Cattai students dive into platypus conservation
Image Credit: Bev Baker, Hawkesbury Environment Network
On Thursday, 24 July, the Resilient Rivers for Resilient Hawkesbury Platypus Populations project (RRRP) met with the next generation of environmental stewards. Fifty-seven primary students from Cattai Public School assembled with the project team to engage with Indigenous and environmental storytelling, hands-on learning, and real scientific tools to show students how they can help protect the platypus and the rivers we all call home.
Led by the Hawkesbury Environment Network and Hawkesbury-Nepean Landcare Network, this day was a collaboration between Cattai Public School, First Nations organisations, Hawkesbury City Council and the Hawkesbury-Nepean Waterkeepers Alliance. Together, the project creates “Platypus Parks” by restoring riparian vegetation and inspiring citizen-led conservation across the catchment.
Cattai has been nominated as a hotspot for platypus habitats within the Hawkesbury-Nepean catchment, with several private landowners already taking part in the restoration of riparian zones to strengthen conditions for our resilient platypus populations.
Students explored their local waterway by walking from school to Cattai Bridge Reserve on the banks of Cattai Creek, where they took part in a tree-planting activity that the school will continue to care for throughout the years to come. Here, students helped restore the ecosystem with native plant species that support creek health, prevent erosion, and foster biodiversity.
Each student planted one or two plants along the riparian zone, including flood-tolerant natives, which will form the foundation for long-term bank stability, wildlife habitat and overall water quality, helping create ideal conditions for burrow-digging and food sources like aquatic invertebrates.
“The kids really loved the plantings and were really engaged. It was a good idea to get them to paint their own tree guards because it gives them ownership of their work,” said Jocelyn Howden, Hawkesbury Environment Network.
The timing of the event aligned with National Tree Day, held on Sunday, 27 July.
“Our students have such a strong connection to the environment and love learning about culture. So the opportunity to be involved in a day like today is something they will remember for the rest of their lives,” said Cattai Public School Principal, Robert Hawkes.
As part of the suite of activities, students took part in a First Nations Cultural Connection workshop. They attended bracelet-making sessions with Rhiannon Wright, a proud Dharug educator, who guided the group in creating emu feather bracelets while sharing stories of land care, sacred sites, and traditional water practices. These conversations centred on Indigenous knowledge systems and the concept of Caring for Country (Ngurra) as living practice.
Students also participated in a Dharug language lesson connecting with Indigenous students from Londonderry Public School to learn key words about rivers, animals, and place. This allowed students to experience language as part of environmental stewardship, and to recognise how the land and waterways are bound to culture.
Dr Michelle Ryan, the Hawkesbury-Nepean Waterkeeper and Senior Lecturer at Western Sydney University’s School of Science, delivered a lively and interactive Platypus Ecology talk. She introduced the students to the anatomy, diet, and habitat needs of the platypus, highlighting how waterbugs (macroinvertebrates) serve as a key indicator of water health. This created a direct link between pollution, biodiversity loss, and human responsibility.
This project is funded by the Australian Government’s Urban Rivers and Catchments Program, with the support of Western Sydney University and the Hawkesbury-Nepean Waterkeeper Alliance (opens in a new window).
ENDS
14 August 2025
Sustainability Education and Partnerships, Intern, Alexandra Webber
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