Wetlands to Waves environmental education program
The Wetlands to Waves program offers local schools a range of environmental education for sustainability activities, to assist teachers to deliver best practice education linked to the current curriculum.
To find out more about any of the activities, or to book an excursion, please contact the City’s Environmental Education Officer on 08 9411 3444 or email
[email protected].
Activities on offer to schools include:
Clean-up dayWe can help you to tailor a clean-up day to suit the needs of your class.
Clean-up days can be run at wetlands, parks, bushland or beaches.
Coogee Maritime Trail excursionThe Coogee Maritime Trail provides an interactive experience into maritime archaeology and marine biology experience.
The trail includes both land and sea attractions, including:
- Underwater wreck and sculptures
- Artificial reef
- WA Museum artifacts.
Half day snorkelling and walking excursions can be arranged for small groups.
Suitable for students years 10-12, this excursion provides insight into what the City is doing to mitigate and adapt to climate change.
The excursion includes site visits to coastal and wetland ecosystems where students can see how climate change is impacting the City and what restoration activities are being undertaken.
Half and full day excursions are available.
Revegetation for habitat creation excursionThis excursion offers students the opportunity to help in restoring and rehabilitating a local area, with a focus on revegetating habitats for native fauna (including bandicoots, reptiles, water birds, turtles and the endangered Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo).
Half and full day excursions can be arranged for small groups.
Turtle watch programThis program provides an opportunity for students to learn about the
Snake-neck Turtle (Chelodina colliei) of the south-west of Western Australia. Other than the critically endangered western swamp tortoise, they are the only native freshwater turtle species found throughout Perth and have an important role to play in wetland and river health.
The program includes classroom activities, an excursion to the Wetlands Precinct at Bibra Lake and free resources.
Classes work towards a Turtle Watch School Accreditation.
The program is offered in partnership with the
Australian Association for Environmental Education Western Australia (AAEEWA),
The Wetlands Centre, Cockburn and
WA Wildlife.
The City offers the following environmental education kits to encourage your class to discover our natural environment:
- Bird identification class kit - includes binoculars and bird ID booklets
- Ocean fauna snorkel class kit - includes Coogee Maritime Trail dive cards and snorkels
- Beachcomber’s class class kit - includes beachcombing guide books
- Coogee Maritime Trail class kit - includes dive cards and Omeo Shipwreck booklet
The kits are designed for self-guided groups However, by arrangements, the City does offer guided tours.
Environmental education grants
The
Environmental Education for Schools Grants provides schools with funding for one-off activities, to be delivered by professionals in the field of environmental education for sustainability.
Other grants available to schools include the
Sustainability Grants Program (A Better Tomorrow) and the
Native Plant Subsidy.
World Environment Day School Festival - June
This program is full for 2025. We look forward to working with 10 Cockburn schools, in partnership with The Wetlands Centre, Cockburn and WA Wildlife in June. The Earth and Ocean Schools Festival replaced the World Environment Day Festival for 2025, celebrating 2 significant calendar dates – World Ocean Day and World Environment Day. The annual program will return next year, with registrations opening in February 2026.
The festival is provided in partnership with
The Wetlands Centre, Cockburn,
WA Wildlife and Bibra Lake Scouts.
Adopt A Beach program
City of Cockburn schools can access the
Adopt A Beach school program for free. This program helps students experience, learn about and conserve our coastal and marine environments. Students are able to engage in a variety of hands-on experiences at their local beach or in the classroom. Primary school and secondary school activities are linked to the WA Curriculum.
The program includes coastal and marine focused in-class and excursion activities at Perth beaches. Transport subsidies to help schools with excursion costs are available (conditions apply). All sessions are facilitated by experienced environmental educators. To find out more about the program and secure your spot visit the
Adopt A Beach website, contact the Adopt A Beach Coordinator on 08 9374 3304 or email
[email protected].
Little Green Steps
Little Green Steps WA work with early childhood services to help children embrace the concept of sustainability from a very young age, while assisting adults and children to actively contribute to a sustainable future.
Little Green Steps WA works with day care centres, family day care, in home day care, kindergartens, pre-primaries, playgroups and all other services involved with young children.
The City of Cockburn works in partnership with LGSWA to provide fully subsidised sustainability workshops for early childhood teachers and educators, exploring:
- What sustainability means
- Reducing waste, energy and water use
- Green cleaning
- Learning from other cultures.
If you would like to get involved please contact the City’s Environmental Education Officer on 08 9411 3444 or email [email protected].
More information and contact
To find out more about environmental education for schools and educators, please contact the City’s Environmental Education Officer on 08 9411 3444 or email
[email protected].