Country as Teacher Workshop 2026 with Monty Nixon - register your interest today

 

Booking link coming soon - Please register your early interest to this popular and insightful workshop by sending a brief email to aaeeact@gmail.com

When: Term 2, date TBA, 4:00 – 6:30pm

Where: The Crosbie Morrison Room TBC, Australian National Botanical Gardens

Who: The session will be co-run by University of Canberra PhD student Monty Nixon.

 

Event Information:

For many Indigenous people of Australia, indeed across the globe, Country is and has always been the central knowledge-holder.

For Millennia, direct learning with Country taught people how to live in relational reciprocity, seeding social and ecological harmony and balance. 

This workshop invites you to consider the pedagogic opportunities of reinvigorating a way of knowing, being and doing in the teaching and learning of Environmental Education that honours this old wisdom.

April 2026 Newsletter

 

How beautiful is Canberra and the region right now?  

Yuma dear Environmental Educators in the Canberra Region 

Welcome to the April 2026 edition of the Australian Association for Environmental Education ACT branch newsletter. To bilby hop right into it click the image below or here.

ACT AAEE is moving to Canva and mailchimp emails for most of our member and network updates this year.

Linger-longer type posts, written by members and our amazing local EE providers, will still be posted on this blogspot.

To get ACT-specific updates by email, email us to say hi at aaeeact@gmail.com. It's free to join the local subscription email list. 

To also get all the national and international EE news and event alerts straight to your inbox, plus a stack of member-only discount perks, join as a member of AAEE here.

Enjoy! 

EVENTS Calendar April and May 2026 April  Tyronne Bell Cultural Walk Black Mountain -  Saturday 11 April 2026 1pm-3pm ACT Heritage Festival -11 April to 10 May 2026 AAEE Learning Circle: Story Ways. Environmental Storytelling for Educators - Thursday 16 April 2026, 4.30pm-5.30pm  Earth Day - 22 April 2026 Critical Forest Studies AJEE special issue launch (register free here) - 22 April 2026, 11.30am-1pm (read free special issue here) The Ripple Effect: Water for Life - climate actions for Schools Don’t miss this free, TQI‑accredited 2‑hour professional learning workshop designed for all ACT educators and offered by the ACT Sustainable Schools Program team! Thursday 30 April 2026, 4.15 pm-6pm More dates can be viewed in the AAEE ACT canva newsletter link here. Have an environmental education event you would like us to promote? Let us know at aaeeact@gmail.com May On the Edge - On the Edge premiere screening at the National Film and Sound Archive book here https://events.humanitix.com/on-the-edge-film-screening, trailer here On the Edge - Trailer. Find out more about the Western Edge campaign here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yfu7mFaI50 Tuesday 12 May 2026 Country as Teacher - AAEE, the Australian National Botanic Gardens and University of Canberra scholar Monty Nixon are co-running the popular Country as Teacher workshop again in term 2, with a date TBA. Register your interest at aaeeact@gmail.com, to receive a priority booking link, and read more here: https://enviroedact.blogspot.com/2026/04/country-as-teacher-workshop-2026-with.html.  Date TBA, 4pm-6pm Click here to see the latest articles at the Australian Journal Environmental Education - AJEE The AJEE's March 2026 special issue / collection, 'Beyond the Metacrisis: Educating for the Future World To come ' has its own playlist on youtube!  Don't miss this - Critical Forest Studies - AJEEs next special issue launch (register free here) - Wednesday 22 April 2026, 11.30am-1pm (read free special issue here, a playlist will be available following the event) JOIN or RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP HERE . Contact the national team at admin@aaee.org.au We're looking forward to meeting new and familiar faces at these events and others we offer throughout the year. Reach the ACT team at aaeeact @gmail.com and check for monthly and other updates at the ACT AAEE blogspot    Kind regards Gabby, Karl-Erik, Glenys, Viv, Jodie and Donella   On behalf of the AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION - ACT Chapter  Working Towards Sustainability | Sharing learning | Working for change | Developing professionally Acknowledgement of Country We would like to acknowledge this ancient Country, with powerful mountains and waterways integral to the life and spirit of Canberra. We acknowledge the Ngunnawal people as traditional custodians of this landscape and recognise any other peoples and families with connection to these lands and region. We acknowledge the Indigenous knowledge holders both past and present whose ongoing guidance helps ensure healthy relationships between Country and humans; may we, as Environmental Educators’, learn from them to help us deepen our connection with Country. Copyright © 2026 Australian Association of Environmental Education ACT Branch, All rights reserved. Want to change how you receive ACT AAEE emails? Let us know at aaeeact@gmail.com

Just in! More events! 

• 11th April: Branching Out Walk: Nature journalling and guided walk
• 18th April: Branching Out Walk: The plants and animals of Stromlo Woodland

March 2026 Newsletter - Don't miss out on a big 20 % World Environmental Education Congress member discount!

 

Welcome to Autumn 2026 

Dear Environmental Educators

Welcome to the March 2026 edition of the Australian Association for Environmental Education ACT branch newsletter. 

Coming up in Autumn: 

• AJEE Special Issue online launch event - Beyond the Metacrisis: Educating for the World to Come, Monday 23 March 2026, Online 12 - 1.30pm (AEDT).  The event is hosted by AJEE and the Special Issue Guest Editors Ruth Irwin (Independent Academic) and Sandra Wooltorton (The University of Notre Dame AU). Identifying the interconnected problems means we can do something about it. (Register here)

• Black Mountain Tour for environmental educators, with Tyronne Bell and AAEE - 11 April 1-3pm (tickets and details here $50 pp, or members $25, ie 50% discount for members - renew or join here). There are so many wonderful educators providing glorious educational and relaxing walks and talks in Canberra - looking at you Wildbark! - there is truly something for all ages and interests, check some out this Autumn!

• AAEE Learning Circle: Story Ways. Environmental Storytelling for Educators, Thu, 16 Apr, 4:30pm - 5:30pm AEST (Register here - free for members). In this special Learning Circle join storyteller Anna Jarrett for an exploration of environmental storytelling as a powerful teaching tool and a way to connect people and nature. ‘Story Ways’ is a toolkit that introduces the foundations of working with oral storytelling.

• ACT Early Childhood Climate Strategy workshop (date TBA, presented by Gabby Millgate - Nature Pedagogy Leader Woden Valley Early Learning Centre, President, AAEE ACT

• Input an environmental education perspective into ACT's new Nature Conservation Strategy https://yoursayconversations.act.gov.au/nature-conservation-strategy-2025 (Consultation closes 27 March)

• Get your tickets to the World Environmental Education Congress in Perth in September 2026  - at a 20% discount for members, renew or join here)

Green Dates courtesy of Sustainable Schools Program

• World Frog Day – 20 March 2026
• National Ride2School Day – 20 March 2026
• World Water Day – 22 March 2026
• National Eucalypt Day – 23 March 2026
• World Meteorological Day – 23 March 2026
• Earth Hour – 28 March 2026
• International Day of Zero Waste – 30 March 2026
• ACT Heritage Festival -11 April to 10 May 2026
• Earth Day - 22 April 2026

Join AAEE VOW Coordinator Sarah-Jo Lobwein for an inspiring session diving into the heart of Ocean Literacy: what it is, why it matters and how we can bring it to life in our classrooms and communities.

Focusing on Ocean Literacy Principle 4: “The Ocean Makes Earth Habitable,” Sarah-Jo will unpack how the ocean sustains life on our planet to help you start planning for SeaWeek 2026.

Whether you’re an educator, communicator, or ocean enthusiast, this session will leave you with practical ideas and renewed appreciation for the ocean’s vital role in our world.

Congratulations Monty Nixon!

 

A leading national environmental education award has been won by Canberra PhD student Monty Nixon, recognised at the 2025 AAEE National Award for Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI).

The honour follows Monty's recent ACT-level award from the Australian Association for Environmental Education for Emerging Environmental Educator 2025, acknowledging his Canberra Based research exploring how indigenous ways of being, knowing and doing can strengthen Australia's education systems.

AAEE ACT ACT President (elect, 2026) Gabby Millgate said the recognition reflects the national importance of Monty's work.

"AAEE sees this work as vital as Monty's work means students build ecological literacy and ways of caring for Country. This is how we develop climate resilience in our children."

Monty is a PhD student at the university of Canberra, where his research supports students to build meaningful relationships with the places they live- a foundation for strong Country-centered learning and climate ready communities.

Thank you National Arboretum! Thank you Julie Armstrong and Karon Campbell!

 

Dear Environmental Educators

We had such a wonderful evening at the National Arboretum, playing the intriguing Biodiversity game. We're so grateful for Heather at the National Arboretum for hosting us for our AGM.  

We are very pleased to announce our new committee for 2026 with Gabby Millgate becoming our new President! Gabby is a passionate advocate for the Rights of children to nature, and is the Nature Pedagogy leader at Woden Valley Early Learning Centre, the first role of its kind in the ACT.

A very big thank you to the committee members who have stepped forward to work together to celebrate and amplify environmental education in all its many forms and practices, and to support environmental educators across sectors by building networks, resources, and skills. 

And huge thank you to retiring committee members - Julie Armstrong as an extraordinary president, and Karon Campbell as champion OCM.

President- Gabby Millgate
Vice President- Glenys Patulny
Secretary- Karl-Erik Paasonen
Treasurer- Jodie Green
Extra ordinary members- Viv Pearce, Donella Johnston

2026 EVENTS

2nd February-World Wetlands Day
11th February- International Day for Women and Girls in Science
28th February- 8th March  Sea Week
1st March - Clean Up Australia Day
14-Mar - International Day of Action for Rivers
20 to 26 March- Harmony Week
20 March- National Ride2School Day
22-March- World Water Day
23-Mar-World Meteorological Day
27th March- Earth Hour Schools Day
30-Mar- Zero Waste Day

Congratulations Anke Maria Hoffman! 2025 Recipient of ACT Environmental Educator of the Year Award

 

L-R Anke Maria Hoffman and Julie Armstrong

Anke Maria Hoefer has been training volunteers to monitor frog calls since 2011.

A passionate advocate for citizen science, environmental education, and frogs, she single handedly coordinates the ACT FrogWatch Program.

Anke co-invented the world’s first mobile-based frog survey device—the FrogPhone.

Her dedication to hands-on learning inspires countless volunteers and students.

Her annual Project Metamorph fosters environmental stewardship and affectionately earned her the title “Crazy Frog Lady.”

Anke’s work exemplifies innovative, grassroots conservation and has significantly advanced knowledge of local frog populations and the habitats they depend on.  

Thank you, and congratulations Anke Maria 🐸