School Holiday Programs FAQs

Our school holiday programs are full day drop-off programs, guardians do not attend these program. 

All our other community programs like spotlight prowls and bush tucker tours require children to be supervised. Guardians attending these events require a ticket.

Our Greener Wilder West events were subsidised by grant funding, this allowed us to run the programs at a very low cost to attendees. These programs are not subsidised by grant funding so the ticket price reflects the cost of staff and equipment. 

School Holiday programs are appropriate for children aged 5-12. 

• Please ensure your child brings a water bottle and hat as all programs are delivered outdoors. Children must wear closed toe shoes.
• Please ensure your child/children bring all snacks, including morning tea, lunch, and afternoon tea.
• For children who have a Medical Plan, allergies or anaphylaxis, we require a copy of the child's medical plan and any medication that the children would require in an emergency (including an Epipen or oral medications).
• You may also like to bring or wear insect repellent if your child is prone to mosquito bites.
• Our programs are delivered outdoors and we recommend all participants come prepared for the weather and current conditions with a raincoat and wet weather closed toe shoes
• If your child is attending a full day program - you may like to bring a change of clothes.

A $50 late fee applies for children not picked up by 4pm.

Education bookings terms and conditions

Child safe charter

Covid-19 safety plan

Challenge and adventure in the outdoors

We believe in creating and delivering learning opportunities that allow participants in our programs to be able to explore and experience themselves through play and interaction with the natural environment. This is done by providing opportunities to take acceptable risks in environments that are challenging and stimulating.

The benefit of this risk is in fostering the development of life-long skills by allowing learning to occur through experiences that cannot be taught, what can be found out by ourselves by being in situations that push our own limits and abilities.

Western Sydney Parklands' team of educators have the technical skill and experience to assess the risks and the benefits of a variety of activities that are delivered as part of our learning programs. When planning our activities, we ask:

• What skills and competencies do we want children to develop when participating in our activities?
• What risks must we allow or create to enable us to experience the potential benefits of nature play?

Assessing risk

Learning outside the classroom will inevitably mean that participants will be exposed to potential hazards.

We assess our hazards and risks in the following way:

• Which hazards need to be modified or removed?
• Which hazards are acceptable and create opportunities for participants to benefit from negotiating that hazard?

The risks that our students are exposed to include:

• Moving around on uneven terrain
• Moving through vegetation
• Interactions with living things (plants and animals)
• Learning in an open space that is shared by other park users
• Being in the outdoors with its changeable weather
• Learning and playing around water.

All of the Parklands' Education Rangers have training and experience in identifying and managing risk to ensure that our participants will be challenged by the hands-on nature of our programs without exposure to harm.

Risk assessment for your booking or visit 

As part of Greater Sydney Parklands, Western Sydney Parklands' educators run programs in Centennial Parklands, Callan Park, and Western Syndey Parklands.
Please see our Risk Assessment for all sites here.

Western Sydney Parklands' Education programs operate on the policy that there is no such thing as bad weather.

We believe it is just as important to be learning outside the classroom in wind and rain as it is warm sunshine.

We are an outdoor venue and excursion supervisors, supporting parents and students are asked to be prepared for the conditions and bring wet weather gear when required, a hat and sunscreen, clothes that you can get dirty and suitable enclosed shoes.

In case of severe weather warning, Western Sydney Parklands reserve the right to cancel an activity. A change of date or refund might be organised at the Parklands discretion.