Michele Gierck, author of Gladys and Stripey: Two little fish on one BIG adventure has created two great activity books full of information and activities about some common native and invasive Victorian freshwater fish. Click on the link below to be taken to Michele’s website for a FREE download of either/both booklets along with teaching notes. […]
Melbourne Water litter prevention toolkit
Melbourne Water have developed a litter prevention toolkit to spread the “Bin it or Bring it Home” message and prevent litter from entering our waterways. This toolkit incorporates insights from local councils, litter advocacy, community and animal welfare groups, highlighting the urgent need to understand how urban littering affects our waterways and the biodiversity that […]
Putting rakali on the map in Melbourne
This online map pulls together all rakali records for the greater Melbourne region sent to Atlas of Living Australia in the last 30 years. The map is a project of Dr Kylie Soanes and her team at the University of Melbourne. You can report a sighting of rakali via the Australian Platypus Conservancy website to contribute […]
Rakali of the Riverbank picture story book
Native water rats, or rakali, were named as 2025’s most underrated native animal according to an ABC National Science Week poll. This beautiful book by author Dr Stephanie Owen Reeder is a gentle invitation to rethink attitudes towards rakali as she celebrates their unique character and qualities. Enjoy this reading by Stephanie herself.
Timboon P-12 Schools’ River Detectives Story
The district around Timboon P-12 School receives high rainfall feeding many small tributaries of the Curdies River that winds its way south-west to the sea at Peterborough. It’s also home to the Timboon Agriculture Project (TAP) that has been described by the Minister of Education as “a best-practice example of what can be achieved with […]
Delving Into The Data webinar
Explore the River Detectives website and WaterWatch data portal with statewide WaterWatch facilitator Justine Holmes to learn how to retrieve, interpret, compare and share the waterway data you collect along with data collected by the network of River Detectives schools and WaterWatch volunteers across the state.
Students create an early flood warning system for their town
Young St Joseph’s PS students from Eugowra NSW have developed an early flood warning system for Eugowra after unprecedented floods devastated their town in 2022. They presented their project to expert adults from around the country at the Floodplain Management Australia national conference in Melbourne in May 2025. Their inspiring video is such as great […]
Wandiligong PS River Detectives Story
Wandilogong has successfully embedded River Detectives activity into the curriculum through their Sustainable Wandi program where learning about waterways complements food production, waste reduction initiatives and habitat creation. Watch the video to hear the highlights or read the full story here.
Minyip and Rupanyup Kinders River Detectives Story
The program does not routinely deliver incursions to early childhood settings but in 2024 there was an opportunity for this to happen in the Wimmera CMA region. This story is a lovely showcase of the curiosity, passion and learning that can be ignited in our very young people by the smallest of creatures that live […]
Covenant College working with Landcare Story
Covenant College has worked closely with Batesford Fyansford Stonehaven Landcare for over a decade. For the past four years, the River Detectives program has value-added to their partnership. Their story is a great example of the benefits of strong collaboration with community groups. Watch the video to see the highlights or read their full story […]
