SUMMER HOLIDAYS 23 DEC 2024 - 05 FEB 2025 IS NOW OPEN FOR BOOKINGS

                        

 

Hey Folks,

Looking for some fun, wholesome kids school holiday activities in the Byron Bay region? Join us for some healthy nature connection time with Brunswick Bush School. We spend the entire day outdoors in wild nature. We have some exciting new activities plus some old time favourites that will be sure to keep the kids happy. Nature is the place to be so come on join us for the holiday fun! Scroll down the page for program details, bookings and availability.

 

**News Flash! We've updated our holiday program to include a new tubing activity on Jan 16th and 17th and a Rail Trail Cycling Adventure on the 28th Jan**

We are running two different programs these holidays:

1. Main program (6-12 yrs):  5 days (Mon- Fri) per week:

            scroll down for program descriptions

                6-12yr olds BOOKING LINK

                   

2. Wild Wallabies (3-5 yrs): Tues 24 Dec and 2 days per week from 8 Jan - Wednesdays and Fridays 

                Wild Wallabies booking link

 

Cost: from $80* per day per child. 10% discount for siblings.

* There is a 50 cent ticket fee and a 2.5% processing for each booking made.

 

IMPORTANT! All programs will be conducted from the Brunswick Heads site except for Canoeing and Rail Trail Cycling. Meeting points to be notified closer to the date.

 

For all enquiries email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

For urgent program issues on the day, call or text Rohan 0407 898 374.  Please be mindful that Rohan is out on the field,  with kids, so please only contact him if it is regarding an urgent matter. All other issues and questions regarding bookings, please email.

Please note that we do have some age restrictions on certain activities.

What families are saying about us:

"Our kids both loved it! I don't know what you guys give them, but it's like we get the best versions of our kids every single time we pick them up from Bush School." - Andrea (parent) 

"Thanks again! It's such a great program where the kids learn amazing skills and always want to go back!" - Kate (parent) 

"We love going out into the bush to play games, learn how to make damper and fire, but also learn about nature. Every time we go to bush school, we learn something new and have fun with our friends."  - Kate's kids 

"I like everything about bush school." - Marion, age 7 

Brunswick Bush School Summer Main Program (for Girls and Boys 6-12 years)

Main Program Booking Link and to check availability:

REMEMBER TO CLICK 'BUY MORE TICKETS' AT CHECKOUT BOX WHEN BOOKING MULTIPLE DAYS 

    

 

Date    (All sessions 9-3pm)	Activity	Description
Monday 23rd Dec	Water Blasters	This activity is pure fun! We make a water gun from scratch, using PVC pipe and fittings, that shoots a jet of water out of the nozzle.Then of course we have to test it!!Get set for the biggest water fight ever! Be prepared to get a serious drenching. Recommended age 7 years and up *There is a materials charge of $15. Kids get to take home their blaster.
Tuesday 24th Dec	Build a Ninja Warrior Course	Calling all young warriors! Test out and improve your ninja skills. As a group we'll design and build a bush ninja course using rope ladders, balance beams, rope swings, challenging and dangerous obstacles and more. And then of course we get to try it out!
Monday 6th Jan	Pirate Rafts: TWO DAY WORKSHOP  Day 1*	Strap on yer best peg leg and find a stuffed parrot to put on yer shoulder and come on down to construct a pirate raft. On day one we’ll screw, saw, hammer and nail them together (the rafts not the kids!) *$20 materials charge
Tuesday 7th Jan	Pirate Rafts: TWO DAY WORKSHOP Day 2*	On day 2 we put the finishing touches to our rafts: painting and decorating, adding flags, planks and floatation and then we have the fiercest pirate battle to the last Pirate standing!
Wednesday 8th Jan	Family Adventure Paddle: Bruns to Kings Creek	We have changed one of our most popular activities to include mum's and dad's! On this canoeing adventure We’ll be exploring rugged river banks and looking out for the myriad of bird life that lives in the area and having a picnic at our favourite riverside bush spot. (let us know if you decide to bring your own watercraft) If you can't make it yourself, just book the kids in as normal. $70 per adult, $90 per child
Thursday 9th Jan	Sling Shots	Sling Shots are a rite of passage for every bush kid . Today we will be whittling them from forked branches, add some rubber, a pouch and voila! A toy that will bring hours of fun! To be used with adult supervision. *$5 Materials Charge
Friday 10th Jan	Nature Play	We have compiled a list of our most popular games. In this action packed day you get to run your legs off as we play Capture the Flag, Bush Turkey’s Tail, Catch the Leopard’s Meat, Fire Keeper and more of our favourite bush games.
Monday 13th Jan	Wind Powered Beach Racers	Get set for race time! Design and make your own super cool model beach racer buggy built from recycled materials and powered by the wind. Then we test your design by racing them down the beach.
Tuesday 14th Jan	Water Hunters	Water! The essential ingredient of life. On this day we will learn on how to find, collect and access drinking water in the bush via a variety of methods. We'll also learn tested techniques of how to clean it and make sure it is safe to drink. We'll have fun making our own water filter from materials in the bush.
Wednesday 15th Jan	Knife Skills and Whittling	Bring your pocket knives. We’ll be whittlin’ away the time by the creek honing our skills and making some fancy craft pieces. We’ll cover the basics of safety and how to whittle. If you don’t have a knife don’t worry we’ll have spares for you to use. Suitable for children 7+ years. If you'd like to purchase one of our Opinel folding knives suitable for a child to use you can pay for one when you book online.
Thursday 16th Jan	New Activity!          Tubing Day 1	In this exciting new activity we're going tubing! We'll give you a recycled inner tyre tube and then we'll teach you a simple rope weaving pattern to make a cool seat in the centre of the tube, ready for use on your favourite creek, pool, dam or for floating down the river.
Friday 17th Jan	New Activity! Tubing Day 2	On the second day of this activity we'll finish off our weaving projects and then hit the bruns river to test our creations for some tubing fun letting the tide push us along as we float down the river.
Monday 20th Jan	Model Pirate Boats	Make your own model Pirate ship. We'll give you a basic ship hull made from bamboo and you can turn it into your most deadly pirate ship design by adding cannons, planks, sails, ladders, lethal ramming devices or maybe you could add some wings to make a flying pirate ship....? We'll then get to test them out in the water for a race across the seven seas.
Tuesday 21st Jan	Water Blasters*	This activity is pure fun! We make a water gun from scratch, using PVC pipe and fittings, that shoots a jet of water out of the nozzle.Then of course we have to test it!!Get set for the biggest water fight ever! Be prepared to get a serious drenching. Recommended age 7 years and up *There is a materials charge of $15. Kids get to take home their blaster.
Wednesday 22nd Jan	Animal Tracks, scats and traces	Fancy yourself as a skilled tracker? Come and learn to find and identify animals by the traces they leave behind...
Thursday 23rd Jan	Nest Boxes Day 1*	Did you know it can take up to 200 years for a suitable hollow to form for some our native wildlife? You think Byron shire has a housing shortage!! We go construction crazy making nest boxes for native wildlife from scratch! Bring on the hammers, nails, saws and paint. When finished you have the option of taking it home or leaving it with us and we will mount them on appropriate trees. * $20 materials charge.
Friday 24th Jan	Nest Boxes Day 2*	On day 2 of this workshop we add the finishing touches to our boxes attaching a roof, perch, entrance hole and then we paint it. You get to take it home or leave it with us to put it up. Suitable for children 7+ years.
Monday 27th Jan (PUBLIC HOLIDAY)	**NEW ACTIVITY** FAMILY FUN DAY: USEFUL PLANTS AND BUSH TUCKER	We are inviting the whole family along on the public holiday and join in the fun and experience for yourselves what all the excitement is about! There are so many bush tucker and useful plants living right in our backyard. From rope and baskets to fire, fibre  and food. There is a treasure of natural resources for the survivalist. Today we will adventure into the reserve to see what is in season and what we can find.
Tuesday 28th Jan	New Activty! Rail Trail Cycling Adventure*	We're hitting the tracks for a cruisey rail trail cycling adventure! From Crabbes Ck we'll follow the rail trail through shaded forest and farmland into the lush  Burringbar Valley. We'll refresh our selves with swims in clear flowing mountain creeks at Upper Burringbar and then on to explore the 500m long train tunnel cutting through the Burringbar Range with glow worms and bats. Byo bicycle. Must be able to cycle independently! Parents welcome to join for free, just let us know via email or text when booking in if you intend to join us* $5 surcharge activity fee
Wednesday 29th Jan	Bows and Arrows Day 1*	In this fun two day workshop we construct our own bows and arrows from bamboo and learn how to shoot them. Please book in for both days. On day 1 we whittle our bows and string them up. Recommended for ages 7 and up. *$20 materials charge.
Thursday 30th Jan	Bows and Arrows Day 2*	On day two of the workshop we add the finishing touches and then step onto the shooting range to test our creations and hone our target practice. Recommended for ages 7 and up.
Friday 31st Jan	Nature Play	We have compiled a list of our most popular games. In this action packed day you get to run your legs off as we play Capture the Flag, Bush Turkey’s Tail, Catch the Leopard’s Meat, Fire Keeper and more of our favourite bush games.
Monday 3rd Feb	New Activity!  Family Adventure Paddle: Simpson's Creek*	We have changed one of our most popular activities to include mum's and dad's! On this canoeing adventure we spend the day on the beautiful Brunswick River catching the incoming tide up the wild reaches of Simpsons Creek paddling deep into the Tyagarah Nature Reserve. We’ll be exploring rugged river banks and looking out for the myriad of bird life that lives in the area and having a picnic at our favourite riverside bush spot. (let us know if you decide to bring your own watercraft). Some canoeing experience recommended, but not essential. If you can't make it yourself, just book the kids in as normal. $70 per adult, $90 per child
Tuesday 4th Feb	Knots and shelters	Come on down for a practical lesson in knot tying. Today we learn several handy knots that have many uses in the bush. Then we will learn about different shelter styles and build our own cool shelters from materials we find in the bush.
Wednesday 5th Feb	Survival Skills	Imagine this scenario.....the zombie apocalypse has just taken place. There's no food at the supermarket, no water when you turn the tap, the power is out, so you can't ogle google and there's no fuel for the car. What do you do? You need bush survival skills! This series of hands on workshops will explore the essentials of bush survival; food, water and shelter. How to get them fast using simple materials and tried and tested techniques.

 

 

Time: 9-3pm

Meet: Main program for 6-12 yr olds: Meet at the Brunswick Heads Surf Life Saving Club (on the grassy side) except for canoeing days. When canoeing we meet adjacent to the river. (Notice will be sent via email where to meet).

Cost: $80* per day per child. Some activities incur a materials surcharge (this is listed in the description of the day in the table). 10% discount for siblings.* There is a 50 cent ticket fee and a 2.5% processing for each booking made. 

Bring: A 'what to bring' list is sent out with your booking

The activities presented on any given day may change due to weather, numbers and other unforeseen circumstances. In the case of wet weather we set up basic tarp shelters. Each day is interspersed with games, exploring, a swim if weather permits and tonnes of adventure!! Occassionaly we have children attending that do not wish to participate in the advertised actvitiy. Participation in the listed activity is optional, we encourage children to participate but do not require them to, however if a child decides not to participate they must respect those that do wish to.

Checkout our fb page here to see some of the fun stuff we get up to: 

https://www.facebook.com/brunsbushschool/

Need to cancel? see our Refund Policy at the bottom of the page. 

 

                                                                 **********

 

Wild Wallabies Summer Holiday Program (for children 3-5 years)

Hop along to the Wild Wallabies these holidays for some great nature play and adventure for the wee’uns! The Wild Wallabies is Brunswick Bush School's nature connection program for kids aged 3-5 years. This gentle and nurturing program provides a fun and adventurous day out. Using nature as our inspiration we explore, play, create and swim if weather permits.

The Wild Wallabies will be running two days per week on the following dates: 

Tuesday 24 DEC

Wednesday: Jan 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th

Friday: Jan 10th, 17th, 24th and 31st

 

ATTENTION! The Wild Wallabies program will be operating from the Brunswick Heads Site over the summer holidays.

 

Wild Wallabies Program Booking Link and to check availability:

REMEMBER TO CLICK 'BUY MORE TICKETS' IN CHECKOUT BOX WHEN BOOKING MULTIPLE DAYS 

 

 

MEET: 

Wild Wallabies for 3-5 yr olds: Meet at tennis courts clubhouse opposite the Brunswick Surf Life Saving Club

 

COST: $80* per day per child. 10% discount for siblings.

* There is a 50 cent ticket fee and a 2.5% processing for each booking made. 

BRING: A what to bring list is sent out with your booking

NOTE: Children must be toilet trained to attend

 

In the case of wet weather we set up tarp shelters.

Need to cancel? see our Refund Policy at the bottom of the page.

 

Keeping Bush School Accessible to All

We would like to see our programs remain accessible to all children. If you are struggling financially please come and talk to us. If you have an indigenous heritage we offer reduced rates. If you are feeling particularly abundant you can make a donation towards our scholarship fund to enable other children to attend. Talk to Rohan for more details. 

 

Refund/Cancellation Policy

A 10% administration fee applies you if you cancel more than 7 days in advance of the attendance date. A 20% fee applies if cancelling less than 7 days from attendance date. No refund is given if you cancel less than 3 days before the attendance date. We are generally happy to transfer a booking to another date (within the same holiday program) with a minimum 3 days notice, depending on availability. Unfortunately we do not refund if you forget to attend or your child is sick. Please email us with the details at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

 

 

A couple of parents approached me on how to select a good whittling knife for the kids. I found this article was very helpful in selecting my own survival knife.

 

How to Choose the Perfect Survival Knife

FAQ’

What do you do if it is raining?

We generally head out for the day rain, hail or shine. Unless there is a category 4 cyclone off Brunswick Bar we still go out! Heading out in the rain is a great experience for the children. It builds resilience and endurance and teaches them new skills for staying warm and safe in wet weather- other children just love the chance to spend the day in the rain and mud! Just as importantly, they get to experience the bush in a different way, it is different when it is wet and you have to move and interact accordingly. We do have a tarp shelters we put up when it rains. The children help to construct their own shelter!

Do your Mentors have Working With Children Checks (WWC) and First Aid Certificates?

Yes, our Mentors all have Working With children Checks. Rohan also has a remote area First Aid Certificate. At least one mentor travelling with each group has a First Aid Certificate.

 

Do you have Insurance?

Yes we do. We have public liability cover for up to $10 000 000 with Sportscover.

 

My Child has been diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome, Autism or ADHD can they attend?

Children on the spectrum have special needs. Through past experience we have found that it can be a challenge to meet the needs of these children when combined with the group. We would love for these children to attend Bush School as we believe it is such a healthy and healing experience, but the reality is that we do need all children that attend Bush School to be able to self regulate, we simply don't have the resources and skills to meet the needs of some of these children, and the program isn't designed for children with special needs. However, if you have a daughter or son that you think would like to come along and would be able to be a part of the program, talk to us and we will discuss it. As a minimum, we ask that you escort your child for a minimum of two weeks to support them integrating into the group. We will re-assess with you after this time and make a decision as to whether it is in the best interests of all concerned for them to continue. 

 

How do I pay?

Payment can be made electronically via bank deposit or in cash. Payments can be made in one lump sum or 2-3 payments over the term can be arranged.

 

I am concerned about my child going swimming, can you tell me more about what that entails?

We have access to the beautiful Brunswick River. The children love swimming and it is a fantastic part of the program, but we also realise there are risks involved. We have compiled a swim safe policy to ensure that any swimming activity is as safe as can be. Please ask Rohan to view this policy. The main points are as follows:

Generally we will swim in a shallow safe section of the Brunswick River.

The Mentor is the furthest person out and no one is to go past the mentor.

There is a Mentor at the water’s edge also watching the children.

There is a policy of ‘No deeper than my thigh’

 

I am concerned about snakes and ticks and other dangerous animals. Please allay my fears!!

The Australian bush certainly has animals and insects that are either deadly poisonous or want a piece of you! There are snakes, ticks and other dangerous animals present on the land we walk upon and thankfully, most of the time, they are happy going about their business and will go out of their way to avoid human contact long before we are aware of them (think a bunch of noisy excited kids tromping through the bush is enough to scare anyone!!). We encourage children to be aware and sensible in the bush and we regularly warn them of the presence of snakes in the warmer weather; how to approach them should they see them and what to do in the unlikely event they get bitten. All our mentors know about snake bite first aid and carry specialised snake bite bandages. As mentioned above, we carry mobile phones should a quick evacuation be necessary. Ticks and snakes are particularly active in the warmer months. We also remind children to do regular tick sweeps of their bodies and we carry tweezers with us for safe and quick removal. This is a risk inherent in a program of this nature but with awareness, care and education we are able to minimise the risks.

 

Facebook

We are on Facebook. To see up to date information and pictures of what we have been up to check us out here:

www.facebook.com/brunsbushschool/

 

 

Brunswick Bush School is not a 'school', but a place to learn in and from nature. We offer a variety of Nature Connection Programs for children. 

If you have a program you would like us to run, or you are in another location, we can also come to you. Contact Rohan for more infromation.

 

Listen to a podcast section about Bruns Bush School

Bruns Bush School featured on Spreaker Radio