Year 8 Geography Field Trip to Manly Dam Reservoir

Year 8 students hand reel fishing at the Manly Dam Reservoir.

Year 8 Geography students were able to conduct testing of the pH levels and turbidity of the water and participate in hand reel fishing and a bush walk at their Manly Dam Reservoir field trip.

Students Mia Joy and Auriella have written a report:

Our field trip to Manly Dam Reservoir provided us with a great opportunity to connect with nature, while engaging in outdoor activities. The day began with four rangers welcoming us on site and introducing us to this vital freshwater catchment area.

The day included testing water pH levels, turbidity testing, hand reel fishing, and going on a bush walk. It was an enriching experience, allowing us to learn more about the environment, while having fun and making long lasting memories.

Hand reel fishing was a fun experience, with many doing this for the first time. We split into groups and took turns throwing the hand reel into the dam, hoping to catch some fish. Another activity was going on a bush walk with one of the friendly rangers. We saw lots of wildlife and plants on our journey and had a wonderful discussion answering some of the questions inside our activity booklet.

Testing the water pH levels at Manly Dam was an interesting part of our trip. We used simple tools to check if the water was more acidic or alkaline, which helps us understand how healthy the environment is. The pH level is important because it affects the plants and animals that live in the water. It was interesting to see how this simple test can show if the water is safe for the creatures living there and gave us a better idea of how people take care of natural water sources like the dam.

Our final activity was testing the water clarity. We split into groups and went to different spots along the dam. We dropped a string, with a white circle shape at the bottom, into the water and dropped it down until we couldn’t see the white circle anymore. This allowed us to see the clarity and state of the water and we recorded our observations from each area of the dam and calculated the average.

Overall, the excursion to Manly Dam Reservoir was a memorable experience that deepened our understanding of how water shapes landscapes, ecosystems and human life. We thank our teachers for making this day possible.