KBULG opened its Eco & Cultural Education Centre in June 2017. This significant achievement for the benefit of the entire community of Kalgoorlie-Boulder was facilitated through generous in-kind donations (including the donation of a 13m x 7m transportable classroom by Central Regional Tafe), a Royalties for Regions Regional Grant and additional sponsorship funding. The installation of the donated container classroom required extensive modifications to existing nursery facilities including expansion of the compound and carpark along with existing fencing structures, installation of new toilet facilities, acquisition of furniture, additional electrical wiring and solar lighting. The classroom and nursery now cater for disabled community members after the installation of a disabled toilet along with ramps, rails, and widening of the classroom door for easier access. Interest in our new facility and expanded community nursery has been overwhelming, and KBULG constantly receives new requests for courses/workshops and activities from CR Tafe, schools and a large range of community organisations.
The establishment of an Eco-Education Centre within Karlkurla Bushland was the ultimate goal of the late Doug Krepp, a city councilor who wanted to provide local residents with the opportunity to experience the Goldfields Bushland as he was able to as a child, and for that reason lobbied along with the community to spare the park from residential development in 1988. Today the park hosts both a walk trail and a monument in his honor.
With the successful acquisition and installation of the Eco and Cultural Education Centre, facilitated through KBULG’s intensive engagement with Central Regional TAFE, sponsors, partners and contractors, KBULG now provides a new and unique education facility for the benefit of the entire community, TAFE and independent course providers. This facility now delivers employment pathway programs and enables residents to embark on further education programs.
Central Regional TAFE has recently introduced a Horticulture and Conservation & Land Management Course in Kalgoorlie-Boulder and this course is now held at the new education centre, enabling students to gain hands-on experience with all aspects of nursery work and park management. The classroom facility also strongly benefits KBULG’s existing collaboration with Skillhire as work experience participants under the ‘work for the dole’ program can be provided with additional training and induction programs in the new facilities.
KBULG’s long-standing relationship with disability-support groups from the Goldfields Individual Family Support Association (GIFSA) is further intensified through offering training opportunities at the Karlkurla Community Nursery, and the upgraded nursery facilities will provide an enhanced learning and activity space for GIFSA volunteers. The new space also provides the ideal setting for a variety of special interest conservation-focussed events and workshops organised by different interest groups and agencies such as flora and fauna workshops held by the Goldfields Environmental Management Group (GEMG) and the Goldfields Naturalists’.
WasteSorted Schools teaching resources for Recycling
Rubbish and Recycling » City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder (ckb.wa.gov.au)
Chicken Curriculum
Finger Piano
How Musical Instruments Work
Straw Noisemaker
Tube-Tar
Mini Lagerphone
Stryrocello
Tea Chest Bass
The first edition of KBULG’s Native Plant Guide was launched in late May 2003. KBULG produced a second edition of its Native Plant Guide for Karlkurla Bushland Park & the Goldfields. The new guide contains updated species information and images, while a wider range of plant species found in the Goldfields have been included in the new guide.
The new, updated Native Plant Guide links in with existing signage in Karlkurla Bushland Park and was launched at the Boulder Community Markets on Sunday, June 21st. KBULG’s native plant guide is a must-have for plant enthusiasts as it not only provides detailed information about species’ characteristics, species’ habitat, traditional anthropogenic uses, in addition to other interesting facts rarely mentioned in conventional guidebooks. It’s also the perfect plant guide for plant-interested visitors and new residents to the region as high-quality images make plant identification easy and fun.
The guide is available from the KBULG office, Kalgoorlie Visitors Centre, Western Australian Museum Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Loopline Museum Boulder and the Department of Parks and Wildlife Kalgoorlie. Email admin@kbulg.org.au to get your copy.
As part of Australian National Science Week the Kalgoorlie Science Teachers Network, coordinated by Jaclyn Drake, brought together young people, local elders and scientists from across the Goldfields in the new and exciting ‘Explore Karlkurla’ project. The purpose of the project is to educate the community and in particular the younger generation about the Great Western Woodlands (with an emphasis on an indigenous perspective) through excursions to Karlkurla Park. Young people undertake scientific and artistic observations under the guidance of experts and local elders on country before producing a bush tucker map for Karlkurla Park linked with original video clips via QR codes. In September 2015 students guided groups of family, friends and the public through Karlkurla Park using the map and videos they had produced to share their new knowledge with the community.
in August 2016 and 2017 students again showcased new videos, and the project has become a major community event with QR codes being updated annually. Explore Karlkurla allows children to leave the classroom and encourages young people to learn about perspectives on biodiversity from both scientists and aboriginal residents. The produced videos enable local Indigenous people to record their knowledge on bush tucker and bush medicine and to convey their stories to the community. A walk through Karlkurla Park has become an interactive learning experience for members of the public as the scan QR Codes to view short science films about various plants. Explore Karlkurla enables students to obtain a well-rounded perspective on the significance of local biodiversity and to gain confidence to teach others.
Ariana Warren-Adams 10, Lorraine Cameron 10 and Edward Johnston at Karlkurla Bushland Park.
Fact Sheet Composting
Composting Curriculum
No Dig Gardening
Composting Curriculum
Propagation Curriculum
Seed Balls
