Geraldton's Chapman River central to connecting students with country and culture

A program designed to reawaken the connection between children and nature in Western Australia's Midwest is getting primary school students away from technology and into the bush. 

The proponents hope that through hands-on sensory experiences, and building respect for country, the students will gain a deeper connection to the environment and each other. 

The project is set in Chapman River Regional Park, a natural bushland of about 364 hectares, in Geraldton. In comparison, Kings Park in Perth is about 400 hectares.  

"It's quite amazing to have a natural bushland right here in the heart of the city," Chapman River Friends coordinator Virginie Fuhrmann said.

"I'm from Switzerland and they don't have these natural environments — everything is managed, in Europe.

Ms Fuhrmann said the idea was to connect the children to Chapman River by teaching them how the ecosystem worked to spark an appreciation of the land and want to look after it.

"It's about reconnecting ourselves with the environment," she said.

Priscilla Papertalk, an Aboriginal Custodian Program coordinator with the Northern Agricultural Catchments Council (NACC), said the benefits of having a connection to country flowed to other areas of people's lives.

"I say if we look after country, country will look after us," she said.

"We are connected to land, and if we aren't connected to land, we're disconnected in life.

"A rock from Chapman River doesn't belong at Ellendale Pool or Greenough River, it belongs here out on this land.

"A rock is sacred, it could have spirits in it. We leave the spirits intact because those spirits are there looking after us and the little kids are picking up the rocks and throwing them and that's why I think it's causing some havoc in town at the moment."

Nature as a medicine

Psychologist Shannon McNeair said nature was a good reset for any mind and it could be as simple as taking your shoes off when you got home from work or school.

"Connecting to the ground, watering the garden, bushwalking, or sitting under a tree, allows a bit of a reset," she said.

 "If there's anything you can do that costs no money and is really meaningful to you then do it. There's so many places around here in this beautiful country that we can do."

Ms McNeair said leading by example was also important.

"If you're asking your kids to turn their phone off, turn yours off too," she said. 

"Make sure you're showing them that you're doing the same thing."

Ms Papertalk said technology seemed to be taking over time spent on country.

"All of our kids are stuck on iPads and computers and games and they're crying for games. And I know because I have a 17-year-old boy and a 10-year-old nephew, and even my 18-year-old girl is still playing on the telephone – games," she said.

It's hoped that the bush will reignite not only connection to country, but also to the students themselves.