Western Treatment Plant: educational activities

Enhance your Western Treatment Plant tour with activities for students to complete before, during and after their visit.

COVID-19 update: Due to social distancing practices we are currently unable to provide our regular tours to Western Treatment Plant. Check out our virtual tour now.  



Student doing an activity, drizzling water into a mini town

Before and after your visit

Our Melbourne's Water Story website (opens in new browser) hosts a variety of resources that teachers can complete with their students before and after visiting the plant. These include hands-on investigations and discussions, enhancing your students' tour experiences and supporting units of work around wastewater treatment.

During your visit

School groups can participate in up to three education activities, which are run by our education officers at the plant.

Activities must be nominated at the time of booking, and additional costs apply for each activity per student.

Discovery Centre guided tour (years 3–12)

Where does our drinking water come from? What goes on beneath our city? How is water recycled? Take a guided tour of the water cycle story from the catchments to the coast and learn how we're helping to create a sustainable future.

Stormwater story (years 3–6)

How does litter and rubbish end up in our rivers and creeks? Students act out a journey down the Yarra River from catchment to coast to see how humans impact stormwater quality.

Wetland food chain game (years 3–6)

What happens to our food chain when there are too many predators? Students find out through this interactive game, which illustrates the food cycle and energy transfer in our special wetland environments. The game demonstrates the effects of pollution and predators on the transfer of energy between trophic levels.

What goes where? (years 3–7)

Where should household wastes go? What can go onto the compost heap, the recycling bin or the trash? What should go into the sewerage and stormwater systems? In this interactive game, student teams actively debate the answer to these questions.

Water smart city (years 3–10)

Explore stormwater and pollution in the Lego city! Students are introduced to the impacts of stormwater on our waterways and bays. Working with the model, students address stormwater issues and adapt the city to make it water smart.

Living in a catchment (years 5–10)

What is a catchment? What's in a catchment? What are the differences between the upper, middle and lower regions of a catchment? Students work in teams to construct a giant jigsaw puzzle to study the factors that affect water quality.

Water recycling model (years 5–10)

This model helps students better understand where our water comes from and the ways that recycled water can be used in horticulture, agriculture, industry and recreation. Real water flows over the model's catchment landscape with sound effects and track lighting showing different features of the model in action.

Micro-organisms at work (years 7–9)

Discover the micro-organisms that play an important role in the biological treatment of wastewater at the Western Treatment Plant. Learn about how different environments in the treatment process are managed to encourage different micro-organisms to go to work. 


Ready to book?

Melbourne Water staff talking with primary school students

Primary and secondary schools

If you're from a primary or secondary school, book now. This site opens in a new window. If you need help booking, call us on 131 722.


Bookings for schools



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Last updated:
29 March 2020