INSPIRED students at Mt Maria College, Petrie, have formed their own environmental awareness group after being the first school to receive a visit from Tangalooma’s new Mobile Marine Education Centre.
The MMEC – recently created by a team of marine biologists at Tangalooma, Moreton Island – aims to educate students on sea mammals, eco systems and the conservation of Moreton Bay.
It will travel to high schools in Northern New South Wales, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, and Brisbane.
MMEC director Trevor Hassard said he was “thrilled” to hear Mt Maria students were taking action.
“It is just so good, especially since they are the first bunch of kids we have been to see, so it really gives me hope,” he said.
“As marine scientists, it is our duty to educate the future generations because the future of the ocean is their responsibility.”
One Year 11 student, Nicole McNicole, had certainly learnt a lesson – “I’m never going to drop rubbish on the ground again and I’ll use enviro-friendly bags now instead of plastic ones,” she said.
Mt Maria’s careers officer Fiona Turner thought the MMEC visit also created awareness about the many job opportunities on Moreton Island.
“They learnt that there are 51 different careers over at Tangalooma, from gardeners to marine biologists, which was also really good for them.”
Mt Maria’s environmental awareness group is currently planning its first move, which will involve cleaning up local creeks in October.
