On Tuesday 17 March, PLC Sydney students gathered to release a second batch of turtle hatchlings back into the environment. SEED students and Junior School Captains were thrilled to be part of this important milestone.

PLC Sydney is a proud partner of the One Million Turtles Program, led by Emeritus Professor Ricky Spencer from Western Sydney University. For several years, our students have worked alongside Professor Spencer and his team, and we are proud to be the first school in NSW with a purpose-built turtle hatchery. Supported by our Animals Program Officers, students play an active role in caring for the eggs and monitoring their development.

Each year, clutches of turtle eggs are collected from waterways near Oatlands Golf Course and brought to the College. In our hatchery, the eggs are protected and nurtured until the hatchlings emerge, grow, and develop strong shells, ready for release back into the wild. This process plays a vital role in reducing the risk of fox predation, a significant threat to local turtle populations.

Year 6 students watch Dr Ricky Spencer take DNA samples from the turtle hatchlings.

Before the release, Year 6 students observed Professor Spencer taking DNA swabs from each hatchling. This research is critical to tracking the turtles’ survival. In three years’ time, turtles at the release site will be recaptured and their DNA compared with the samples collected this week, providing valuable insight into their success in the wild.

In a unique full-circle opportunity, these same students may one day analyse the data as part of their senior science studies, connecting their early involvement with real-world conservation research.

While it was tempting to keep the tiny turtles (measuring just 8–9 cm), students understood the importance of returning them to their natural habitat. One by one, the hatchlings were released at the water’s edge. Some hesitated briefly before slipping beneath the surface, while others returned momentarily, as if for a final breath, before disappearing into the dam.

It was a privilege to be part of such a meaningful experience, and a truly memorable morning for all involved.

We are grateful to Professor Spencer and the team at Oatlands Golf Course for their ongoing support and shared commitment to conservation. This important work would not be possible without their partnership, and we look forward to continuing the program in the years ahead.