Ecology Camp is a free bi-monthly public event organised by the Global Shapers Gold Coast hub. The aim of the project is to foster connection to nature by bringing people together around hands-on ecological restoration work and learning about the amazing biodiversity of the Gold Coast hinterlands, which include world heritage listed Gondwanan rainforests for example. By sowing the seeds of passion for understanding the natural world, especially among young people on the Gold Coast, we hope to increase the capacity of future generations to look after the earth, understanding our relationship to the planet and responding to threatening processes to our ecosystem. Another benefit of exposure to nature includes mental health, an increasingly pertinent crisis in recent years. Loneliness and isolation in the community are also alleviated through creating this space for like-minded individuals to come together around a common cause/passion, particularly with repeat participation in the camps. We aim to engage the general public on the Gold Coast, in particular but not limited to young people.

Activities held during the camps include ecological restoration (weed removal/tree planting), ecological workshops, flora & fauna surveys, grounding/mindfulness exercises, and an optional overnight camp on the property. In the near future we hope to collaborate with the local indigenous community (the Kombumerri/Yugambeh people) to facilitate indigenous knowledge workshops. All workshop activities are facilitated by subject matter experts.

We have partnered with National Trust Queensland who are the custodians of a beautiful 27 hectare rainforest property in the upper reaches of Currumbin Valley in the Gold Coast hinterland. The property name, Garima, means "respect" or "take care of" in Yugambeh language. The Garima custodians allow us to host our Ecology Camps on the property and utilise the on-site facilities which can accommodate up to 15 participants. Facilities include a campground, an education centre with a large touch-screen display for workshops/presentations, a kitchen, and 2 restrooms.

The Gold Coast hub's Good Karma project directly funds Ecology Camp through pledges made via QLD's 10c container refund scheme, providing funds for catering, restoration tools, camping equipment, workshop facilitators etc, all while diverting plastic from landfills and the ocean. We have also been awarded grant funding through the Climate Reality project. Funds are used to cover one-off and ongoing costs to host the events (i.e. equipment, groceries for catering). Catering is usually a group effort, meals being prepared and served on site by our hub members. Due to the remote location of the camps we have found it best to cook meals on site as opposed to bringing in catering packages, food platters etc. for logistical reasons. We have purchased the vast majority of our kitchen and serving utensils, crockery, cutlery etc. from op shops to use for the events, covering our needs with minimal spend. Sometimes we need to use borrowed items, which members are always happy to lend, but over time we aim to refine our equipment so that we are fully self sufficient in terms of utensils regardless of the needs of the catering team.  

Summary of hub activities related to the project:

• Planning/organization at meetings


• Stakeholder engagement/communication


• Facilitating workshops & activities, or engaging local stakeholders to facilitate


• Restoration project management - ensuring local best practices are followed and pre-existing restoration plans, site survey data is compiled and assessed prior to commencing on-ground works. Consult restoration professionals regarding all works undertaken, have a qualified/experienced practitioner on site during all works to facilitate, ensure quality e.g. safety of all participant and manage off-target damage to native species.


• Catering (planning, sourcing groceries, cooking/preparing meals, serving)


• Design, marketing, comms (info pack documents for participants, creation of marketing materials, event pages, signup forms, social media posts)


• Grant writing


• Admin/bookkeeping


• Compliance/liability - ensuring all relevant WH&S practices & policies are in place, e.g. creation of risk assessments, SWMS, sign-on sheets etc. where appropriate.


• Spreadsheet wrangling

Goals for 2024:

• Host 6 free public events.


• Collaborate with new stakeholders to:
  
  
  • Incorporate Indigenous knowledge.
  
  
  • Increase the capacity for attendance beyond 15 (local accommodation/campground in Currumbin Valley).
  
  
  
  


• Increase our funding sources to cover costs, wherever possible moving away from grant funding and securing more sustainable long term sources of revenue along the same vein as the Good Karma project collab.


• Have a full compliment of quality equipment (kitchen, catering, tents/swags, restoration equipment) purchased second hand/sustainably where possible.


• Increase accessibility to the event with a shuttle bus service from a central location on the Gold Coast for participants.

Long term goals:

• Capacity to host up to 50 participants at each event


• Restoration areas worked restored to a self-sustaining ecosystem requiring very little or no maintenance


• Collaborate with local schools to allow school students to participate


• Incorporate local primary producers into the picture (gardening, farming, permaculture, closed systems).

Impact metrics:

• Ecological Restoration
  
  
  • Area worked at each event in m²: 4,703 m²
    
    
    • 
      Austinville - Latana cleared m² (primary works):
      
      
      • Sep 2023: 238 m²
      
      
      • Nov 2020: 610 m²
      
      
      • May 2021: 250 m²
      
      
      • March 2023: 600 m²
      
      
      
      
    
    
    • 
      Austinville - Maintenance weeding m² (secondary works):
      
      
      • Nov 2020: 57 m²
      
      
      • May 2021: 848 m²
      
      
      • March 2023: 1100 m²
      
      
      
      
    
    
    • Garima - Area worked:
      • Nov 2023: 1,000 m²
        
      
      
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Photo monitoring points
  
  
  • Volunteer hours: 128
    
    
    • Sep 2023: 21
    
    
    • Nov 2020: 42
    
    
    • May 2021: 21
    
    
    • March 2023: 14
    
    
    • Nov 2023: 30
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  

• Participants engaged at events: 44
  
  
  • Sep 2023: 6
  
  
  • Nov 2020: 14
  
  
  • May 2021: 7
  
  
  • March 2023: 7
  
  
  • Nov 2023: 10
  
  
  
  

• Workshops delivered
  
  
  • Sep 2023:
    
    
    • (Zoom) Tweed Volcano Geology & Vegetation Communities
    
    
    • (Zoom) Co-Design w/ Naomi Edwards
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Nov 2020:
    
    
    • Tweed Volcano Geology & Vegetation Communities
    
    
    • Spotlighting
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • May 2021:
    
    
    • Bee workshop (Alexander Vanek)
    
    
    • Macroinvertebrate samping (Watergum Waterbugs)
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Nov 2023:
    • Botany (Greg Tasney)
    
    
  
  
  
  

• Citizen science observations
  • Nov 2020:
    
    
    • FrogID
      • *Litoria pearsoniana
      
      
    
    
    • iNaturalist
      
      
      • *Vermicella annulata
      
      
      • *Boigia irregularis
      
      
      
      
    
    
    
    
  
  

• Photo monitoring points showing progress of restoration sites over time