One Monday at Belmont School, a year one student asked the teacher, " Miss, are we going to Boondal Wetlands tomorrow or on Thursday?"
"Tomorrow, Jimmie. Don't forget your hat, your water bottle and your lunch. Don't bring anything else except you permission slips please."
Well, the next day after parade all of the students were excited but their teacher said, "We'll stay here till the bus arrives."
As soon as they heard a bus horn the teacher said, "Come on line up at the door. I need to check you off on the list."
They walked together down to the bus and when the door opened with a hiss they walked up the steps and sat down in the seats.
Once the teacher had collected all of the permission slips and marked everyone off on her role, she said, "All right, we are going on an excursion to Boondal Wetlands. On the way, stay in your seats and watch where we go."
Jimmy said, "Will we go over the Gateway Bridge miss?"
"Yes Jimmy."
"Cool. You can see ships in the river from the top of the bridge."
Well the bus driver closed the door, started up the bus and drove slowly out of the carpark at the back of the school. He turned left into Scrub Road and turned right at the traffic lights into Old Cleveland Road.
"Next left bus driver. That's the Gateway entrance," said Jimmy.
The bus accelerated onto the Gateway and was soon zooming along with the cars and trucks. It slowed down at the toll booth and as it went by they heard the 'beep' of the toll tag.
At the top of the bridge everyone was looking down to the river and shore enough there was a passenger liner being pulled down the river by a tug boat. They waved to the passengers on the deck and were really pleased when some waved back.
Not far past the airport turnoff the bus slowed down and turned off the Gateway. They drove around the roundabout and into the Boondal Wetlands Centre. Standing in the carpark was one of the Boondal Wetlands Guides.
"Welcome to the Boondal Wetlands today we are going to go for a walk along the track and see what bush tucker and what animals and plants we can see."
"Excuse me, what's bush tucker."
"Food. Bush food. The Aboriginal people who lived around here knew all the plants and animals that were good for eating."
"Oooooh!"
"No, bush tucker is good for you. Not that we are going to kill any animals to eat today but we should see lots."
Off they set along the track following the Boondal Wetlands Guide. They walked over a bridge and beside a swamp.
"Now, what can you all here?"
"Quack, quack, quack."
"That's right. Ducks, Black Ducks. They're really good to eat."
"Oooooh. Do you eat their feathers?"
"No. You have to burn the feathers off in the fire or pluck them out.
Now look at this paperbark tree here. What do you think you could use the bark for?"
"Cooking ducks?"
"Well yes you could. You could also cook fish or crabs. You wrap them up in wet bark and bury them in the ashes of a fire. You can also use it to make a roof of a house."
"What's that bird?"
"That's a scrub turkey. Look at it scratching in the leaves and grass."
"Dad said that they're like a bulldozer with feathers."
"That's about right," said the guide, "he's making a mound."
"What's the mound for."
"Well that's where Mrs Scrub Turkey lays her eggs."
"Not in a nest? Birds lay eggs in nests."
"Yes but not Mrs Scrub Turkey. She lays her eggs in the mound that Mr Scrub Turkey scratches up and they keep nice and warm. Don't leave anything laying around or that scrub turkey will scratch it up onto the mound."
'Beep, beep, bip, bip, bop.'
'What bird's making that sound?"
"Nah, that's not a bird that's young Jimmy over there playing on his video game."
"Jimmy!" said the teacher, "Bring that game here."
"Oh Miss."
"Well put it in your pocket then and listen. You might learn something."
Jimmy hurried to catch up and slipped his video game into his pocket. Well, he thought he did. He wasn't concentrating and it fell straight onto the path.
As quick as feathered lightning that Scrub Turkey scratched it up onto the mound.
"Hey Jimmy look. The Scrub Turkey is going to play on your video game!"
"Oh no," said Jimmy, "Give me back my game you silly turkey."
Jimmy went to climb up onto the mound to get back his video game but the Scrub Turkey was too fast. It scratched Jimmy up onto the mound as well and was soon covering him over with leaves.
"Help!"
The teacher said, "Oh no." She started to walk up to the mound and you can guess what happened can't you?
Chmmm, chmmm, chmmm. The Scrub Turkey scratched the teacher up onto the mound as well. "Help! Help!"
To be continued ...
