Connect with nature at CREEC
Published 5:00am 31 December 2023
Words by Jodie Powell
The Caboolture Region Environmental Education Centre is a haven for native wildlife and the community alike.
Established in 1999, CREEC is home to nature trails, an all-abilities playground, barbecues and a café.
Environmental centre officer Indigo Mackinlay says it’s popular with people of all ages and gives visitors the chance to connect with nature.
“It’s a community place with a focus on environmental education,” Indigo says.
Variety of visitors
“We have lots of playgroups and kindies come to visit and it’s also very popular for birthday parties – people bring along marquees and make a day of it.”
Indigo says that over summer, CREEC has a suite of free activities planned, ranging from craft workshops with a focus on sustainability and exploring the world of macroinvertebrates to guided walks that explore the importance of fallen trees.
Environmental officer Maaike Fluitsma says there’s always something new to see at CREEC.
“We’ve installed motion sensor cameras – we have a lot of wallabies and we recently had the first sighting of an echidna in seven years,” Maaike explains.
“We know they’re there, we just don’t see them.
“And we just did a bird count and we found about 70 different species.”
Wildlife haven
Bandicoots, koalas, ring-tail and brushtail possums, sugar gliders, lace monitors, the Powerful owl and Richmond Birdwing Butterflies also call CREEC home.
“There’s a 1.5km bush walk through open woodlands and we have one of the last pieces of remnant rainforest in the area – there’s even a 300-year-old Moreton Bay Fig,” Indigo says.
“We’re working hard to maintain the remnant rainforest and we have people coming in to maintain the bush and fight invasive species.”
CREEC’s auditorium hosts interactive and educational displays focused on sustainability and environmental awareness, as well as local flora and fauna.
There’s also a nocturnal room and stingless native beehive to explore.
Morayfield & District Lions Club operates the onsite café, which is open Wednesday-Sunday from 9am to noon.
The CREEC grounds are open from 5am-8pm daily, and the centre is open Tuesday-Friday 9am-3pm. It will be closed from December 22-January 2 but the grounds will remain accessible.
Stay up to date with summer activities here.
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