Black Swan Lake became a giant ‘outdoor classroom’ with the launch of an interpretive walk program for local primary school students to learn about the area’s rich indigenous cultural heritage and environment.
On May 24, two groups of year 4 and 5 students walked from Lakelands Primary School to the site accompanied by teachers and parent helpers.
Each group embarked on a one-hour journey around the lake guided by George Walley of Mandjoogoordap Dreaming.
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Mr Walley, a former primary school teacher and now leading indigenous tour operator, taught the children about the Noongar names of plants and animals.
He also talked about Black Swan Lake’s rich cultural and environmental values – and some of its secret dreamtime places and mysteries.
Black Swan Lake, located within Peet’s Lakelands Estate, features a purpose-built outdoor classroom space with a blackboard, seating area and honky nut and leaf collection boxes.
Peet Limited managing director and chief executive officer Brendan Gore said the event acknowledged and honoured the Aboriginal heritage of Lakelands, with the new outdoor classroom facilities providing a wonderful new learning opportunity for Lakelands students.
“We want to help residents understand and appreciate the rich environmental and Aboriginal heritage they have right on their doorstep which have been protected and enhanced as part of Lakelands’ development and growth,” Mr Gore said.
“And what better place to start to help create that appreciation and deeper understanding than with the area’s great young kids.”
Lakelands Primary School principal Marnie Hamilton said she believed it was important to teach students about diversity and cultural heritage.
“We see this event as being important in acknowledging Aboriginal students and local Aboriginal families for the cultural inheritance and values they provide to Lakelands,” Mrs Hamilton said.
Mrs Hamilton, accompanied by volunteers, also cooked up a barbeque lunchtime sausage sizzle feast for the children, parents and staff participating.
A noted musician, Mr Walley also gave a lunchtime didgeridoo and guitar performance to round out a magic learning experience for the 64 young walkers from Lakelands Primary.
Lakelands Estate is a growing family-oriented community that has become home to more than 1,400 households since first lots went on sale in 2003.
The estate will ultimately house more than 2,400 families.
The community has its own childcare facility and two established schools – Mandurah Baptist College and Lakelands Primary School – as well as Lakelands Shopping Centre and Swimming WA’s newly completed WestSwim swimming school, all located within the estate.
At the heart of the estate, and integral to its design, are a number of key natural features including two conservation standard natural lakes – the Black Swan Lake and Paganoni Swamp and wetlands which provide homes to a variety of native wildlife.
For more information on the area visit the Lakelands Estate website.
