How Snowy 2.0 unearthed an ancient mystery

The unit begins with the phenomenon of discovering a coral reef, or the fossil of one, buried in the Snowy Mountains during excavation for Snowy 2.0. Students investigate the properties of different rocks to explore how they hold clues about Earth’s past and reveal how landscapes have changed over millions of years. This exploration shows how much is going on beneath our feet and why large infrastructure projects, like Snowy 2.0, rely on geology and environmental science to understand the ground they are built on. Tracing the evidence of this ancient coral reef highlights how studying rocks can uncover the history of our planet while informing the future of engineering projects.

Key information

Learning area: STEM
Suitable for: year 5-6 classrooms
Topics: geology, engineering
Duration: 60-80 minutes
Preparation: for activity
Materials: Household materials

Resources