Purpose of the Excursion

Piney Lakes unique sustainable building showcases sustainable building designs and provides learning experiences by connecting students with nature and empowering them with knowledge about how to live sustainably.

The learning experiences have been developed to cover a range of topics including sustainability around the home and sustainability in the bushland and all programs are tailored to suit different developmental stages from early childhood to tertiary level.  Details regarding the program on offer at Piney Lakes can be found at the Piney Lakes website www.melvillecity.com.au/environment/piney-lakes

Environment

Piney Lakes Environmental Education centre, located within the City of Melville is situated within a 68 hectare reserve on the corner of Leach Highway and Murdoch Drive.  The main entrance to the centre is from Leach Highway.

Piney Lakes reserve is bushland and wetland remnant and parklands.  The wetland forms part of the Beeliar wetland regional park, a north/south chain of wetlands.  The bushland and wetland remnant has been subjected to considerable environmental change since urbanization resulting in varied bushland condition and increased levels of degradation.  It is a good example for students to learn about how an ecosystem changes in response to human activity.

Piney Lakes Environmental Education Centre has toilet facilities, an amphitheatre, a laboratory and is hired by the public during the day and therefore facilities for school excursions and facilities for the public are on a shared basis.

Transport

The centre has parking for up to 50 cars, and a wide turning circle and front door  drop-off for buses.  One ACROD permit car parking space is available at the front entrance.

The centre is located on Leach Highway and is accessible by public transport.  The City of Melville’s Travelsmart Officer can assist with public transport information (call 9364 0673).

‘Homes & Habitats’ Program (1 hour)

Schools may choose one or both options:

Homes Program – Learn about the Piney Lakes building design, the remote area power supply, water catchment system, sewerage treatment and how this all makes a building with a low carbon footprint.  Suitable for all ages and level of difficulty will be tailored appropriately. 

Habitat Program – This involves visiting the bushland, going on a bushwalk and discussing the features of the landscape, vegetation types, biodiversity, urban land use issues, local flora and fauna species, general awareness of the environment.  Suitable for all ages and level of difficulty will be tailored appropriately.

Cost: $3.00 per student

Minibeast Program (1 hour or half day)

Students go into the pine plantation and collect invertebrates living in the ecosystem and are given a worksheet to help them identify their minibeast.  Then repeat this exercise in another area of the bush and compare species found.  If time permits go back to the centre and record all results on a board and develop a food chain/web.  Suitable for Primary School ages.

$3.00 per student for 1 hour

$6.00 per student for half day

What Lives in the Lake Program (1 hour or half day)

Students visit the artificial lake or Piney Lake (depending on the level of water in the lake).  Students sample aquatic invertebrates and using a worksheet identify the species and the family of the invertebrate.  Suitable for Primary School, but can be tailored for all ages and may be conducted in groups or individually.

$3.00 per student for 1 hour

$6.00 per student for half day

Other activities

Primary schools may like to combine a visit to the All Ages Sensory Playground which is a 15 minute walk from the centre.  For pre-primary students it is advisable that students be collected from the centre and taken to the playground on a bus.

No particular skills required for any of these programs.  The Home Program is useful if students have some background information about the meaning of sustainability and its importance in our society.

Supervisor/Supervisory Team

The Environmental Education Officer is available to take school groups on these excursions and will guide students through the activities. The Environmental education Officer also conducts tours of the building and provides written worksheets through the Homes Program and the Minibeast program. 

External Provider Information

Environmental Education Officer has a Working With Children’s check and National Police Check.

The centre has full public liability insurance. Details can be downloaded from the website.  This insurance policy does not cover loss or damage of personal belongings.  Please remind your students that they are responsible for their own belongings at all times.

Supervision Strategies

According to our guidelines, which must be accepted and agreed, group leaders are responsible for the supervision of visiting groups as part of their duty of care and we ask that you ensure that appropriate standards of behavior are maintained at all times.

Monitoring the physical well being and behavior of student’s remains the responsibility of the school at all times.

We have a maximum booking of 35 students per visit.

One supervisor : ten students (ratio of 1:10)

Identification of Excursion Participants

If undertaking a bushland/wetland tour, at least one adult should supervise the rear of the group.

As all tours involve at least some time outside the building, students should be prepared for both wet and sunny weather.

Communication Strategies

The Environmental Education Officer can be contacted on 0414 206 211.  The environmental Education Officer may use a whistle whilst carrying out excursions to communicate with students whilst in the field.

Piney Lakes strongly advises the school supervisor team bring a mobile phone as part of their communication plan and to have entered the Environmental Education officers mobile number into the mobile phone.  Please advise the Environmental education Officer of the mobile number at the time of booking and check this on the day of the excursion.

Emergency Response Plan

The emergency evacuation plan must be sighted by the supervisor prior to the excursion and must be agreed and signed as part of the Guidelines.

Briefing Students and Supervisors

Upon receiving a booking a confirmation letter will be emailed or posted to the person making the booking.  A copy of the guidelines for schools visiting will also be sent and must be signed before the excursion can commence.

Staff will take the leading role in carrying out the excursion and providing educational materials to user groups, where possible.

 Students and the school supervisory team will be briefed by the Environmental Education Officer on arrival to Piney Lakes regarding rules and safety protocols concerning visitor conduct.  Misconduct may result in immediate expulsion of students from Piney Lakes grounds and a restriction on future bookings at the centre.

Please be aware of weather conditions and plan your excursion appropriately.  For example booking the Habitat Program in the middle of Winter may not be appropriate unless all students are fully prepared for wet and cold weather conditions.  This must be the responsibility of the teacher, not the centre.

 To Book

Please call Environmental Education Officer (08) 9364 0790.