BOOKINGS NOW OPEN FOR THE SPRING HOLIDAY PROGRAM!

 

 Hey Folks,

Looking for some fun, wholesome kids school holiday activities in the Byron Bay region? Spring into 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.

 

We are running two different programs during the holidays:

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

                6-12yr olds BOOKING LINK

                   

2. Wild Wallabies (mixed gender 3-5 yrs): 2 days per week - Wednesdays and Fridays 

                 Wild Wallabies booking link

 

                    IMPORTANT! The Wild Wallabies program is being run at South Golden Beach, meeting at the Hall.

 

The main program for 6-12 yr olds will be run from the Brunswick Heads Surf Club as Normal

                                         

 

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

 

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. 

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

 

 What others have said about us:

"They 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 

 

 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.

If you are struggling financially and need some support with attendance please talk to us. Please see the accessibility section at the bottom of the page.

 

Brunswick Bush School Spring 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 

    

 

Session Time            Activity Description Monday 30th Sept 9-3pm    New Activity! 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! Tuesday 1st Oct 9-3pm    Useful Plants and Bush Tucker 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. Wednesday 2nd Oct 9-3pm         Whittle a dagger* Bring your pocket knives. We’ll be whittlin’ away the time by the creek honing our skills and making a super cool wooden dagger. 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. For ages 7 and up recommended. *$5 materials Thursday 3rd Oct 9-3pm   New Activity! Geo-Cache Treasure Hunt This super cool activity is about the most fun you can get out of a smart phone. We'll set up a treasure hunt course leaving gps cordinates for each hidden clue. Using a geo caching app the kids will use their smart phones to navigate to each clue all the way to the hidden treasure at the end. Each child to bring a smart phone (don't bring your most expensive one). If you don't have one, we'll bring a couple of extras to share. Friday 4th  Oct 9-3pm   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 7th  Oct 9-3pm 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 Simpson’s 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. Bring your own water craft or use one of ours (let us know if you decide to bring your own watercraft). Some canoeing experience recommended. If you can't make it yourself, just book the kids in as normal. $70 per adult, $90 per child Tuesday 8th  Oct 9-3pm     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. Wednesday 9th Oct 9-3pm    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!) *$10 materials charge Thursday 10th Oct 9-3pm   Pirate Rafts Two Day Workshop Day 2* On day 2 we put the finishing touches to our rafts: painting and decorating, adding flags and floatation and then we battle to the on the mighty Brunswick river! Friday 11th Oct 9-3pm   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 and voila! A toy that packs a punch giving hours of fun. Once we've whittled and sanded our sling shots we'll teach how to use them safely and practice our aim on targets. To be used with adult supervision.*$10 materials charge

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 Spring 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: 

Wednesday: Oct 2nd and 9th

Friday: Oct 4th and 11th

ATTENTION! We've changed the venue of the Wild Wallabies. WE WILL BE RUNNING AT SOUTH GOLDEN BEACH MEETING AT SOUTH GOLDEN BEACH HALL.

 

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 South Golden Beach, meeting at the Hall

 

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 basic 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