Greater  Zandvlei   Estuary  Nature  Reserve

 An Australia Island Adventure – 15th May 2007

Both the Zandvlei – African Fish Eagles were on the island when we arrived at about mid day. 

Cherry's ferry taking some of the trees                   Sally with another load going to Australia Island

The Zandvlei Trust - Environmental Education Task Team (Cherry Giljam and Sharon McCallum) and the BOSSIES Task Team (Bowen Boshier and Sally Petersen) took 8 children and their teacher from Zerilda Primary School Environmental Club, Lavendar Hill (Maggie Sauls - teacher, Abdul Mataliep, Mishka Goodwin, Melony van Wyk, Lauren Philips, Michael Issacs, Shelton Marshall, Brian Hendricks and Franklin) in canoes to Australia Island.

The anticipation and excitment, getting the life jackets on.          Max said I am coming with you too!!
Australia Island is in the background.

Riding on the peddalo                                               Sharon taking some of the children to the island

The children were taught how to paddle the canoes and then they planted 5 Milkwood and 5 Wild Olive trees donated by Vincent and Ina Marincowitz also Bowen Boshier and Sally Andrew on Australia Island.

Some of the trees were at a special price from Neil Major's Indigenous Nursery at the CAFDA Centre in Retreat. Go and support this local business.

Sally had been waiting for us to arrive                        The girls have planted their trees

The boys proud that they have planted a Milkwood tree.     Getting some help

Maggie giving encouragement                                    The last Wild Olive tree to be planted.

Maggie says this kind of opportunity can be life changing for the children, who have never been in a canoe or on a large waterbody such as Zandvlei. It helps broaden their horizons and gives them more meaning from the confines of their daily circumstances.

Look I found a goose egg shell.                         Three large bags of litter was also brought back off the island.

The boys having some fun.                                             Bowen escorting the new paddlers back to Park Island

All of us thought it was a great adventure, and the children said they would definitely come back to see how their trees are growing in the future. 
There are more local schools wishing to join in the programme at the Environmental Centre in the Nature Reserve.

We need help to keep these outings funded. We also need able bodied adults to help with these outings.

Contact Cherry 021 788 7931 or Sharon  021 788 5892