Environmental Education
A living classroom in the heart of Melbourne's east — offering curriculum-linked school programs, community events, and tertiary placements for people of all ages to explore and learn about local ecology.
A Living Classroom in the Heart of the City
Yarran Dheran hosts a range of learning opportunities and activities for people of all ages. Through the Whitehorse Council's Environmental Education Program, schools, early learning centres, tertiary students and community groups can explore the reserve while learning about local ecology, sustainability, and the importance of protecting bushland in an urban setting.
These experiences are delivered by Environmental Education staff in collaboration with Parks Advisory Committee volunteers, and are complemented by community-focused opportunities from the Yarran Dheran Advisory Committee — including guided walks, talks, and citizen science activities.
School Programs
The Environment Education Program includes a range of excursion topics and with onsite facilities, Yarran Dheran is an ideal location for environmental education and discovery.
Through the Whitehorse Council’s Environmental Education Program, schools and early learning centres can explore the reserve while learning about local ecology, sustainability, and the importance of protecting bushland in an urban setting.
Excursions are offered on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Yarran Dheran is a convenient excursion site, with easy bus access, shelters, toilets and other facilities for visiting schools.
School groups can also arrive by public transport, with Heatherdale and Mitcham railway stations about a 30‑minute walk away and nearby bus routes 270, 370 and 901.
Early Years & Kinder
- Caring for Country
- Healthy Waterways
- Exploring the Bush / Bush Kinder
- Habitats for Wildlife
- Minibeasts
Primary School
- Caring for Country
- Healthy Waterways
- The Web of Life: Biodiversity and Ecosystems
- Threads of Connection: People, Places and Nature
- Minibeasts
Secondary School
- Caring for Country
- Healthy Waterways
- The Web of Life: Biodiversity and Ecosystems
- Earth Under Pressure: From Impact to Action
- Citizen Science Champions
Community Programs
Explore ways to get involved in citizen science, biodiversity projects, and nature-based community activities at Yarran Dheran.
Whitehorse Council Programs
Citizen science encourages public participation and collaboration in scientific research. By participating in a citizen science program at Yarran Dheran, visitors can help collect important data whilst learning more about local fauna and flora.
Find out more about ongoing projects and events through Whitehorse’s citizen science initiatives.
Regular Activities
Get involved in bird surveys, frog surveys, WaterWatch monitoring, and tree hollow surveys while learning more about the reserve’s biodiversity and helping gather useful environmental data.
Bioblitz and iNaturalist Events
iNaturalist is a free and easy to use app that helps you identify plants and animals whilst at the same time collecting important data about local biodiversity that scientists can use to better understand species distribution.
You can use this app to participate in yearly events, such as the City Nature Challenge, Great Southern Bioblitz or the Biodiversity Blitz in September, or create your own projects.
Tertiary Placements
Opportunities for university and TAFE students to contribute to the reserve.
Yarran Dheran provides an ongoing opportunity to observe, document, and better understand the reserve's vegetation, wildlife, habitat, and restoration efforts over time.
The Advisory Committee welcomes partnerships with tertiary and other educational institutions, including student placements, field-based learning, and project work that contributes to this shared understanding.
Projects can include ecological surveys, monitoring programs, restoration trials, interpretation resources, or other research that supports the long-term care of the reserve.
Enquiries from educational institutions are welcome. Please contact Enviro.Ed@Whitehorse.vic.gov to find out more.
