Wyndham City offers several environmental programs and initiatives to help grow our future environmental leaders and connect students to the natural world around them.
With a diverse range of resources and programs to support local students of all ages, we aim to empower students to take action and offer support through practical learning.
Green Explorers
Calling all young adventurers!
Join the Green Explorers while they explore Wyndham and learn about the native flora and fauna, test your recycling knowledge and discover fun things to do at home to help reduce your impact on the natural environment.
Best suited to ages 4-8
Green Explorers Activity Book – Answers
Wyndham Teachers Environment Network (TEN)
Teachers across Wyndham get together once a term to share knowledge, experiences and skills in regard to environmental education and projects happening in schools. At each quarterly meeting, teachers will be presented with information about environmental resources, programs and grants.
Wyndham City supports teachers in delivering an integrated and locally relevant sustainability curriculum. This network provides an opportunity for teachers working in Wyndham to share their schools’ environmental achievements, discuss the challenges in providing environmental education and connect to local environment.
Register to be on the mailing list and be kept up to date with programs and events relevant to the Teachers Environment Network.
Contact Wyndham City’s Waste Education Officer on 1300 023 411 or email wastewise@wyndham.vic.gov.au to sign up.
Waste and Litter
With increased pressure on our natural resources, litter in our oceans and pressures from Climate Change, it’s essential that we reduce the amount of waste and litter we produce. Moving towards a circular economy, Council is looking to support schools and students to learn how to reduce, reuse, recycle and compost waste, rather than sending it to landfill.
To enquire about waste education incursions or activities and move your school towards zero waste, please contact Wyndham City’s Waste & Litter Education Officers on 1300 023 411 or email wastewise@wyndham.vic.gov.au.
Incursions
Free 30-45 minute incursions are available to Wyndham schools and community groups on the following topics:
Waste and Recycling
Students will learn how to manage general rubbish bins, how to recycle right, and discover what happens to their waste once it is collected from the kerbside. We’ll also cover why it is important to recycle and learn about the 3 R’s - reduce, reuse, and recycle.
Organics: Food Waste to Compost & Worms farms
Food Waste to Compost & Worm Farms - Students will learn the negative impacts of landfilling organics and ways to minimise food waste. They’ll also learn the difference between worm farming and composting and how they transform food waste into a valuable resource to use in the garden.
Wyndham Waste services (Adult Community Groups only)
We discuss what can go in your kerbside bins - general waste, recycling and green waste. We look at what happen to your waste once it is collected and how to dispose of items that cannot go into your bins. We will also go through our waste services available to Wyndham residents.
*Please note: We are not taking bookings for Kindergartens or Childcare centres. The Waste Education Team is making some exciting changes to focus on increasing our reach to the fast-growing number of kindergartens and childcare centres in Wyndham, while still providing quality waste education to the wider community. To achieve this, we are currently developing a new teaching tool featuring engaging videos and follow-up activities for teachers to implement in their classrooms, replacing in-person incursions.
Waste Audits
Council staff will assist students to undertake a waste audit to assess one days’ worth of waste from your school and train students to conduct follow up audits.
Council staff can also help you plan waste reduction and/or prevention activities with your students.
Litter education/Clean Up Days
Litter
Litter education are run by both Council and the Werribee River Association. They cover what is litter and where it ends up. Students will discuss the origins of litter and its effects on our local and natural environment. They will make connections between reduced litter and healthier waterways and oceans. Students will then assess their school grounds, identifying problem litter hotspots and brainstorming actions to reduce the problem.
To enquire, please email wastewise@wyndham.vic.gov.au
Clean up event
Council supports Wyndham schools who are running litter clean-up days by suppling extra bags, gloves and syringe containers on request. Council will also collect of the rubbish from the clean-up site.
Schools can also register for Clean Up Australia Day.
Note: Restrictions will be placed on the number of sessions per school, to maximise participation by as many schools as possible.
Biodiversity
Wyndham is home to many threatened and endangered native animals, and with rapidly expanding urban development and increased habitat loss we need everyone’s help to protect our unique wildlife and the habitat they rely on.
To enquire about our FREE biodiversity programs or incursions, please contact Wyndham City’s Environment Officer on 1300 023 411 or email HabitatHeroes@wyndham.vic.gov.au.
Habitat Heroes School Program
Design and plant a small habitat garden at your school or kindergarten to help provide food and habitat for our native animals. There are three types of gardens to choose from for your small project, and the chance for students to learn about our native flora and fauna whilst they design their habitat space.
*Each class will be provided with a project guide, biodiversity incursion and 50 tube stock plants as part of this program. Please contact us for more information.
Wyndham Trees for Schools Program
Reduce the Urban Heat Effect at your school by taking part in this great program and planting native trees around your school grounds. You’ll be creating shade in the school yard, increasing local biodiversity and teaching your students about the importance of trees and urban greening.
*Planting guidance, biodiversity incursion (optional) and trees for planting will be provided as part of this program. Please contact us for more information.
Biodiversity Incursions
Wyndham City provides FREE biodiversity and nature science sessions to local schools all year round. Delivered by Nature West or Werribee River Association, teachers may choose from an incursion at your school or a visit to a nearby conservation area for an onsite excursion to explore some of Wyndham’s natural ecosystems.
Please contact Wyndham City’s Environment Officer on 1300 023 411 or email HabitatHeroes@wyndham.vic.gov.au to request a detailed list of incursion/excursion options.
*There are sessions available for all year levels and can be linked to the Australian curriculum. Individual classes/groups are eligible for two FREE sessions per year.
*Excursions – schools must provide their own transport to their chosen excursion site.
Love Your Locals Day
Each September, Year 5 & 6 students from Wyndham schools are invited to come together at Werribee Open Range Zoo for the annual Love Your Locals Day. Celebrating National Threatened Species Day, participating students will work together to raise awareness about our endangered native animals and come up with ways to protect their habitat.
*Places for this program are limited to 10 Wyndham schools (10 students each school) per year. Participating students will take part in classroom projects and webinars prior to their zoo visit.
Sustainability
To reduce the impacts of climate change we can all make small changes that together create a big impact. From reducing our energy use to growing our own food garden, these small changes in our day-to-day life help mitigate climate change and lower our impacts on the environment.
To enquire about our FREE sustainability incursions please contact Wyndham City’s Sustainability Officer on 1300 023 411 or email sustainability@wyndham.vic.gov.au.
Sustainability Incursions
The House that Charlie Built (ages 2-7)
This incursion helps children identify simple methods of recycling, respecting the environment and the big part that garden creatures such as worms and bees play in maintaining a healthy world. This also covers the use of energy and water and helps children understand the important part humans can play in creating a sustainable and healthy environment. Children’s Facilitator Charlie Silly Pants creates a fun and interactive incursion which runs for 45min.
CERES - Farming for Our Future (years F-6)
Join CERES expert educators and explore how we can all (young and old!) contribute to growing a sustainable food system. Discover the world living under our feet and how growing our own food can connect us to a healthy self, community and planet. CERES educators will guide students through problem solving and action planning to create change within their school community and explore solutions to increase local food production at school or home.
CERES - Caring for Climate & Change (years 4-6)
Join CERES expert educators to understand the connection between energy production and climate change. Students will discover how electricity is generated, understand the impacts it has on climate change and the important role renewable energy plays, and discuss political and social solutions (systems change) to increase agency and empowerment in students.
CERES - Student Environmental Leadership Program - SELP (years 3-10)
SELP is designed to let students’ inner leader shine and help them develop and deliver sustainability projects. When paired with a staff professional learning workshop, teachers can help to empower students to become sustainability leaders by tapping into their interests, talents and skills.
Other Resources
The House that Charlie Built
Suitable for: 2-7 years
Charlie Silly Pants has moved into a new house but there’s a problem, the house is very sad! The bins are all sick, the creatures have left the garden, the clouds above are grumpy and it’s not a happy place to be around. The only way that Charlie can make it better is to listen to the environment around him. Throughout the show Charlie and the children will help re-build the house and garden with their “magic” green thumbs and lots of laughter of course!
Sustainability and caring for the environment
This two-part show helps children identify simple methods of recycling, respecting the environment and the part that garden creatures such as worms and bees play in maintaining a healthy world. Most importantly by actively helping to re-build the house the whole audience will have a strong understanding of what they did to make the house happy and the important part humans can play in creating a sustainable and healthy environment.
Discussion topics
- Gardens and planting
- Worms and Bees
- Recycling and compost (red, yellow, green bin’s)
- Solar energy and Tank water
Charlie and his Sustainable House
Students are also welcomed to complete the colouring picture of Charlie and his sustainable house.
Waste and Recycling
Council has free Waste & Recycling Guides and Waste sorting activity sheets that schools can use to educate their students on improved waste management.
Please contact Wyndham City’s Waste & Litter Education Officers on 1300 023 411 or email wastewise@wyndham.vic.gov.au for copies of these resources.
Worm Farms and Compost Bins
Discounted worm farms or compost bins are available for Wyndham schools through the Wormlovers website. Visit www.wyndham.wormlovers.com.au/ to sign up now!
Activity Sheets
- Download the Nature Scavenger Hunt Activity Sheet
- Download the Alphabet Scavenger Hunt Activity Sheet
- Download Colouring Activity Sheet - Eastern Barred Bandicoot
- Download Colouring Activity Sheet - Native Pollinator
- Download Colouring Activity Sheet - Rainbow Lorikeet
- Download Colouring Activity Sheet - Platypus