An Australia-First: School Students Hatch and Release Turtles in Conservation Breakthrough
On March 25, 2025, in what may be a world-first event,
students from Presbyterian Ladies College (PLC Sydney) in Sydney will release eastern
long-necked turtles (Chelodina longicollis) into the wild—turtles they
successfully incubated themselves.
For these students, this is more than just a science
project—it has been a transformational experience. Several described the moment
the turtles hatched as “the best day of their lives.”
Over the past three months, they have watched, waited, and
cared for turtle eggs, taking on a responsibility few students ever experience.
And the impact is profound—not just for the turtles but for the students
themselves.
This is education at its most powerful—real-world, hands-on
learning that builds future conservation leaders.
A Conservation Breakthrough in Schools
The journey to this moment began in November 2024, when PLC Sydney, Western Sydney University Scientists and members of Oatlands Golf Course came together to monitor
nesting turtles. Two clutches of eggs were safely relocated to PLC Sydney’s dedicated
turtle incubation room, where students became caretakers of an entire
generation of turtles.
This facility, created four years ago, was designed to bring
schools into the heart of conservation—not just as observers, but as active
participants. With a 100% successful hatch rate, PLC Sydney has proven that schools
can play a direct role in saving Australia’s freshwater turtles.
This is not just a one-off project. It is the foundation of a new way of teaching, learning, and leading conservation action.
Education Beyond the Classroom: Raising Future Conservation Leaders
Conservation programs in schools do more than just teach
students about environmental issues—they empower them to be part of the
solution.
Students participating in Turtles in Schools gain
more than scientific knowledge; they develop critical skills that shape them as
future leaders, including:
- Responsibility
& Stewardship – Caring for live turtle eggs fosters a deep sense
of responsibility. Students see first-hand how their actions directly
impact the survival of these animals.
- Resilience
& Patience – Unlike quick classroom experiments, incubating turtle
eggs takes months. Students learn to wait, adapt, and
problem-solve—essential skills in both science and life.
- Collaboration
& Teamwork – The program unites students, teachers, and local
communities in a real-world conservation effort.
- Inspiration
& Career Pathways – Many students finish the program inspired to
pursue careers in science, conservation, or environmental policy. They see
that young people can make a real impact.
- Leadership
& Community Impact – Students who participate in Turtles in
Schools become conservation leaders not only within their school
community but beyond. Schools that adopt the program gain recognition as
champions of sustainability and environmental responsibility.
What if every school in Australia provided students with
this kind of experience?
With more than 6,000 primary schools across the country, Turtles
in Schools has the potential to shape an entire generation of
conservation-conscious citizens and future leaders.
From Schools to Wetlands: A Nationwide Movement
We have created a system where small rooms with a standard
air conditioner can be a leading conservation tool for saving our freshwater
turtles. All with not much more than 10min husbandry every few days. However, not
every school has the resources to incubate turtle eggs, but Turtles in
Schools ensures that every school can participate in conservation and
become stakeholders of their local wetlands.
- Primary
and High school students can engage in wetland-based learning,
conducting water quality tests, innovative eDNA sampling, and habitat
monitoring. Students and teachers will be contributing to real
scientific research.
- Schools
with greater capacity can become hatchling hubs, raising turtles and
eventually sharing them with other participating schools to raise and
release at the end of the year.
Our Primary School lesson plans have been co-designed with
teachers and allow teachers to access STEM content in an easy way to improve
scientific literacy and numeracy.
Being known as a Turtles in Schools school will have
meaning—signifying a commitment to conservation, education, and sustainability.
These schools will be recognized as leaders in environmental stewardship,
inspiring other institutions to follow suit.
📌 Teacher resources
& curriculum guides: 1 Million Turtles Teacher
Resources
Golf Courses as Conservation Champions
Oatlands Golf Course has played a critical role in this
initiative, demonstrating that urban golf courses can be conservation hotspots.
Through the 1 Million Turtles program, club members have become citizen scientists, logging turtle sightings and nesting activity in TurtleSAT. Their efforts help map and protect turtle populations, proving that conservation doesn’t just belong in national parks—it can happen anywhere.
March 25: A Day That Unites Science, Schools, and the
Community
The March 25 release is not just a school event—it is a
symbol of what happens when education meets action.
This moment brings together:
- Students
& Teachers – The next generation of conservationists, learning by
doing.
- Golf
Course Members – Everyday people turning their love of golf into a
force for conservation.
- Scientists
& Citizen Scientists – Community-led science providing real-world
conservation data.
This is what real conservation looks like.
With each school, each wetland, and each citizen scientist
who joins this movement, we build a future where Australian turtles have a
fighting chance.
Get Involved Today!
💡 Teachers &
Schools: Start your own turtle conservation project! 🔗
Get free classroom
resources
📍 Golf Courses &
Citizen Scientists: Help protect local turtles! 🔗
Log your sightings in TurtleSAT
🌍 Follow the March 25 release updates → 1MillionTurtles.com
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