On our Toitū Science trip, we got some hands-on experience with science in our local environment. We took measurements of water quality parameters and looked for indicator species in fresh and saltwater bodies. This connects back to our learning in class about Light, the Spheres of the Earth, in particular the water cycle, and Communities and Habitats. We also visited the Toitū Otago Settlers Museum, where we learned about the historical significance of the Toitū stream to the local people.
Our walking route followed the now-buried Toitū stream that originates as a spring from the hills around the Town Belt and flows down Serpentine Avenue, across to Wickliffe Square, and out to sea at Fryatt Street. Historically, the Toitū stream was a crucial freshwater source for Māori, and it served as a key landmark for the first European settlers in Otepoti. By 1858, as early settlers reclaimed land around the original harbour shoreline to build Dunedin, the stream was channelled underground. The Toitū still runs in underground pipes beneath the city.