Sunshine Coast

The students started the week with a tour of the area and learning some Aussie slang. From phrases like mate, arvo and the iconic "crikey!", these students are well on their way to being Australian locals! The students have loved spending a bit of time with their host families and a bit of time with their new friends from all over the world!

Throughout the week the students have been doing incredible work in their classes, improving their English language skills and learning all about local Australian animals! They've constructed emergency animal rescue kits, learned all about the environment and now even feel confident in how they would rescue an injured animal should the need arise!

On Wednesday the students got to go kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding down the beautiful Maroochy river, learning all about the birds, fish and vegetation or the area. The students saw a stunning array of wildlife, even getting to experience the beautiful mangroves on the riverbanks.

Then on Thursday the students made the trip to Australia zoo to experience what it's like to be a zookeeper for the day! Throughout the day the students were shown around the zoo and had the opportunity to meet, pat and even feed some of the amazing animals.

It wasn’t just about feeding and cleaning—each student gained invaluable insights into the challenges of animal care, learning firsthand from passionate zookeepers who shared their knowledge and love for wildlife. The day was a perfect blend of hands-on experience and unforgettable moments with Australia’s most iconic animals.

Throughout their first week the students worked and researched to gain knowledge around an environmental challenge faced both within Australia and all over the world. Some of our students chose to tackle the decline of the seas, and others presented a riveting poster about fast fashion.

On Tuesday we were visited by an array of reptiles such as the wild saltwater crocodile and the friendly bearded dragon. We were lucky enough to have the amazing people from Wild Encounters to guide us through the experience and give us a bit more information about each animal. We encountered all manner of reptiles starting with a freshwater turtle. We learned all about the turtle's shell and many of the students were amazed by the turtle being able to tuck its head and feet in to protect itself!

Next, we got to meet the wonderful blue tongue lizard who makes its home in many Australian gardens. This beautiful creature looks a little bit like a very short snake but make no mistake, this little guy means you no harm.

We also got to meet a bearded dragon, a children's python, a rainbow boa and the finale was a juvenile saltwater crocodile! This young guy was only two years old so he was only very little compared to the full-size ones you can see in the wild. Saltwater crocodiles can grow up to 6 meters in length over their lifetime. With this one being just under 1 meter long, he still had a bit of growing to do!

Throughout the week the students have been doing incredible work in their classes, improving their English language skills and learning all about local Australian animals! From poster making to completing crosswords, there is never a dull moment in their classroom.

On Wednesday the students got to go pontoon boating down the beautiful Maroochy river, learning all about the birds, fish and vegetation or the area. The students saw everything from pelicans and rainbow lorikeets to rays and turtles, even getting to experience the beautiful mangroves on the riverbanks.

The on Thursday the students made the trip to Australia zoo to experience what it's like to be a zookeeper for the day! Throughout the day the students were shown around the zoo and had the opportunity to meet, pat and even feed some of the amazing animals.

After the Africa tour the students made their way to the wildlife hospital where they learnt all about the zoo's conservation and wildlife preservation efforts! The zoo does great work to help protect our native wildlife and increase and preserve the populations of endangered wildlife. The students then got to help feed the cassowary before having some lunch of their own. They finished off the day watching the iconic Wildlife Warrior show which involved the feeding of some of our saltwater crocodiles.

Overall, it has been an absolute thrill to have these students involved in our new TAP Wildlife program. They have learned so much about Australian wildlife and we look forward to what they have in store for the week to come. If you would like to keep up with our TAP activities across all of our campuses, you can find us on Instagram at @lexisjuniors.