The Bush Food & Damper Discovery Walk is a free outdoor cultural experience that invites students and families to explore local bushland while learning from an Aboriginal guide. Participants connect with Country as they discover edible native plants, hear stories of Indigenous land care, and help prepare traditional damper over coals. Set within the peaceful Joseph Banks Native Garden, the event combines hands-on engagement with cultural learning, encouraging respect for nature, sustainability, and First Nations knowledge. Ideal for homeschoolers, the walk fosters understanding through storytelling, sensory exploration, and shared food experiences.
HSIE: Human Society and its Environment
The Bush Food & Damper Discovery Walk aligns with key NSW learning outcomes across several stages. In HSIE, students explore cultural history and environmental connections through outcomes such as HT2-2 and GE2-2 (Stage 2), and HT3-1 and GE3-2 (Stage 3). In Science and Technology, the activity supports ST2-4LW-S (Stage 2) and ST3-4LW-S (Stage 3), by examining plant features, adaptations, and environmental influences. It also aligns with PDHPE outcomes PD2-7 (Stage 2) and PD3-7 (Stage 3), by encouraging healthy, active living and safe outdoor exploration. Cross-curricular priorities include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures, and Sustainability, promoting understanding of land care, traditional ecological knowledge, and respectful relationships with Country. (Stage 4) Students explore how traditional Aboriginal knowledge systems inform sustainable food practices and environmental management (GE4-2, GE4-3). They investigate the characteristics and uses of native plants, applying this understanding to food preparation and cultural contexts (TE4-1DP, TE4-9MA). Through hands-on experiences, students develop practical skills in preparing bush foods and damper, while reflecting on the ethical and environmental impacts of food choices (TE4-10TS, GE4-5).