Biology Secondary School Program

From classroom to canopy: hands-on field biology experiences 

The Hidden Vale Research Station (HVRS) offers engaging, curriculum-aligned day trips for Senior High School Biology students. During this full-day field program, students investigate how native woodland ecosystems change and recover across different levels of disturbance, and what this can tell us about conserving biodiversity in protected landscapes. Guided by UQ science professionals, students take part in immersive field workshops designed to support Biology Unit 3 and the IA2 assessment. Activities include professional sampling methods, ecological surveying, and data analysis at a working research station located an hour west of Brisbane.

At the conclusion of the program, students will return to the classroom with:

1. An authentic and diverse set of environmental data, from which an equally diverse variety of research questions can be developed, with scope for each student to design a unique investigation
2. A thorough understanding of survey design and how workshop methods directly relate to practicals completed in the classroom
3. A clearly formulated research question grounded in real-world ecological and environmental issues
4. Guidance on statistial analyses and how to interpret results
5. Background and contextual knowledge about HVRS and the study sites to inform discussions and reporting

All necessary permits and equipment are included in your package.