School students partner with Western Sydney University to hatch and release turtles in conservation success
Students from Presbyterian Ladies’ College in Sydney have released eastern long-necked turtles (Chelodina longicollis) hatchlings into the wild – turtles the school has successfully incubated, marking a milestone in conservation education.
In collaboration with Western Sydney University, Foundations for National Parks and Wildlife and the Oatlands Golf Course, the students have been part of a conservation initiative that saw the golf course members and ground staff monitor for nesting turtles and students monitor and care for turtle eggs in a dedicated room at the school. The hatchlings now are 5 weeks old and are now ready to return to their natural environment.
The journey began in November 2024, when PLC Sydney and members of Oatlands Golf Course came together to monitor nesting turtles. Two clutches of eggs were relocated to PLC Sydney’s dedicated turtle incubation room in Croydon to safely incubate away from predators like introduced foxes, which destroy 95 per cent of nests each year. With a 100 per cent successful hatch rate, PLC Sydney has proven that schools can play a direct role in saving Australia’s freshwater turtles, which are under threat from habitat loss, predation and road incidents.
For the students involved, this has been more than just a science project – it has been a transformational experience. One young student described the moment the turtles hatched as “the best day of my life!”. Over the past three months, they have watched, waited, and assisted in the care for the eggs.
Professor Ricky Spencer from Western Sydney University’s School of Science, who has been involved with the initiative and is a co-lead of citizen science conversation project 1 Million Turtles (1MT), said this is education at its most powerful – real-world, hands-on learning that builds future conservation leaders.
“This is not just a one-off project. It is the foundation of a new way of teaching, learning, and leading conservation action. Conservation programs in schools do more than just teach students about environmental issues – they empower them to be part of the solution,” said Professor Spencer.
The Turtles in Schools program offers students the chance to engage in wetland-based learning, conduct water quality tests, collect eDNA samples, and monitor turtle habitats through lessons co-designed with teachers. Schools with greater capacity can become “hatchling hubs”, raising turtles and eventually sharing them with other participating schools to raise and release at the end of the year.
Professor Spencer highlighted the simplicity and effectiveness of the incubation system used to nurture the hatchlings. “We have created a system where small rooms with a standard air conditioner can be a leading conservation tool for saving our freshwater turtles. All with not much more than 10 minutes of husbandry every few days,” he explained.
Oatlands Golf Course has played a critical role in this initiative, proving that urban golf courses can be effective conservation hotspots. Through 1MT, club members have become citizen scientists, logging turtle sightings and nesting activity in TurtleSAT to help map and protect turtle populations.
1MT uses the TurtleSAT app to involve citizen scientists in hands-on activities such as habitat construction and restoration, nest protection and fox management. Emphasising science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) literacy and First Nations knowledge, the Australia-wide program has influenced policy and saved over 1000 freshwater turtles and 200 nests in 2022 alone.
1MT is a collaboration between researchers, conservation Non-Governmental Organisations (Aussie Ark, Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife), universities (Western Sydney, La Trobe, Sydney, Murdoch, New England, Ohio University), government agencies (Murraylands and Riverland Landscape Board, Transport for NSW, Department for Industry, Science, Energy and Resources), wildlife organisations (WIRES), communities (including Turtles Australia and Turtle Rescues NSW) and schools – beginning with PLC Sydney.
ENDS
25 March 2025
Ali Sardyga, Senior Media Officer
Photo credit: Monica Pronk
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