Whale Watching Excursion

Posted on by

Students from Germany, Japan, South Korea, Chile, Mexico, Thailand at the lighthouse. (Thanks to Julika for the photo).

It’s whale watching season here in Byron Bay! We love this time of year. From July till early November Humpback Whales swim past Cape Byron during their northern migration to Queensland. We are so lucky here because Byron Bay is one of the best locations in Australia to see the whales. Great viewing spots are at the lighthouse and Main Beach.

 

At Australia’s most eastern point. This is one of the best places to see whales.

This week our Intermediate class spent a couple of hours watching and counting the whales from the Byron Bay lighthouse. They had a beautiful morning in the winter sunshine and saw quite a lot of whales close to the shore. We love providing our students with the opportunity to study together in the outdoors. It encourages learning in a natural context and helps them understand a little more about the local culture.

It’s not too late to join us here during the whale watching season. If you would like to know more about our courses please contact us at info@bbels.com.au or visit our website.

 

 

Advanced class goes to Nightcap National Park

Posted on by

IMG_4551

It is the beginning of Autumn here in Australia. The days are beautiful and warm, it’s perfect for spending time outside. So, this week our Advanced class traveled to Nightcap National Park to spend a day practising English in these beautiful natural surroundings.

IMG_4550

Nightcap National Park is only 45 minutes from Byron Bay so it is an easy bus ride from school. During the bus trip the students listened to music and spoke in their new favourite language … English!

IMG_4552

We always encourage our classes to spend some time outside with their teacher. It facilitates spontaneous learning and becomes a bonding experience for the students. We are so lucky here at BBELS to have our own bus to drive students to these beautiful locations.

If you would like to be part of these experiences contact us at info@bbels.com.au

Elementary Class Excursion to Lennox Head

Posted on by

Walking in the beautiful summer sunshine at Lennox Head

Yesterday our Elementary class drove 25 minutes to the nearby surfing town of Lennox Head. Not only is Lennox Head listed as one of the world’s top 20 surfing spots, it also has a beautiful lake and a small town filled with cafes and bars. We are so lucky to have a school bus so that we can share these beautiful places with our students.

The class had a great time walking along the headland while learning the vocabulary for all of the trees and animals that they saw. These real-life experiences can be so much more valuable than only learning inside a classroom.

Thanks so much to the Elementary class for providing us with these photos. We hope you continue to enjoy your time here and in all the other places you will visit 🙂

A day trip to Minyon Falls

Posted on by

Some of our Cambridge students at the base of Minyon Falls

It hasn’t rained here for months and months so finally after a few days of wet weather it was the perfect time to take one of our Cambridge classes on a day trip to Minyon Falls.

Walking through the sub-tropical forest on the way to the base of Minyon Falls

Our students always love visiting this waterfall. It is about 45 minutes drive from Byron Bay and for many tourists without a car it is very difficult to access. Our drivers usually stop at different points of interest along the way where students get to see views across Byron Bay and the hinterland.

Climbing over some rocks at the end of the walk

It is a moderately easy walk to the base of the waterfall. The sights, sounds, and fresh air during the walk make it extremely worthwhile. At the end of the walk our teachers usually organise an Australian BBQ lunch for the students. It is always a great day out, and if you study at BBELS you could join us here at Minyon Falls.

 

For more information about our courses and activities visit our website at http://www.bbels.com.au/

 

 

 

An Excursion to Brunswick Heads

Posted on by

Walking along the wall at Brunswick Heads

At BBELS we encourage our students to use their language skills in real contexts. For this reason we have regular excursions to towns and villages near Byron Bay.

Today our Upper-intermediate class visited the beautiful seaside village of Brunswick Heads. It is well-known for its surfing and fishing beaches, excellent cafes, and for its river with dolphins and turtles.

At the end of the wall looking north to the Gold Coast region

 

Our students always love the excursions that we organise. They get to see parts of the Byron Bay region that only locals know about. They also get to speak English in a relaxed environment with their classmates and local people. As you can see from these photos, it is a great way to learn English while sightseeing around Byron Bay.

 

 

 

An Excursion to Minyon Falls

Posted on by

The view towards Minyon Falls

Once a month our teachers take their classes out on an excursion to local forests and towns. Many students don’t get to see these beautiful areas if they don’t have their own cars so it is a great way to broaden the appreciation of where we live.

A 100 metre drop

Minyon Falls is a 45-minute drive from Byron Bay. There is a circular walk that takes you from the top to the bottom. If you are lucky you will see a lot of different wildlife.

A lace-monitor at the BBQ area

One of the common animals at Minyon Falls is the lace-monitor lizard. It is attracted to the smell of meat cooking on the BBQs at the top of the falls.

Some of the students with their teacher at the viewing point

A local restaurant

On the drive home the students stopped at a nearby village where they ate sushi and drank some delicious local coffee.

BBELS is always sure to combine education with activities that link the students with the Byron Bay region. The students love it. We hope to see you here soon 🙂

Outdoor classes at BBELS

Posted on by

IMG_4763

Caroline’s Intermediate Class at Broken Head, South of Byron Bay

It is late Autumn here in Byron Bay but it is still warm enough to go outside wearing t-shirts and shorts. Yesterday afternoon Caroline’s Intermediate class enjoyed the sunshine by travelling 15 minutes south of Byron Bay to the Broken Head Nature Reserve.

IMG_4759

The class walked along the Three Sister’s walking track and learned about the Indigenous history of the area.

IMG_4758

The class was also lucky enough to see an echidna searching for ants to eat alongside the track.

IMG_4768

Autumn really is a beautiful time to visit the local area. The temperature is warm during the day, the beaches and streets are less crowded, and it is easy to sit outside and enjoy the great outdoors in comfort. Students always say they love studying here at this time of year. We hope to see you at BBELS soon!

After exam excursions

Posted on by

20160520_102001

Our Upper-intermediate class at Brunswick Heads 

This week all of our General English students took their monthly exam. Exam weeks are usually filled with lots of revision to reinforce the grammar and vocabulary that has been taught throughout the month.

Students in the Upper-intermediate class were rewarded for their fantastic results by being taken on an excursion to the local sea-side village of Brunswick Heads.

20160520_101935

Brunswick Heads is only 20 minutes north of Byron Bay. It has a beautiful river where you can watch the sunrise and sunset and if you are lucky you can see dolphins and whales there. It’s a great place to surf and go fishing and of course, for our students, the perfect spot to unwind after a week of revision and testing.

A Class at Springbrook National Park

Posted on by

Natural Bridge
Natural Bridge waterfall on the New South Wales-Queensland border.

A drive to the ancient forest at Springbrook National Park was a beautiful way for the Upper-intermediate class to start their week. With music pumping their teacher, Andrew, drove the school van from the blue beaches of Byron Bay to the green and misty mountains of Springbrook.

In the forest our students walked through a primeval forest with some trees said to be  3,000 years old. It is easy to imagine dinosaurs walking through this wilderness!

5

At BBELS we always try to take students outside of the classroom and into these local areas so that they can understand a little bit more about the Australian culture, wildlife and lifestyle. We think that this helps our students adapt to life in Australia and it also builds friendships between students in the class. Every trip also includes lessons introducing students to vocabulary and grammar that can be used while out in the field.

Thanks to our student Morgane for these photos.

A trip to Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary

Posted on by

20151026_101241

This week one of our Intermediate classes enjoyed a day at the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. This is always a great experience for our students and so our teachers take their classes there quite regularly.

At the sanctuary students are given a private 1 hour education session where park rangers talk about Australia’s reptiles, birds, mammals and marsupials. If the students are lucky they will get to touch a variety of animals including possums, gliders, and pythons.

Our teachers act as guides for the day explaining the lives and habits of the animals in the park. It is a fantastic way to see Australian animals in a relaxed park setting, and of course it is also helps improve our students’ English.

IMG-20151026-WA0013

Our visit to Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is just one of many places that we take our students to. During their time here at BBELS students also have excursions to local waterfalls, forests, hinterland villages and beach-side towns. This helps our students understand more about the local area and maintains their motivation levels over the many weeks and months they study here.