EcoSkills

Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from EcoSkills, Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), 52 Westernport Highway, Somerville.

19/05/2026

A great opportunity is available through NextGen Jobs with Frankston City Council for people interested in starting a career in conservation and ecosystem management. Participants will gain hands-on industry experience working within the environmental sector while completing nationally recognised training with Ecoskills Training. This pathway combines real-world practical skills, field-based learning, and industry knowledge to help build meaningful careers in ecological restoration and conservation land management. Apply through NextGen Jobs https://nextgen.workforceone.com.au/job-board/ #/jobs/314

02/05/2026

Yesterday was one of those days that reminds you why this industry is so rewarding 🌿

We had an incredible session for our Fauna ID & Biodiversity Monitoring unit, with Western Port Biosphere joining us to share their knowledge and on-ground experience.

Lucy delivered a fantastic, hands-on presentation exploring the Biosphere, Blue Carbon, and the role ecosystems like mangroves play in carbon storage and climate resilience. We also unpacked what real restoration looks like — including how mangrove systems can be supported and restored over time.

Then we took it straight into the field…

With Kelly’s guidance, students set up bioacoustic monitoring devices. We then deployed remote camera traps, building real skills in how we monitor fauna presence, activity, and biodiversity on-site. This is exactly the kind of practical, industry-based experience that brings the theory to life.

From understanding big-picture ecosystem processes to physically setting up monitoring equipment — this is what applied conservation training looks like.

🌱 Real skills
🌱 Real sites
🌱 Real industry knowledge

And a pretty great day out in the field. ecologicalrestoration

27/04/2026

Last week we kicked off Term 2, welcoming some wonderful new students into the course 🌱

We also spent time at the Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne, where Rory shared insights into the biodiversity monitoring programs they run — an incredible contribution to ecological restoration knowledge.

We then put it into practice with a hands-on Bioblitz 🔍🌿

20/03/2026

🌿 Field trips this week and last week — this is what Cert III looks like in action.

We’ve been out on the ground, building real skills across some incredible sites 👇

At Woolleys Beach foreshore, students set up a monitoring plot and carried out a species presence and abundance survey — establishing a baseline before the removal of Kunzea.
We’ll be heading back over the year to track how the system responds. Measuring impact.

We also got hands-on with woody w**d control, targeting Pittosporum undulatum — applying the right techniques in the field and understanding why and when to use them within a broader restoration approach.

At the Cranbourne Royal Botanic Gardens, we explored part of 330ha bushland reserve — unpacking the complexity of managing large conservation sites. Fire, w**ds, access, biodiversity — the real challenges behind the scenes. Thanks Rangers Dave & Ollie.

And today we spent the day with local legend Hansi from Citizen Science Crew at Daangean — learning about the incredible work happening to discover, monitor and protect a huge array of threatened species.

Truly impressive work — and a powerful reminder of what consistent, on-ground community effort can achieve.

This is what Ecoskills is about:
🌱 Learning in real environments
🌱 Building observation and monitoring skills
🌱 Applying practical restoration techniques
🌱 Connecting with people leading the work

Not just training — stepping into the industry.

16/03/2026

Turn Your Garden into a Wildlife Haven!🐦🦋🌿

Imagine stepping outside to the flutter of butterflies and the song of native birds and knowing your garden made it possible.

Join our Habitat Gardening for Birds & Butterflies workshop this Saturday 23rd March OR 30th May 2026 and learn how to:

✅ Attract local birds & butterflies year-round

✅ Create a beautiful, low-maintenance native garden

✅ Fill the vital habitat gap in your neighbourhood

📍 Limited to just 16 spots per session - book now before they fly away!

📅 9 & 13 September 2025 | Somerville, VIC

12/02/2026

🌿 Ecoskills 2026 is officially underway! ☀️

Summer sunshine, new faces, and conservation skills in action — we couldn’t ask for a better start to the year.

Our Certificate III in Conservation & Ecosystem Management students have jumped straight into:
🌱 Conduct an Ecological & Cultural Site Assessment
🌱 Native Plant Propagation

We also had a few students join the Propagation unit as a stand-alone short course last week to expand their skills — it’s been fantastic seeing people deepen their knowledge in growing indigenous plants for restoration.

Yesterday we welcomed our Certificate II CEM Indigenous student cohort, and tomorrow we begin with students at Koo Wee Rup Secondary College — supporting the next generation of conservation practitioners.

And next week, we kick off another exciting project for First Nations young people.

It’s been such a joy meeting all our wonderful students already. 2026 is shaping up to be a powerful year of learning, connection to Country, and real on-ground restoration skills🌱

OnCountryLearning EcologicalRestoration

13/01/2026

This is what conservation training should look like.

Field trips aren’t an add-on — they’re a core part of how we teach.

Our students learn on active ecological restoration sites, developing practical field skills employers actually value, while connecting with people working across the conservation sector.

🌿 Around 50% of learning happens in the field.
Real sites. Real tools. Real decision-making.

Hands-on. Real sites. Real outcomes.

This is how confident, job-ready conservation practitioners are built.
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09/01/2026

If you’re serious about working in conservation, what you actually learn matters 🌿

Our Certificate III in Conservation & Ecosystem Management (Ecological Restoration) is built around the practical field skills needed to restore ecosystems — not just manage vegetation.

You’ll learn how to read landscapes, understand soils, produce maps for restoration planning, apply best-practice w**d control techniques, safely use herbicides and machinery, and make informed decisions about assisted regeneration and ecosystem reconstruction — including when to plant and when not to. And much more🌱

This course is delivered by people who actively work in ecological restoration, and is aligned with the National Standards for Ecological Restoration in Australia, so the skills you develop reflect real industry expectations.

Whether you’re starting out, changing careers, or already hold a degree and want stronger field skills, this qualification provides a solid, practical foundation.

📅 Commencing February 2026
📍 Somerville, Mornington Peninsula
🌱 Full-time, part-time & traineeship options available

Enrolments are now open — get in touch to find out if this course is the right fit for you.

08/01/2026

🌿 Nature = natural medicine! 🌞
Science shows that spending more time outdoors can:

• Reduce stress and anxiety
• Boost mood & mental well-being
• Improve focus & brain function
• Strengthen your immune system
• Help you sleep better 😴
• Encourage more movement and energy

Even 120 minutes a week in green spaces is linked to better overall health — and benefits can start in as little as 10–20 minutes a day! 🌳✨
Take a walk, sit under a tree, explore a park — your body and mind will thank you. 💚

(Based on research showing benefits of nature exposure for physical and mental health.)

30/12/2025

Ecoskills Training | 2025 Year in Review
As we wrap up 2025, we’re taking a moment to reflect on a year full of meaningful learning, strong partnerships, and real on-ground outcomes.

This year we delivered 12 AusChem courses and refreshers, all fully contextualised to conservation and ecological restoration — because safe, considered chemical use is critical to protecting ecosystems.

We celebrated 8 Certificate III graduates, supported 6 trainees through their first year, and continued to strengthen practical pathways into conservation careers.

We ran a Certificate II in Conservation & Ecosystem Mgt with KooWeeRup Secondary College, which will return again in 2026. We also delivered a trial Certificate II program for Indigenous high school students in partnership with Bunurong Land Council — a program that will launch with a full intake in 2026.

We also worked with students from Westernport Secondary College on nature-based learning, supporting them to better understand their local environment while actively restoring their school bushblock — building observation skills, ecological understanding, and a strong connection to place.

Across 2025, more than 70 people participated in Ecoskills workshops covering Indigenous Gardening, Plant Propagation, Native Grasses, Seed Collection, and Habitat Gardening for Birds and Butterflies. These workshops focused on practical skills people can use immediately — whether restoring bushland, creating habitat at home, or deepening their understanding of local ecosystems.

Beyond workshops, we delivered four Landcare workshops for the Mornington Peninsula Landcare Network, presented at an Australian Association of Bush Regenerators event at Point Nepean, and shared knowledge on w**d ecology through forums hosted by Western Port Biosphere Foundation.

Every course, workshop, and partnership in 2025 shared the same goal:
better skills → better decisions → healthier ecosystems.

Thank you to our students, schools, community groups, and industry partners for being part of the journey this year.
We’re proud of what we’ve built together — and excited for what’s ahead in 2026 🌿

Address

52 Westernport Highway
Somerville, VIC
3912

Telephone

+61436969883

Website

http://www.ecoskills.com.au/

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