Small World Journeys

16/06/2026

🌏 Desertification and Drought Day 2026: Rangelands – Recognise. Respect. Restore.

Rangelands cover more than half of our planet's land surface and support billions of people, countless species, and vital ecosystems. Yet many of these landscapes are under threat from degradation, drought, and climate change.

At Small World Journeys, we believe that understanding and protecting landscapes begins with connection. Through our educational programs across Far North Queensland, students learn from Traditional Owners, explore sustainable land management practices, and discover how healthy ecosystems—from tropical savannas and grasslands to rainforests and reefs—are all interconnected.

This year's theme, "Recognise. Respect. Restore.", reminds us to value the knowledge of Indigenous Peoples and pastoral communities who have cared for Country for generations. Their stewardship offers important lessons for creating resilient landscapes and communities into the future.

By inspiring young people to engage with nature, culture, and conservation, we're helping nurture the next generation of environmental stewards—because restoring our planet starts with understanding it.

11/06/2026

Happy World Oceans Day! 🌊💙 We're celebrating the incredible marine environments that inspire everything we do. At Small World Journeys, conservation is built into every journey. Our students contribute to citizen science projects including CoralWatch, Eye on the Reef, and the Great Reef Census, helping to monitor and protect the Great Barrier Reef.

We also give back directly: every group that visits Fitzroy Island contributes to the Fitzroy Island Turtle Rehabilitation Centre, and every group that visits the Great Barrier Reef supports Resilient Reefs, helping fund vital reef conservation initiatives.

By connecting young people with the ocean, we're helping inspire the next generation of reef stewards.

Photo credit: Rob Poole

03/06/2026

Today, Small World Journeys proudly honours our Traditional Owners and the enduring connection Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have to Country.

On Mabo Day, we commemorate the life and legacy of Eddie Koiki Mabo and the landmark 1992 Mabo v Queensland (No 2) High Court decision that overturned the doctrine of terra nullius — the false colonial concept that Australia belonged to no one before British settlement.

This historic ruling recognised that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples held rights to their traditional lands long before colonisation, forever changing Australia's legal and cultural landscape. Eddie Mabo's determination, together with the efforts of his community, led to a victory that paved the way for the Native Title Act 1993 and the recognition of Indigenous land rights across the country.

As an educational tour operator, we are privileged to work alongside Traditional Owners who generously share their knowledge, culture, stories, and stewardship of Country with our students. Today we reflect on the importance of truth-telling, reconciliation, and the ongoing recognition of First Nations peoples as the original custodians of this land.

26/05/2026

Small world is so fortunate to be able to bring students to the Daintree Rainforest Observatory - James Cook University! Important things are happening here...

21/05/2026

We LOVE seeing initiatives like this - Allez la France!

France installs “solar trees” in public spaces, combining clean energy generation with everyday comfort. These structures are designed like modern trees, with wide solar-panel “branches” that create shade while capturing sunlight throughout the day.

People can rest underneath them in parks, plazas, and walkways while the panels quietly produce electricity. Some solar trees also power nearby lighting, charging points, or small public utilities, making the space both functional and environmentally friendly.

More than a visual attraction, these structures show how cities can blend technology with public design. A shaded seating area becomes an energy source at the same time, helping urban spaces feel greener, smarter, and more useful.

11/05/2026

From student… to urban planner! 🌏🏙️ Meet Seb: a student on one of our tours years ago who's now an urban planner in Sydney, helping shape the future of our cities. What makes his story especially meaningful to us is that Seb first travelled with Small World Journeys on his Gilroy Catholic College geography trip… and he never forgot the experience. Inspired by the places, conversations, fieldwork, and real-world learning he encountered on tour, Seb went on to study geography at university before building a career in urban planning.

As educators, there is nothing more rewarding than seeing students discover passions that influence the direction of their lives. We are incredibly touched and proud to know that our programs can help inspire future geographers, planners, scientists, educators, and sustainability leaders.

This is exactly why we do what we do. 💚



www.Becomeaplanner.com.au

08/05/2026

Worth sharing. David loves North Queensland!

Natural history broadcaster Sir David Attenborough turns 100 today. We look back at his work and interviews to capture some of his wisdom and endless sense of wonder.

30/04/2026

Attention Sydney region geography teachers: our Director Laurie is at the GTANSW conference right now - come and say hi!

29/04/2026

Small World Journeys is happy to support the efforts of Cairns and Far North Environment Centre! Our donations have been an essential component to CAFNEC’s growing impact in the past 2 years:
• Their volunteer base has grown from 145 to 373 people (+157%), dramatically increasing our on-ground capacity with minimal additional staffing.
• Community advocacy participation has increased by 39%, alongside a 26% increase in direct action.
• They've expanded their network from 42 to 67 partner organisations (+37%), strengthening regional coordination and reach.
• Their broadcast media and online engagement has surged, with Facebook interactions increasing more than tenfold (+1015%), helping bring regional environmental issues into public conversation. Yay!

The Cairns and Far North Environment Centre (CAFNEC) is the peak regional non-government environmental organisation for Far North Queensland and has advocated for the protection of it’s unique terrestrial and marine nature since 1981.

09/02/2026

We acknowledge the Kuku Yalanji people, the Traditional Owners of the land and sea country of Far North Queensland. Their culture, law, and language are shaped by rainforest, reef, rivers, and mountains, carrying deep ecological knowledge and responsibility to Country. At Small World Journeys, Aboriginal culture is woven into every tour through cultural talks, interpretive walks on Country, or hands-on art projects—inviting genuine listening, learning, and respect for the world’s oldest continuing cultures.