Dove Lake, Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, TAS © Laura Helle
The Wiggles’ eco-friendly checklist
How do The Wiggles enjoy nature? Let’s find out!
Sharing the country means taking care of the Earth so we can all enjoy it together. Whether you’re getting ready for a bush holiday, planning a picnic at the park, or just having fun in your own backyard, The Wiggles have made a special checklist to help you share the country on your next outdoor adventure!
Take a look around
Before you start exploring a new area, find a comfy spot to sit down and use your senses to discover all of the flora and fauna around you. What plants can you see? What animals can you hear? Can you smell anything interesting?
Try this at home in your backyard or on your balcony before testing your new skills at one of Australia’s amazing national parks where you’ll be able to explore all types of new environments as you bush walk, bike ride and splash your way through nature! Do this every time you travel with your family to a new part of Australia to see what differences you can find.
Simon Wiggle's Fun Fact:
The words flora and fauna are used by scientists to describe the environment. Flora means trees and plant life and fauna means insects and animal life – together they form an ecosystem!
Watch for wildlife
Australia is home to many different types of animals, including mammals, marsupials, reptiles, birds and underwater creatures. Some live in trees, in the ocean and even underground! The really special thing about Australia is that many of our animals can only be found here - how lucky is that?
Some animals can get nervous around people. They may even hide from you the first time they meet you. But that’s okay! There are a lot of ways you can show our animal friends that you care, like planting a tree for a koala or hand feeding some cute critters at a wildlife sanctuary during the school holidays. While it’s really fun to feed animals, remember that human food can make them very sick, so be sure to only feed them the food provided by the sanctuary - and never feed wild animals.
Dorothy The Dinosaur's Animal Advice:
While many Australian animals are friendly (like me!) some like to be left alone. Always ask your parents before going over to say hello!
Be kind to insects
Insects like ants, bees and beetles, may seem small or even scary to you and me, but they play a big part in keeping the Australian environment healthy by pollinating many of our fruits, flowers and vegetables. That’s why it’s always important to watch your step and try not to squish any of our six-legged friends while exploring the great outdoors!
An exciting way to learn more about all of Australia’s animals, both big and small, is to take a bushcraft class or to become a Junior Ranger at a national park near home or on holiday. This way, you can teach your family and friends how to share the country as well!
Lachy Wiggle's Science Lesson:
Have you ever seen the yellow powder inside a flower? That’s pollen! Insects, birds and even wind move pollen from one plant to another so they can make seeds and more plants can grow. This is called pollination!
Get creative with nature
Have you ever drawn a picture in the sand? Or used chalk on the footpath? Aboriginal people have been using nature to draw, paint and tell stories for over 60,000 years! Some of their Creation stories can still be seen inside caves today. If you’re travelling with your family, join an Aboriginal tour to see these artworks and hear the stories. You may also get the chance to get creative with Aboriginal artists on sacred Aboriginal land!
Even when you’re not travelling, you can get creative with nature. Rocks, fallen branches, pinecones and gum leaves are just a few of the natural building blocks you’ll find in the Australian bush. You can move them around to make a masterpiece using the ground as your canvas, or you can even use them to build a cubby house for the day!
Emma Wiggle's Top Tip:
Always get your arts and crafts materials from the ground, never from a living plant. This way you can help Australia’s flora and fauna continue to grow and stay healthy!
Say no to pollution
After you’ve explored the great outdoors at home or on holiday, be sure to pick up any rubbish and food scraps before you leave (even if it was left there by someone else!). We share Australia with thousands of different plants and animals of all shapes and sizes, so we should always try and keep their home as clean as we can.
Some animals, like Australia’s friendly sea turtles, need extra protection. There are lots of places where scientists, veterinarians and volunteers are working hard to help these animals, and you can see what they’re doing (and maybe even help out!) when you’re on holiday. At The Mon Repos Turtle Centre you can see the sea turtles in their natural habitat and learn how to keep them safe for the future.
The best part? There’s a beach next door, so you and your family can go and make a splash with your new underwater friends after your visit!
Anthony Wiggle's Sustainability Suggestion:
We can share the country every single day by doing little things at home and on holiday, like always carrying a refillable water bottle to use less plastic and wearing reef-safe sunscreen to help protect our beautiful sea creatures and the colourful coral in their underwater home!
Holiday The Wiggly Way
Looking for more ways to Holiday The Wiggly Way? Join Emma, Anthony, Simon and Lachy as they journey across Australia in their Big Red Car. There’s even a fun game for you to play!