Western Treatment Plant: VCE - A Circular Economy from Sewage to Sustainability

Embark on an immersive two‑hour adventure through the Western Treatment Plant, where cutting‑edge engineering meets world‑class conservation.

Discover how engineering, ecological and social systems connect in a circular-economy design at the Western Treatment Plant. Students will explore wastewater treatment, sustainable water management and the biodiversity of the Ramsar‑listed wetlands, highlighting how we protect ecosystems while planning for future water security. This experience supports learning across VCE Environmental Science, Outdoor & Environmental Studies and Systems Engineering

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Student activities

Students will:

• Take a 2 hour guided tour of the Western Treatment Plant operational areas and Ramsar listed wetlands in your school bus. During this tour they will:
  • Observe the process of sewage treatment and see how it is transformed through a series of sophisticated treatment stages into resources that can be safely reused or released
  • Investigate real-world sustainability in action, exploring how the site integrates circular economy principles, renewable energy systems and water‑wise engineering solutions to support Victoria’s water future
  • Explore the diverse bird and wildlife species that visit the Ramsar listed wetlands and discuss management of this conservation area and the essential ecosystem services that it provides

  • Examine how the site is managed to balance environmental protection, community needs and long‑term water security, uncovering the complex decision‑making involved in maintaining a liveable, resilient environment

Future Water Story (optional add on)

Enhance your students's understanding of systems thinking, sustainability and water security by including a session of the award-winning Future Water Story digital experience. Students take on the role of thinkers, innovators and collaborators and use teamwork to test possibilities for the future of their digital city in a way that is hands‑on, engaging and fun. Students leave feeling empowered to influence a more sustainable, liveable future. For more information about this experience, visit the website.

This is a sample schedule of how the excursion will run with just the 2 hour tour. The Future Water Story would extend the experience by an hour, and is limited to 30 students per session.

Learning outcomes

VCE Environmental Science

Students will be able to:

• Analyse how wastewater treatment supports Victoria’s water security - Students will witness first hand how the Western Treatment Plant support water security through a circular economy model and sustainability principles.

• Evaluate sustainable water management strategies used onsite - Students will examine and see the processes of water recycling, energy‑positive treatment processes and biodiversity protection in action.

• Understand a variety of Acts or Conventions related to the Western Treatment Plant - Students will discuss the Ramsar Convention and how it relates to the wetlands.

Curriculum Links

• Unit 1: How are Earth’s dynamic systems interconnected to support life?
  • AOS 1: How are Earth’s systems organised and connected?
• Unit 2: What affects Earth's capacity to sustain life?
  • AOS 2: How can we manage food and water security to sustain Earth’s systems?
• Unit 3: How can biodiversity and development be sustained?
  • AOS 1: Why is maintaining biodiversity worth a sustained effort? (conventions and biodiversity at the site, sustainability principles)
  • AOS 2: When is development sustainable?

VCE Outdoor and Environmental Studies

Students will be able to:

• Explain the ecological significance of the Ramsar‑listed wetlands - Students will understand how biodiversity is monitored, supported and protected within a managed landscape.

• Reflect on the importance of healthy outdoor environments - Students will see how ecosystems and communities are linked at the Western Treatment Plant through healthy wetlands, toursim and agriculture.

• Analyse how human activities, such as engineering, conservation and land management, affect outdoor environments - Students will witness how these practices work together to protect the outdoor environment and the health of the community.

Curriculum Links

• Unit 2: Discovering outdoor environments
  • AOS1: Understanding outdoor environments (natural resource management, land management, nature-based tourism, agriculture)
• Unit 4: Sustainable outdoor environments
  • AOS 1: The importance of healthy outdoor environments

VCE Systems Engineering

Students will be able to:

• Describe the mechanical and technological systems involved in wastewater treatment - Students will discuss how how these systems have evolved over time to improve safety, efficiency and sustainability.

• Analyse how clean‑energy technologies and circular‑economy design - Students will discover how the Western Treatment Plant contributes to a low‑impact, environmentally responsible treatment process through biogas generation, water reuse and biosolids.

• Discuss how innovation supports future-focused engineering - Students will look at emerging technologies that enhance sustainability and water security.

Curriculum Links

• Unit 2: Mechanical systems design
  • AOS 1: Evolution of mechanical systems design
• Unit 3: Ethical systems design
  • AOS 2: Clean energy technologies

Prepare for your visit

To get the most out of your visit, be sure that you understand the safety requirements to attend this site before you come. 

Cost and Group Size

$300 per group for the 2 hour tour.

$100 additional for the Future Water Story add-on.

Maximum of 30 students per group, and two groups maximum per session (if doing the Future Water Story).

Duration

Available Tuesdays to Thursdays.

Approximately 2.5 hours arrival, welcome and departure for the 2 hour tour.

Approximately 3.5 hours if you include the Future Water Story experience. A sample schedule is below.

 

Time	Description
10:00am - 10.15am	Arrival at the Western Treatment Plant Greeting, Acknowledgement of Country and introduction to the program
10:15am-11.15am	Future Water Story digital experience in the Education Centre
11:15am-11:30am	Break
11:30am-1:30pm	Western Treatment Plant bus tour on school bus with a focus on your VCE subject area
1:30pm	Conclusion and farewell from the Education Centre

Safety and Risk Information

1. Western Treatment Plant Venue and Safety Information - All participants over the age of 18 will be asked to sign in and agree they understand the information contained within.

2. Child Safe Standards - We are committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people, and providing a child-safe environment in line with our Child Safe Policy. All our Education Officers and Interpretation Officers have the relevant legal requirements (Working With Children Check or Victorian Institute of Teaching registration).

3. Cancellations due to safety - All tours will be cancelled on days of very poor or hazardous air quality and/ or on days of a Total Fire Ban. Please see our full Terms and Conditions when booking.

Student supervision and discipline is the school/institute's responsibility. Teachers and adults accompanying school groups should actively supervise students at all times. 

We reserve the right to cancel a booked tour and ask individuals or groups to leave the site immediately if any action or behaviour is unsafe. 

What to bring

All participants must wear appropriate clothing for all weather conditions as activities are conducted outdoors. Clothing must meet these minimum requirements:

• wear long pants/trousers
• wear long-sleeved tops
• wear closed-toe, flat-soled shoes – sandals and thongs are not permitted on site
• cover any open wounds, and report any minor cuts or abrasions that occur while onsite to Melbourne Water

 

Bring food with you as there is none for purchase onsite.

Bring any learning materials (books, pens etc.) with you.

 

How to get there

By car or bus

​Travel outbound 30 km on the Westgate Freeway/M1 towards Geelong, take the second C109 exit off to Werribee after you have passed the Werribee Open Range Zoo and Werribee River. Once you exit turn left and enter at the Melbourne Water William Thwaite's​ Drive gate. Follow the signs to drive to the Education and Cultural Precinct.

The address for the Western Treatment Plant is Metropolitan Farm Rd, Cocoroc VIC 3030

View our location on Google maps