Eleebana Children's Centre

07/08/2025

A wonderful bush walk adventure yesterday! 🥾🍃

The Teddies had a blast exploring nature with our friends on a bush walk. We started our colour hunt early, spotting a blue car and a purple lavender bush on our way. One friend even found a "red garbage truck bin!" 🤣

The real adventure began when we got to the bush and children spotted more colours yelling out "YELLOW!" at a trail sign. We spent the walk investigating all sorts of things—from rocks and sticks to a very green tree! We loved throwing leaves into a big puddle and feeling the different textures of the trees and rocks. We even heard a very loud hello from some kookaburras! 🦜

Everyone did an amazing job on the uphill trek, and we celebrated by ticking off every colour on our chart when we got back. Well done, team! 💕

What colours have you been spotting on your own adventures lately? Share your finds in the comments! 👇

05/08/2025

What a fantastic day! 📚

Yesterday, we had the pleasure of hosting three wonderful students from the junior Aboriginal Education Consultative Group (AECG) and two fantastic teachers from Eleebana Public School for a special visit. They came to read stories to our children in celebration of National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children's Day!

The students shared several beautiful tales, including:

"When the Snake Bites the Sun"

"How the Birds Got Their Colours"

"Mad Magpie"

"Dunbi the Owl"

"Cunning Crow"

"Super Snake"

"The Bat and the Crocodile"

We are so grateful to Eleebana Public School and these talented young readers for sharing their time and these incredible stories with us. Great work, girls!

14/07/2025

🦷😁 A Fun Visit from Smile Along with Margo and Friends! 😁🦷

Today we had a special visit from Margo and her friends, who taught us all about looking after our teeth!

We learned to brush twice a day — after breakfast and before bed — and that after brushing at night, we should only drink water. Margo showed us how to brush gently in circular motions, what a worn-out toothbrush looks like, and why flossing is important. She even talked about wearing a mouthguard when playing sports!

The children loved practicing brushing Margo’s animal puppet’s teeth, watching Dr. Rabbit’s World Tour, and pretending to be real dentists with gloves and masks as they moved from “patient” to “patient.” 🪥😷🧤

We finished with a fun game of sorting foods into “all the time” and “sometimes” categories — and everyone did such a great job identifying healthy choices! 🍎🍫

Thank you, Margo, for such a fun and educational visit! 🦷💙

14/07/2025

🌿 NAIDOC Week at Eleebana Children’s Centre 🌿

Last week, we proudly celebrated NAIDOC Week 2025, embracing this year’s powerful theme:
“Keep the Fire Burning: The Next Generation – Strength, Vision & Legacy.” 🔥🖤💛❤️

This theme celebrates the strength, wisdom, and resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and highlights the importance of empowering the next generation to carry their cultural legacy forward.

At Eleebana Children’s Centre, we honoured NAIDOC Week through a variety of culturally inclusive and enriching learning experiences, designed to deepen the children’s understanding, connection, and respect for First Nations culture.

🌿 Our Koala children went on a bush walk through our local natural environment, collecting sticks, leaves, gumnuts and other natural materials. These treasures were later used in their creative artworks, inspired by Dreaming stories and the beauty of Country. This experience helped the children build a deeper appreciation for nature and its significance in Aboriginal culture.

✨ A special highlight of the week was a visit from Linda from Oz Tukka, who introduced the children to a variety of bush foods, teaching them about their origins, uses and cultural importance. The children loved engaging their senses as they explored and tasted these native ingredients.

🥖 On another day, the children had the chance to taste native herb damper, served with cold Rosella Flower Tea and Lemon Myrtle Tea. This experience offered a meaningful way to connect with traditional Aboriginal food culture.

📖 Throughout the week, we shared important Dreaming stories, including “How the Birds Got Their Colours” and “The Rainbow Serpent.” The children brought these stories to life through art, using paint, natural materials and their imaginations to recreate the colourful birds and swirling serpents.

At Eleebana, we are committed to embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives into our everyday practices — helping children grow with respect, cultural awareness, and a strong sense of connection to Country.

Let’s continue to listen, learn, and celebrate — for the next generation. 💫

02/07/2025

Celebrating Culture with Bush Tucker!
Leading into NAIDOC Week next week, we had the incredible opportunity to host Linda from OzTukka for a special Bush Tucker morning!
We began by reading "Let's Learn About Bush Tucker," a story that highlighted various native foods, while also emphasizing the crucial safety rule: never pick food from the bush without adult guidance, as some plants can be poisonous.
The highlight was a sensory exploration of Linda's special products! We scrunched Lemon Myrtle leaves to release their beautiful fragrance, learning that while not for raw eating, they make a delicious, medicinal tea when steamed or steeped.
Next, we explored ground Wattleseed. Linda explained that the raw seeds are too hard to eat. We experienced its unique scent – a surprising blend of burnt chocolate, coffee, and peanut butter – and felt its texture before taste-testing. The flavour matched the aroma, a "weird mix" that some enjoyed!
Our final tasting was Finger Limes. After a big squeeze to release the tiny beads, we experienced their intense sour flavour, with many funny faces made! Some friends described the taste as a "very sour mandarin."
It was a truly fantastic and educational morning, connecting with Indigenous culture through taste, touch, and smell. A huge thank you to Linda from OzTukka for sharing her knowledge and these wonderful Bush Tucker foods with us!

02/07/2025

Teddies on a Bushwalk Bingo Adventure!
Last Wednesday, our Teddies Room had an amazing time on a bushwalk bingo adventure! Before they set off, they talked about their bingo sheet, filled with things like dog paw prints, worms, spiderwebs, and more, that we hoped to find.
As they headed into the bushland, keen eyes quickly spotted red flowers and even three birds flying high! The windy weather made it super easy to find leaves blowing in the breeze. Once they reached the bushland, they excitedly crossed these off our bingo cards!
The walk was full of discoveries! Many friends loved running up the small hills. They found a spiderweb hidden under tree bark (so cool!), and a special coolamon cutout on a tree that felt so smooth to touch. A big rock became a favorite spot for climbing and jumping, while others collected smaller rocks for our bucket. One little one was a bit worried about how loud the bush was, but educators explained it was just the wind making the leaves "talk" to each other!
The adventure concluded with spotting a big hole in the dirt (we safely checked inside with sticks!). They also finished with a group photo, a fun run, and a special stop at a nearby house of one of our lovely families to explore their garden and visit some fish!
Back at school, they eagerly investigated all the natural treasures they collected in their bucket! What a fantastic morning of exploration and learning!

02/07/2025

Diving Deep into Water Wisdom in June!
What an incredibly insightful June it's been for our Koala friends, focusing on all things water – from staying safe around it to being smart about how we use it!
Earlier in June, we had a fantastic visit from Danielle from Hunter Water, who taught us how to be Young Water Warriors! We kicked off by brainstorming all the places we see water – the beach, the lake, pools, and ponds! Then, we talked about who needs water (plants, animals, and of course, us for drinking!). Danielle shared an amazing fact: the water we use today is the same water the dinosaurs used millions of years ago – just recycled!
We learned about the water cycle, discussing how water moves from lakes, ponds, and dams, into the ground for plants, evaporates into clouds, and then rains back down, starting the cycle again. We even did a cool experiment with jars of water, toilet paper, wet wipes, and tissues. The results were clear: only toilet paper dissolves properly (great for our pipes!). Wet wipes and tissues? Not so much – they turn into a sticky mess or stay whole, which is definitely NOT good for our plumbing! Danielle even showed us a real example of a "fat lump" removed from pipes in our very own Eleebana – yikes! It was a powerful lesson on what not to flush.
Also in June, we had another vital guest: Stuart, the Boating Education Officer from NSW Maritime! He came to teach us all about boat safety when we're in or around the water. Stuart showed us different life jackets, and some friends even got to try them on to see how they should fit snugly for safety. For a fun demo, Kat helped out, and one of our little helpers got to pull the tab, making a special life jacket inflate with a WHOOSH – the children found it hilarious!
To wrap up, Stuart kindly gave each child a goody bag packed with colouring activities, a key ring, and more important boat safety information to take home.
A huge thank you to Danielle from Hunter Water and Stuart from NSW Maritime for these incredibly engaging and educational sessions in June! Our Koala friends are now more knowledgeable about being water wise and staying safe on the water.

25/02/2025

🎉 We had a fantastic learning session today with Luke from Hunter Resource Recovery! 🎉

We learned so much about recycling and the importance of sorting our waste properly. Luke started by surprising us with FIVE different bins hidden inside each other! 🤯 We also got to see pictures of the huge recycling trucks and the amazing machinery at the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) that crushes recyclables into giant squares! 🚗➡️📦

Luke showed us samples of crushed plastic, glass, and aluminum, and we played a fun game where we sorted pictures into the correct bins: recycling, green waste, or garbage. By the end, we were recycling pros! ♻️

A big takeaway from Luke's visit was remembering that SOFT PLASTICS BELONG IN THE RED BIN (garbage). 🔴 And please, everyone, no batteries in any of the household bins! 🔋 Batteries can cause fires and other hazards. There are specialized disposal sites for batteries, so please dispose of them responsibly.

We're so grateful to Hunter Resource Recovery for teaching us how to make a positive impact on our environment! Let's all do our part to recycle right! 🌎💚

25/10/2024

Supporting Aboriginal Languages Week

October 20th - 27th 2024

Let's come together to celebrate the beauty and diversity of Aboriginal Languages. These languages are the heart and soul of Australia's oldest living culture, connecting people to Country, stories, and ceremonies.

Join us in supporting Aboriginal Languages Week by watching these amazing videos of our children proudly sharing their knowledge of the Awabakal language:

20/09/2024

Living Smart Festival 2024 is Coming! 🌿

Saturday, September 21st for a day of sustainability, community, and fun.

Highlights include:

Workshops and demonstrations by sustainability experts
Market stalls showcasing local products and services
Live music and performances
Free kids' activities
A multicultural zone celebrating diversity and sustainability
Headlined by Steph De Sousa, Gina Chick, and Paul West, this event is not to be missed!

Let's think global, act local. 🌍

https://www.lakemac.com.au/Events-directory/Council-events/Living-Smart-Festival

The Living Smart Festival provides an opportunity to explore ways to introduce sustainable living in your everyday life