With the history of environmental education centres within the New South Wales Department investigated as a Weberian analysis of bureaucratic reasoning, this chapter starts setting the context. It examines the profound impact of colonisation on Australia’s First Nations; people and its environment. It begins with a short history of the unique nature and diversity of Australia and a brief exploration of the history and culture of its First Nations’ People. There is discussion of their deep, enduring connection to the environment, emphasising their land stewardship, and sustainable practices—the harmonious relationship they maintained with the land for millennia. The chapter then shifts to the beginning of Australia’s environmental damage, tracing the destructive consequences of European settlement. With the arrival of colonisers came exploitation of the land, altering ecosystems and initiation of a legacy of environmental degradation. While the gold rush has been noted as a time of immense immigration and development for the Australian colonies, it was also a period of intensified environmental destruction through extensive land clearing, mining, and resource depletion. This chapter provides a critical reflection on the environmental struggles born from colonisation, setting the stage for further discussions on the long-term implications for Australia’s land and people.