Environmental Programs

Using all our senses

Our youngest scientists will use all of their senses to gather information about the world around them as they explore one of the Park's natural bushland habitats. They will explore the basic needs of living things through a sensory story, a bush treasure hunt and an encounter with real native animals.

In this program, your Pre-Primary students will:
✔ Identify some native Australian animals and what their needs for survival are.
✔ Participate in guided investigations and make observations using the senses.
✔ See how the way different Australian animals move depends on their size and shape.

Download the program outline

This program will be delivered outdoors, either in Woodland Reserve, Whiteman Park's fauna conservation breeding facility, or the Children’s Forest - a bushland restoration area planted by children and their families in a community ‘forest’.

What does it take to survive in our native bushland?

Whiteman Park’s bushland is home to hundreds of different species, that are specially adapted to survive here.

Using soft toys, natural objects, multimedia and real animals amongst native bushland, students learn about the Park’s bushland habitat, who lives here and how their needs are met. By examining the features of a range of native animals, students will determine how they eat, move and sleep to draw a link between their special body adaptions and how changes to their habitats affect them.

In this program, your Year 1 students will:
✔ Identify some native Australian animals and what their needs for survival are.
✔ Identify common features of animals and the habitats that they live in.
✔ Understand the importance of looking after the environment for the survival of plants and animals.

This program will be delivered outdoors, either in Woodland Reserve, Whiteman Park's fauna conservation breeding facility, or the Children’s Forest - a bushland restoration area planted by children and their families in a community ‘forest’.

Who needs water?

Learn about water – our most precious resource – in a new program for Year 2s, offered for a limited period in Terms 2 and 3, 2024.

After 21 years experience teaching about water to upper primary students through the Children's Groundwater Festival, we are now offering a fun, water-themed workshop for Year 2s! Drip Drop brings the Science Curriculum to life in time to celebrate World Environment Day and National Science Week here at Whiteman Park.

In this program, students will participate in games and activities to learn about the water cycle, how water is used and how we can care for it. They will discover how many living things rely on water and identify actions that can conserve this resource in a fun and interactive way.

In this program, your Year 2 students will:
✔ Recognise that all living things rely on water.
✔ Understand that water is a finite resource.
✔ Identify actions which can conserve water.
✔ Use everyday materials to create a water filter.

Program outline

This program can be delivered at any of the Park's shelters, to allow exploration of the Park's other attractions and facilities before or after your taught program.

Discover what makes our native flora miraculous!

Students will discover how unique and amazing our native plants really are! From marri trees to native wisteria, each species has developed unique and special ways to live – and thrive – in our harsh and dry climate. Students will have an opportunity to get hands-on with a variety of native seeds and seed pods, identifying these plants while exploring the Children’s Forest.

In this program, your Year 2 students will:
✔ Understand that plants have a life cycle and stages.
✔ Understand that plants are living and growing.
✔ Learn that native plant life cycles have evolved to live in a harsh, dry environment.
✔ See that plants have offspring which look like the adult plant.
✔ Identify a range of native plants.

Download the program outline

This program is delivered within our dedicated outdoor learning destination in the Children’s Forest, bushland planted by children and their families in a community ‘forest’.

How many gumnuts does a bobtail weigh?

Your class will explore these and other amazing questions as they become environmental officers in Woodland Reserve. Using their measuring and weighing skills, your students will see how we use maths at Whiteman Park to look after our quenda and critically endangered woylie populations.

In this program, your Year 3 students will:
✔ Practise measuring in centimetres and weighing in grams.
✔ Apply practical maths skills in an outdoor setting.
✔ Learn about some local native animals.
✔ Understand how and why rangers look after our animals and bushland.

Conservation Calculators

This program is delivered outdoors in Whiteman Park's fauna conservation breeding facility, Woodland Reserve.

Imagine building an aquifer out of icecream and then eating the result!

This is just one of the fun-filled and engaging activities that students can participate in at the annual Children’s Gnangara Groundwater Festival at Whiteman Park.

Learn more

Snakes Alive
Australia has a fascinating array of reptiles… and a lot of slithery snakes! Students will get to see an amazing variety of Western Australian lizards, pythons and snakes up close and learn about snake bite first aid. They will even have an opportunity to handle a live snake – if they dare! This is a great add on program with other environmental education programs.

• Suitable for Years K to 12
• Cost is $10.00 per child (min. 20 students)
• Available Monday to Friday
• Not curriculum linked

Tree Planting
Opportunities exist for schools with an interest in the environment to assist with our annual planting program from Mid-Term 2 to Mid-Term 3. Groups can help the revegetation efforts of Whiteman Park’s conservation team with weeding and planting in key areas of the Park.

To be eligible for a tree-planting excursion, carer numbers need to be higher than usual, especially for younger year groups, and buses must be able to transport students to different areas within the Park. Tree-planting is conducted rain, hail or shine.

** Please contact the Bookings Officer to make a booking, as dates fill quickly!

Vintage Train Rides
On Wednesdays and Thursdays, it’s all aboard for a delightful 6km train ride through Whiteman Park’s woodlands – can you spot a kangaroo?

Heritage Electric Tram Rides
On Tuesdays and Fridays, jump aboard a vintage electric tram for a rattling ride through Whiteman Park’s remnant farmland and native bushland to Mussel Pool and back.

Optional Extras
You can also incorporate the following options into your excursion program at Whiteman Park for no, or nominal, fees:

• Sports equipment hire
• Orienteering
• Bushwalking
• The Children’s Forest
• Sports court
• a BBQ picnic
• Playtime in the large, shaded playground.

If you would like some further information on any of our programs or would like to have our Education and Public Programs Officer come out to your school for a free information session, please call us on 9209 6000.