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 🐸

Cool Changes - Connect through the Winter!

 

AAEE ACT event with FROGWATCH 🐸
Frogs for the Future: Engaging Students in Citizen Science

WHEN: Thursday, August 14th 4:00–5:30 PM
WHERE: 21 Bingle Street  Flynn
HOSTED BY: AAEE ACT for National Science Week

Join Anke Maria, the passionate educator behind Frogwatch, for an inspiring afternoon exploring how frogs can spark curiosity, care for the environment, and classroom engagement! Discover fun, curriculum-linked activities citizen science opportunities, and how to bring Frogwatch into your school through programs like Tadpole Kits and FrogTalk.

Perfect for primary and secondary teachers, environmental educators, and anyone keen to connect students with nature through science.

Thanks to grant funding from AAEE national for supporting the catering of afternoon tea - courtesy of Indigenous catering company Ribanas. 

🧪🐸 Places limited — don’t miss this engaging Science Week celebration!

LEARN MORE
BOOK HERE

Get your Biennial (online!) Conference tickets!

 Australian Association for Environmental Education

                              National Conference!!!

We are very excited to invite you to SAVE THE DATES for our national BIENNIAL CONFERENCE - which for the first time ever, will be held virtually over three days, on consecutive weeks in August: TUESDAY 5 AUGUST WEDNESDAY 13 AUGUST THURSDAY 21 AUGUST We will be gathering on each of those days, online via Zoom, from 11am-5pm AEST to connect, share our good work, and get inspired. We have some creative and collaborative plans afoot - and will be sharing more information and a call for presentation EOIs very soon.   Please join us to help us STRENGTHEN...COLLABORATE... and ADVOCATE for Environmental Education!   Contact us via president@aaee.org.au for more information or to get involved.

May 2025 Newsletter - Don't miss 'Country as Teacher' Learning Circle

Welcome to Autumn 2025 with so many environmental

events to celebrate.

Dear Environmental Educators

Welcome to the May edition of the Australian Association for Environmental Education ACT branch newsletter

As Term 2 begins and Canberra wraps us in cool nights and vibrant autumn colours, it's a perfect time to reconnect with nature and reflect on the links between our environment and key global events including 

• Compost week (5011 May)
• World Bee Day (20th May)
• International Day for Biological Diversity (22 May) 

We encourage you to engage in these events- both locally and globally - to inspire meaningful learning experiences and deepen our collective connection with the natural world. 

May Learning Circle (online) 

13th May 2025 5-6.30pm AEST/3-4.30pm AWST 

Reinvigorating Country as Teacher in Outdoor and Environmental Education 

Join Monty Nixon, PhD student at the University of Canberra and member of the AAEE ACT Chapter Executive Committee. 

More details here. 

‘All we are is a story, and a good story is one of obligation and connection’ – Damu Paul Gordon.

For over 60,000 years, Indigenous people in Australia lived a good story, one bound in relational reciprocity. At the heart of this story, for many Indigenous cultures across Australia, was the knowledge that Country is and always was the central knowledge holder. Subsequently Australia’s first Outdoor and Environmental Education was primarily about young people sharing direct experiences with, and learning from Country and Earth-Kin, largely facilitated by their grandparents and grounded in cross-kinship systems. In this workshop participants will be invited to reflect on the current socio-ecological narrative and how education might open-up new possibilities by taking lead from from Australia’s first environmental educators. To this end, this workshop introduces Country as Teacher, as a pedagogy for Country-and-student led-inquiry, a teaching and learning approach that maintained socio-ecological well-being for millennia. We will explore the foundational understanding of a modern approach to Country as Teacher, based on Senior Custodian for Karulkiyalu Country Damu Paul Gordon’s re-interpretation of this old way of teaching and learning, the 6Ls. As Milroy and Milroy (2010) write the birthright of all children to connect with and learn from Country, coming to know, love, and understand how to care for her through relational reciprocity. Subsequently, this workshop invites participants to consider the pedagogic opportunities to honour this old way of teaching and learning and, in doing so, to help us all live our birthright, a good story of connection and obligation.

Please join Monty Nixon to hear more about this project.

AAEE ACT 2024 Award celebration andAGM

Karon Campbell 2024 AAEE ACT and Julie Armstrong AAEE ACT President