11 Geography Moruya River Field Trip

On Tuesday, 16 March our Year 11 Geography Class went on a field trip to the Moruya River to investigate the impacts of human activities on the riverine environment as part of our Biophysical Interactions topic. We departed school at 9am on the Carroll College bus and headed to Yarragee, west of Moruya, which is the upper tidal limit of the Moruya River. At Yarragee we investigated the impacts of human activities on the riverbank riparian zones such as carpark construction, and farming. We then boarded the bus and headed to Riverside Park in the township of Moruya where we examined the built environment of the area including urban development along the riverbank, the impact of recreational activities such as boating and fishing on the environment, and the importance of mangrove ecosystems. We also observed measures taken to protect the riverbanks from erosion such as the construction of rock armoury walls. It was then time for lunch where we were able to venture into Moruya to grab a bite.

After lunch, we boarded the bus and were off to our third stop at Quarry Park on North Head Drive. At Quarry Park, we learnt about the history of the area and how granite was mined and transported to Sydney in the 1930s for the construction the Sydney Harbour Bridge. We also observed riparian regeneration work on the south bank of the river adjacent to farmland to help stabilize the bank and prevent erosion. Our final stop was the North Head/Moruya Rivermouth estuary. Here we learnt about halophytic native plants as well as the purposes and effects of the breakwalls constructed in the Moruya Rivermouth. After an enjoyable stroll along the breakwall, we headed back to school in time for the last two lessons of the day.

Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed the trip and learnt a lot from being out in the field. The information we collected in our field trip booklets will form the basis of a fieldwork report on the impacts of human activities on the Moruya River, which is our first assessment task. Thank you very much to our teacher Ms Hopkins who planned, guided and supervised the day, and to Mr McAteer who drove the bus and assisted with supervision.

By Phoebe Rankin