Wild Sketches Begin the Creek Connections Series at Sandy Creek
Children Observe, Draw and Explore on Larrakia Country
The first of the Creek Connections workshops brought a group of curious young explorers to Sandy Creek on Larrakia Country. Guided by Larrakia artist Mikayla Lee and environmental scientist Emma Lupin, the children followed the creek walk with sketch paper in hand, looking closely, listening deeply, and letting their drawings take shape along the way.
The walk followed a route that moved through several distinct types of habitats in a short distance—from dry savannah through stilt mangroves, saltwater creeks and dense vine thicket, out to the sand dunes and sparkling ocean. In environmental science, this kind of path is called a transect. For the children drawing along the way, it also became a creative journey—offering something new to notice and respond to at every step.
No One Way to Be Involved—and That’s the Point!
There was no single way to take part. Some kids sketched in bold colour, others captured fine lines and textures. Some were quiet and focused, others full of questions and conversation. Whether it was the pattern of the bark, the feel of the fern leaf, or the way a pandanus seedpod smelled—each child noticed something different, and that was the magic.
Mikayla showed how natural textures and colours influence her art while Emma explained how plants regenerate and spread—linking what the children noticed to how nature quietly renews itself.
A Still Scene Suddenly Comes to Life
A standout moment occurred on the mangrove boardwalk where the group spotted a snake coiled lifelessly around a mangrove root. Believed to be dead, the group began sketching it as it lay. On the return walk, the same snake was now in motion—realising it was alive—the group paused again to sketch the change of scene.
First Steps in a Shared Story
Each child took part in their own way—drawing, walking, asking questions, and sharing their own stories! The workshop was equal parts observation and imagination, science and storytelling. Most of all, it was about finding your own way to care and connect.
This was the first in a series that brings children and communities together to notice, draw, and grow new understandings—of place, of nature, and of each other.
Check out the remaining Creek Connections workshops happening across our urban creeks—each one a new way to explore, connect, and care together.