Creating with Country Stage 3 HPGE workshop

Program overview

Creating with Country is a Stage 3 Creative Arts HPGE program for Aboriginal students, led by Dr Shannon Foster, D’harawal Saltwater Knowledge Keeper, artist and interdisciplinary creative practitioner. Students explore Country as a source of knowledge, story and creative inspiration through walking, observation, storytelling and artmaking.

Working with Dr Foster, students investigate natural materials, colours, textures and forms before developing their own creative response to Country through activities such as watercolour, natural mark-making, stringing, assemblage and sculpture.

The program supports creative thinking, cultural connection and the development of individual artistic practice.

HPGE domains: creative, intellectual.

This program is for Aboriginal identified students
Schools may select up to 8 students per school.

It is the responsibility of the school to organise student drop off to and pick up from the Liverpool Powerhouse.

The classes are led by arts facilitators with the support of Georges River EEC staff who will provide supervision for all students throughout the day. Participating schools are welcome to send a teacher to assist on the day but this is not a requirement, unless students need administration of medication or need specialised support.

Dates

Creating with Country for Stage 3 - Wednesday 25 November 2026

Learning intentions

We are learning to explore Country as a source of knowledge, story and creative inspiration.

We are learning to experiment with materials, marks, colours and forms to develop our own artistic ideas.

We are learning to communicate our connection to Country through creative practice and storytelling.

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Program information

Student activities

Walk Country

Observe, listen and learn through Country with Dr Shannon Foster.

Gather and explore

Investigate appropriate natural materials, textures, colours and forms as inspiration for artmaking.

Stringing and storytelling

Explore connections between making, story, culture and Country.

Create with Country

Experiment with watercolour, mark-making, found materials or sculptural forms to develop an individual creative response.

Discuss creative choices, learning and connections to Country.

Suggested timetable


Time	Activities
10.00am - 10.30am	Arrival and recess in the parklands
10.30am - 11.30am	Connecting with Country
11.30am - 12.30pm	On Country art making
12.30pm - 1.00pm	Lunch
1.00pm - 2.30pm	Art making
2.30pm - 2.45pm	Reflections
2.45pm	Depart

Syllabus outcomes and content

Creative Arts K–6 Syllabus (2024) – Stage 3

Visual Arts

Outcome

CA3-VIS-01 – Makes artworks in intentional ways to represent ideas about their world, and explains ways artists are influenced by contexts and how artworks are interpreted by audiences

Content addressed

Making: Artists represent their world in intentional ways through their artmaking practice

Represent ideas or perspectives of their world and intentions in own artmaking practice
Apply understandings of materials, digital technologies and processes to represent intended ideas in artworks
Explore artistic conventions and ways to represent subject matter and ideas in compositions

Creative Arts K–6 Syllabus (2024)© NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2024

Teacher information


Cost 2026	NSW Department of Education and non-government schools $55 per student. High quality art materials and resources are provided for student use. An Interschool Journal request or sales order will be sent to the student's home school for payment.
Student numbers	Maximum students 8 per school per day. Class capacity 30 students.
TIme	Drop off - Program starts at 10.00am Pick up - Program concludes 2.45pm
Transport	Schools are required to organise transport for students to and from the Liverpool Powerhouse.
Location	The Liverpool Powerhouse Location information
Risk management plan	Risk assessment provided in location tile. Location information
Bring	Sports clothing Art smock Student medication and ASCIA action plans Low waste food and water bottle Weather protection - hats, sunblock or wet weather clothing Insect repellent
Staff and student welfare	For medical or special needs notify staff prior to program.
Extreme or wet weather	Program may be modified, postponed or cancelled due to predicted extreme temperatures, bush fire danger, heavy rainfall, high winds or dust storms. Please view our trigger points for postponement and cancellation.
Trigger points for cancellation	See our bookings page
Cancellation policy	Cancellation or major changes to bookings will incur the following cancellation fees: within 30 days of excursion or incursion date - $55 per student administration fee charged within 7 days of excursion/incursion date - total fee charged based on confirmed student numbers. Weather or fire danger cancellation – $0