The Harbour School Sydney
The Harbour School Sydney delivers a range of excursions and incursions, and facilitates environmental projects including experiences for Living Seawalls. It provides and facilitates education, skills and training experiences across diverse harbour sites. It provides a valuable connection between educational facilities, harbour sites, research institutions and businesses, and fosters interdisciplinary learning about ocean literacy and environments.
2025 Highlights
Here is an overview of some of the 2025 highlights:
Excursions and sessions in: Blues Point, Darling Harbour, Chowder Bay, Iron Cove, Clontarf, Bondi, St Ives, Hunters Hill, Balmain.
Most popular excursion: Darling Harbour Precinct - HSC Geography
2025 Excursions and events in collaboration with: Living Seawalls, Sail GP, Sydney By Kayak, SIMS, Lands' Edge Saltwater School, Parramatta River Catchment Group, Great Southern Reef Foundation, Seabin Lab, Wilderlab.
Professional Learning sessions in collaboration with: School Library Association of NSW, Geography Teachers Association NSW & ACT.
Memberships: National Marine Science Committee (Associate member), Parramatta River Catchment Group (Community Representative)
Conferences: National Marine Science Committee Symposium, Geography Teachers Association of NSW & ACT.
Relevant publications:
- “Strengthening Ocean Literacy: Marine Science Education and Training to Ensure Australia’s Blue Future” white paper to inform the National Marine Science Committee Decadal Plan (2025-2035) - co-led by Prue Francis, Rachel Kelly and Louise Swanson.
- "Coral Triangle: Biodiversity Hotspot" chapter - Powerful Geography 2 text for HSC Geography (also includes Kelp Forest and Salmon Aquaculture chapters by co-authors Lorraine Chaffer and Khya Brooks)
- "Traditional Ecological Knowledge" Geostory - Powerful Geography 2 text for HSC Geography
- "Conditions and adaptations in the forgotten mangrove forests" - Geodate Volume 38, Issue 3 2025
- "Mangrove Forests - Threats and Restoration" - Geodate Volume 38, Issue 3 2025
- "An Introduction to the South Australian Algal Bloom" - Geography Bulletin 57, No 4, 2025
- "Photo Interpretation of South Australian Algal Bloom" based on photos of Stefan Andrews and Scott Bennet - Geography Bulletin 57, No 4, 2025
- "IMOS and the South Australian Algal Bloom" - Geography Bulletin 57, No 4, 2025
Thank you to James Heafey (Professional Learning), Jeremy Rotenstein, Mark Standen and Keith Thomas (excursions) for their contributions throughout the year.
Louise Swanson
Owner/Director
The Harbour School Sydney
Excursions and sessions in: Blues Point, Darling Harbour, Chowder Bay, Iron Cove, Clontarf, Bondi, St Ives, Hunters Hill, Balmain.
Most popular excursion: Darling Harbour Precinct - HSC Geography
2025 Excursions and events in collaboration with: Living Seawalls, Sail GP, Sydney By Kayak, SIMS, Lands' Edge Saltwater School, Parramatta River Catchment Group, Great Southern Reef Foundation, Seabin Lab, Wilderlab.
Professional Learning sessions in collaboration with: School Library Association of NSW, Geography Teachers Association NSW & ACT.
Memberships: National Marine Science Committee (Associate member), Parramatta River Catchment Group (Community Representative)
Conferences: National Marine Science Committee Symposium, Geography Teachers Association of NSW & ACT.
Relevant publications:
- “Strengthening Ocean Literacy: Marine Science Education and Training to Ensure Australia’s Blue Future” white paper to inform the National Marine Science Committee Decadal Plan (2025-2035) - co-led by Prue Francis, Rachel Kelly and Louise Swanson.
- "Coral Triangle: Biodiversity Hotspot" chapter - Powerful Geography 2 text for HSC Geography (also includes Kelp Forest and Salmon Aquaculture chapters by co-authors Lorraine Chaffer and Khya Brooks)
- "Traditional Ecological Knowledge" Geostory - Powerful Geography 2 text for HSC Geography
- "Conditions and adaptations in the forgotten mangrove forests" - Geodate Volume 38, Issue 3 2025
- "Mangrove Forests - Threats and Restoration" - Geodate Volume 38, Issue 3 2025
- "An Introduction to the South Australian Algal Bloom" - Geography Bulletin 57, No 4, 2025
- "Photo Interpretation of South Australian Algal Bloom" based on photos of Stefan Andrews and Scott Bennet - Geography Bulletin 57, No 4, 2025
- "IMOS and the South Australian Algal Bloom" - Geography Bulletin 57, No 4, 2025
Thank you to James Heafey (Professional Learning), Jeremy Rotenstein, Mark Standen and Keith Thomas (excursions) for their contributions throughout the year.
Louise Swanson
Owner/Director
The Harbour School Sydney
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Excursions and Incursions
Stage 6 GeographyOptions for Senior Geography include:
- Kelp Forest - Great Southern Reef excursion at Clifton Gardens - Kelp Forest - Great Southern Reef incursion - in-class presentation - Darling Harbour Precinct excursion - Iron Cove - Processes, Cycles, Circulations - Geographical Investigation excursion - Geographical Investigation - incursion Stage 6 Marine
Options for Senior Marine Studies: - Life In the Sea - Estuarine Studies - Ecosystem Restoration incursion Stage 5 - Geography, Marine & STEM
Options for Stage 5 include: - Environmental Change and Management - supplementary Living Seawalls visit available. - Marine and Civil Engineering - Living Seawalls - Eco-Engineering STEM or STEAM program and excursion - Living Seawalls incursion - Ecosystem Restoration incursion (to supplement the Environmental Change and management topic) Stage 2 & 3 - Science and HSIE
Options for Stage 2 & 3 include: - Living Seawalls - Growth and survival of living things excursion - Seagrass and Seahorses incursion - An introduction to the Great Southern Reef incursion |
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Resources
Explore the Resources sections for downloadable handouts about marine, coastal and estuarine environments, climate change and urban harbours.
Professional Learning
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Blue Schools Australia Network
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If your school undertakes, or has undertaken, a practical project to engage students in learning about the ocean, harbours or local waterways, you should consider joining the Blue Schools Australia Network.
Aims of the Blue School Australia Network are: to improve ocean literacy; to promote school projects which engage students with the ocean, harbours or local waterways; to improve understanding about the blue economy and opportunities for students to engage with it. |
Interested schools and individuals should be committed to engaging students in projects to facilitate learning about issues such as water quality, aquatic and intertidal ecosystems, the interconnectedness between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, aquatic ecosystem restoration, catchment management, etc.
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Schools should be open to exploring the Blue Schools concept more fully, with the possibility of more formalised structures and standards for Blue Schools in the future.
https://forms.gle/5BW4ehAye9WxoYhJ6
https://forms.gle/5BW4ehAye9WxoYhJ6
Testimonials
Multi-day excursion as part of a Year 12 Geography camp - Darling Harbour Precinct and Kelp Forests - Great Southern Reef
"It was a truly fantastic experience and I know my class got so much out of it"
- Rochelle, Mudgee (feedback from email)
"Thanks for an enjoyable 3 days. Your knowledge and expertise were welcome and appreciated. Looking forward to next year.
- Erica, Orange (feedback from email)
"It was a truly fantastic experience and I know my class got so much out of it"
- Rochelle, Mudgee (feedback from email)
"Thanks for an enjoyable 3 days. Your knowledge and expertise were welcome and appreciated. Looking forward to next year.
- Erica, Orange (feedback from email)
Kelp Forests - Great Southern Reef
"Our day with you was excellent and we all agreed that the excursion was so valuable. Thank you for being so flexible both before and on the day to create a series of activities and lectures that were both informative and engaging. The students commented on how helpful it was. It's nice to be on holidays this week and reflect on how beneficial our time with you was.
Louise was excellent at designing a syllabus focussed and engaging fieldwork day - it was excellent!"
- Kylie, Tamworth
"Our day with you was excellent and we all agreed that the excursion was so valuable. Thank you for being so flexible both before and on the day to create a series of activities and lectures that were both informative and engaging. The students commented on how helpful it was. It's nice to be on holidays this week and reflect on how beneficial our time with you was.
Louise was excellent at designing a syllabus focussed and engaging fieldwork day - it was excellent!"
- Kylie, Tamworth
Geographical Investigation
"Thank you for the excellent experience. We all enjoyed it and it was valuable field work for the students."
- Frederico, Mosman
"Thank you for the excellent experience. We all enjoyed it and it was valuable field work for the students."
- Frederico, Mosman
White Rock Screening
"Thank you so much for leading the viewing of 'White Rock' and the substantial presentation afterwards for the students studying the HSC. The students enjoyed the experience immensely and I know that they now have great foundational knowledge on this topic. The follow up presentation and talk specific to HSC studies was so valuable."
- Gloria, Westmead
"Thank you so much for leading the viewing of 'White Rock' and the substantial presentation afterwards for the students studying the HSC. The students enjoyed the experience immensely and I know that they now have great foundational knowledge on this topic. The follow up presentation and talk specific to HSC studies was so valuable."
- Gloria, Westmead
Socials
Follow us on Instagram (@the_harbour_school_sydney), Facebook (The Harbour School Sydney)or X (@harbour_sch_syd).
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