School education

River Guardians offer FREE Junior Dolphin Watch incursions for primary and high schools located around the Swan Canning Riverpark. The incursion covers the “Dolphin Watch” citizen science project, how we identify each individual dolphin and their behaviours, and the threats dolphins face living in a heavily urbanised environment. Students learn practical ways they can help protect the dolphins. The incursions consist of an interactive presentation with hands on activities. At the end of the session, the class will get to keep a hard copy of the latest FinBook Guide (One copy per class).

High School:

Junior Dolphin Watch incursions are modified for High School Students to meet needs of the year level. The incursion also covers information about the Marine Fauna Sightings App that our citizen scientists use to record dolphin sightings. Students are encouraged to download the App (please discuss with the Project Officer if this is appropriate for your students).

To make a booking, contact the Education Officer here

Drains to Living Streams Excursion

FULLY BOOKED FOR 2025

An excursion investigating strategies to address the impacts of landcover change on the Swan-Canning River. The excursion aims to address the Year 12, Unit 3, Depth Study 2 syllabus objectives:

• explain two strategies designed to address the impacts of land cover change on local and/or regional environments
• evaluate the two strategies designed to address the impacts of land cover change, using the concept of sustainability

During the excursion, we will investigate the impacts of sedimentation and eutrophication on the Swan Canning River as a result of land cover change across the catchment. By collecting water samples, students will measure the water quality to see for themselves how the Living Streams strategy work to reduce these impacts on the river. Students will also learn about a second strategy, the artificial oxygenation plant at Canning River, and then evaluate the efficacy of each strategy.

The excursion begins at Curtin University Boat Club, Salter Point and concludes at Canning River Eco Education Centre, Wilson. Price is $5 per student, no minimum required (max. 30 students). Schools are responsible for organising transport to each location. For more information or to make a booking, click here. Or contact the River Guardians Project Officer here

This excursion was developed in partnership with Trinity College, Perth NRM and the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) as part of the Swan-Canning River Recovery Stage 3 and funded by the Australian Government Environmental Restoration Fund. The excursion will be delivered by River Guardians (DBCA).

Living Streams Background Information

Environments at Risk: Jarrah Forest & Swan Canning Rivers Excursion- Coming Soon!

A new fieldwork Excursion for Year 11 General Geography will be coming soon. The following syllabus links will be covered during the excursion:

Students explore the following aspects of a selected environment, biome or ecosystem:

• biotic and abiotic elements of the selected environment, biome or ecosystem
• location and distribution of the environment, biome or ecosystem
• characteristics of the following elements of the environment, biome or ecosystem:

• • climate, including temperature and rainfall
  • soils and landforms, including soil structure and topography
  • flora and fauna, including dominant species and community structures
• the interactions between the flora and fauna of the environment, biome or ecosystem, including the following ecosystem concepts:
  • biodiversity
  • food chains and webs
  • biomass
  • trophic levels
  • pyramid of numbers
  • pyramid of energy
  • flows of matter and energy
• interrelationships between biotic elements and abiotic elements of the environment, biome or ecosystem, such as xerophytic adaptations of plants to drought conditions.
• human activity and land use impacts upon patterns and processes within the environment, biome or ecosystem

• Fieldwork skills (use of field observations and measurements)
• collect primary data using field techniques, including: surveys and interviews, observing and recording, listening, questioning, sketching and annotating, measuring and counting, photographing and note-takin
• collate field data using techniques, including: listing, tabulating, report writing, graphing, constructing diagrams and mapping
• analyse and interpret primary data

A pre-fieldwork booklet will be available for each excursion.

Pre-fieldwork Booklet- Jarrah Forest