Distance no barrier for reef guardians

23 November 2009
By Rebecca Perry

Great work ... Students from Mansfield State High School with Great Barrier Reef Foundation representative and former newsreader Marie-Louise Thiele. The students recently launched an e-book about the reef.

A group of young Brisbane writers are leading a Great Barrier Reef conservation campaign with a fictional novel they hope will raise environmental awareness.

Sixteen Years 9 and 10 students from Mansfield State High School launched WatchOut!, an e-book about two young people who try to stop environmental damage to the reef, at the recent Brisbane Writers' Festival.

WatchOut! is the result of a four-month collaboration with teachers, writers and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, an independent organisation which links reef science bodies with businesses, government agencies and philanthropic groups.

Mansfield High's community liaison officer Marilyn Farr said the book explored the impact of environmental issues such as climate change and students used creativity to learn about science through information technology, literacy and visual arts.

'They had to do a lot of research and worked before school, after school and during their lunch breaks to get it done,' Ms Farr said.

'The Brisbane Writers' Festival gave them the chance to discuss the process of putting it together.'

Ms Farr said the novel followed the school's success in an earlier Great Barrier Reef Foundation initiative.

'Earlier this year, one of our students won the organisation's competition to develop a slogan and 10 of the top contenders came from our school,' she said.

'The Great Barrier Reef Foundation was so impressed with our students that they asked them to write a story about conserving the reef and give readers an idea of how it might look in the future.'

Ms Farr said Mansfield High became a Reef Guardian School through the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority three years ago.

'The program encourages sustainable living and waterways management, and you don't have to live near the coast to want to protect the reef,' she said.

'Bulimba Creek runs through our school and students are very aware of maintaining healthy water systems.

'I would encourage other schools to become reef guardians because it is important to all of us.'

To read WatchOut!, visit the Great Barrier Reef Foundation website