At Mount Coolum Early Learning, we are fortunate to be located on the beautiful Sunshine Coast — a landscape shaped over thousands of years by the Kabi Kabi (Gubbi Gubbi) people, the Traditional Custodians of this Country. During NAIDOC Week and throughout the year, we take time to learn from the deep environmental knowledge that First Nations peoples hold — and to pass that wisdom on to the next generation of young Australians.
What Does “Country” Mean?
In Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, “Country” is much more than a piece of land. Country includes the land, the water, the sky, the plants, the animals, the weather, and the spiritual and cultural relationships that connect all living things. Country is alive, and it has always required care, respect, and reciprocal relationship.
For thousands of generations, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples were — and continue to be — the world’s most sophisticated environmental managers. Their knowledge of fire ecology, water systems, plant medicines, animal behaviour, and seasonal patterns is extraordinary, and increasingly, Western science is recognising its depth and value.
What Children Learn From Indigenous Environmental Knowledge
At Mount Coolum Early Learning, exploring Country Care with our children opens up rich learning across multiple areas:
Science and Nature
Children learn about local plants, animals, and ecosystems from an Indigenous perspective — understanding how all living things are interconnected and interdependent.
Sustainability and Respect
Indigenous environmental knowledge teaches that humans are part of nature, not separate from or superior to it. This is a profoundly important perspective for young children to develop early.
Cultural Understanding
Learning about Country helps children develop respect and appreciation for the deep cultural knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples — knowledge that is still alive, practised, and valued today.
Sense of Place
Understanding the history and culture of the land we live on gives children a richer, more meaningful connection to their local environment.
How We Learn About Country Care at Mount Coolum
Yarning Circles
We gather in circle formation — a traditional way of sharing knowledge — and use these moments to share stories about the local environment, seasonal changes, and the animals and plants of Country.
Plant Identification Walks
We explore our outdoor environment with a focus on local native plants, learning their names (including some local language names where possible), their roles in the ecosystem, and how they have been used by Kabi Kabi people for thousands of years.
Water Awareness
We talk about the importance of water — to all living things, and in particular the deep spiritual significance of water in many Indigenous cultures. We explore local waterways and talk about caring for them.
Seasonal Calendars
Many Aboriginal language groups have their own seasonal calendars — some with six or more seasons based on environmental cues rather than calendar months. We explore these alternative ways of understanding and marking the year with our children.
Sustainability as Cultural Practice
We link our everyday sustainability practices — composting, water conservation, caring for plants — back to the broader concept of Country Care, helping children understand that environmental responsibility is not new — it is ancient and profound.
Keywords: Country care children, Indigenous environment education, NAIDOC Week Mount Coolum, Kabi Kabi Sunshine Coast, environmental learning early childhood, Aboriginal ecological knowledge, nature-based learning preschool, First Nations sustainability, early learning Mount Coolum, cultural connection Country
Sources and Further Reading:
– NAIDOC Committee – www.naidoc.org.au
– AIATSIS – www.aiatsis.gov.au
– Reconciliation Australia – www.reconciliation.org.au
– Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) – www.acecqa.gov.au
– Early Childhood Australia – www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au
– Raising Children Network – www.raisingchildren.net.au
