Western Treatment Plant: The Water Cycle and Sustainability in Action

Inspire your students with a hands-on experience that brings Melbourne's natural and urban water story to life. Discover how we are shaping sustainable water futures.

Explore how water moves through natural and human‑made systems and how people influence the environments they rely on. Through interactive water‑cycle investigations and a guided tour of the Western Treatment Plant, students discover the journey of water, meet the iconic wildlife we protect, examine human impacts on places, and learn how sustainable practices support Melbourne’s liveability and long‑term water security.

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Student activities

Students will:

• Spend 45 minutes in the Education Centre learning about the natural and urban water cycle. During this time they will:

  • Investigate the natural and urban water cycles to compare how water moves through environments and how people change places, building understanding of people–environment relationships

  • Follow the journey of a raindrop as it transitions through the water cycle

  • Discuss why water is essential and the human impacts on the water cycle
• Take a 1 hour guided tour of the Western Treatment Plant in your school bus. During this tour they will:

  • Investigate how sewage is treated at the Western Treatment Plant to understand natural resource management, human impact on places, and how sustainable water practices support Melbourne’s liveability and long‑term water security

  • Explore the diverse bird species and other wildlife that visit the Western Treatment Plant and look how human decisions shape ecosystems, biodiversity and a sense of place.

This is a sample schedule of how the excursion will run. If you are bringing two classes, the sessions will run concurrently. Maximum of 30 participants in each group.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes and curriculum links cover all activities supplied before, during and after your excursion onsite. Engage with our teaching resources to prepare your students for their experience.

Year 3 & 4

Students will learn how to:

• Describe how water moves through the natural and urban water cycle - Student will use and understand key terms such as evaporation, condensation, and precipitation, and explain how water interacts with different environments.
• Identify where water comes from and what happens to it once it enters drains  - Students will link this to human development, waste management processes, and the ways people influence the characteristics of places.
• Recognise why water is an essential natural resource - Students will describe Earth’s water sources, and explain how people depend on, use, and manage water sustainably.
• Propose actions to reduce water consumption and waste - Students will discuss how individuals and communities can take environmental action, solve sustainability challenges, and contribute to more sustainable futures.

Victorian Curriculum

Science: VC2S4U04, VC2S4U07  

Geography: VC2HG4K01, VC2HG4S05, VC2HG4K09 

Prepare for your visit

To get the most out of your visit, be sure to engage with the teaching resources and make sure you understand the safety requirements to attend this site before you come. 

Additional Teaching Resources

1. A Teaching Guide has been created for you to use in your classroom to compliment the excursion at the Western Treatment Plant. The lesson plans outline key content and concepts that will enhance your student’s learning experience. There are different resources for you to use pre-visit, during your visit and post-visit.

• The Water Cycle and Sustainability in Action Year 3 & 4 Teaching Guide

2. Prime your students for the excursion by watching The Story of Water: The water cycle.

Cost and Group Size

$240 per group. 

Maximum of 30 students per group, and two groups maximum per session.

Example: I have 57 Year 3 students that I'd like to bring on this excursion - how should I book?

You would need to book 2 sessions for a total of $480. The groups will run concurrently with each rotating so that everyone gets to experience both the bus tour and activities in the Education Centre.

Duration and Availability

Approximately 2.5 hours arrival, welcome and departure.

Available Tuesdays to Thursdays.

Safety and Risk Information

1. Western Treatment Plant Venue and Safety Information - All participants over the age of 18 (e.g. parents and teachers) 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