro. After explaining the capacity of the Acciona wind farms, the class discussed renewable energy sources and Sara outlined Australia’s Net Zero Plan, how wind turbines work and how energy is transported to the community. Sara and Leah outlined Acciona’s plans to recycle all component parts of the wind turbines including the turbine blades that have previously been difficult to reuse or recycle. The students were introduced to the Turbine Made project, that encourages the submission of ideas for reusing blades for new purposes such as surfboards and our students were challenged to come up with their own ideas. The range of careers with Acciona was illustrated including positions in construction, engineering, the environment, community engagement, turbine technicians, management and administration officers. 

​Check out the Weekly Times story on our curriculum expo, TAP’s On! 2025!!
https://shorturl.at/f9W7B 
Come and see for yourself the exciting curriculum opportunities and hands on learning prospects that we will be showcasing on Thursday November 13th from 10.00am – 2.00pm with students from Years Prep to 10. Didn’t our Year 3/4 students do a great job as models and spokespeople for the TAP!

Artificial Intelligence? Avian Influenza? Artificial Insemination?! As part of their investigation of the technology used in animal production systems, we invited AI (Artificial Insemination) technician, Luke Wilson from Southern Land Bovine Services into our classroom. Luke was accompanied by Robyn Swayn, a Colac College Year 12 student who has a traineeship with the Wilsons and will completed a LIC AI course in New Zealand next year. Luke and Robyn described their various career paths and the role that AI (artificial insemination) plays in enabling farmers to gain the best genetics available from around the world to improve the production, health traits, fertility and longevity of their dairy cattle. Students rotated through a workshops on the role of AI in a dairy business, loading AI guns with bull semen and artificially inseminating LIC’s model cow. Students were surprised at the flexibility that being an AI technician provided as well as the travel and careers opportunities; not to mention the very good income that good techs can make! Thanks to Mike Waite, the District Manager of LIC, who collected the cow from Melbourne for us and Luke and Robyn for providing such an interesting and very unique task for our students. 

Our Year 11 VCE Biology Unit 2 students are learning about the importance of keystone species and how changes to these species can impact a whole ecosystem. It is against a backdrop of understanding the indigenous perspective of Australian ecosystems and bioethics to determine if a course of action is ethically acceptable that our students have been challenged to research and learn about the proposal to reintroduce the dingo to the Grampians National Park and to view this emotive issue from various points of view. Today we heard from Michael Smith, the Area Chief Ranger of Parks Victoria, who provided the students with a detailed background of the Grampians proposal. Michael challenged the students to compare the feelings they have when the words Dingo, Wild Dog and Wilkerr are used. He advised the students that language is very important and can prompt very different reactions. Michael reminded students of the importance of critically reflecting on the sources used for their fact gathering, especially when it comes to the point of view of the traditional owners of the land. The science behind the proposal of reintroducing the dingo was considered, linking it to the success of the reintroduction of the wolves into Yellowstone National Park in America. Michael reviewed risks associated with the proposal, such as opposition from land owners, visitor safety and ecological risks such as threats to the rock wallaby and impacts on fire management burning regimes. A large part of the discussion centred around the importance of the dingo (Wilkerr) as a totem animal of traditional owners. He explained that the traditional owners feel they have obligations to protect Country and that a bio-cultural landscape, having both the animals and plants present, makes Country healthy. While this proposal has been put aside for the time being, Michael said that part of his role will be to build understanding among the different community groups and to acknowledge and work through peoples’ concerns whilst weighing up the ethics of both sides. Michael’s visit helped to promote some respectful discussion amongst the students, and while not all students have chosen a point of view on the issue, it certainly helped develop their understanding of how complex bioethical issues in the real world can be.