To make the most of your time at the park, please take the time to familiarize yourself with this information:

• A huge range of native Australian species to learn about
• More than 2000 head of animals, birds and reptiles. Approx. 200 different species.
• Interactive exhibits, including two large walk-through bird aviaries (North East and South West)
• Animal information can be obtained from our website.

Kangaroo Enclosure

9.00am to 4.30pm 

Wander around with a variety of kangaroo and wallaby species

Animal Food provided (place food on a flat hand and allow the animal to take the food from the hand)

Please enter in small groups

Molly’s Farm (interactive farmyard)

10.00am to 3.30pm 

Meet a variety of interesting animals, such as deer, llamas, alpacas, camels, buffalo, donkeys, ponies, sheep, goats, rabbits and farm birds

Reptile House

10.00am to 3.30pm

This is an ideal place for students to view many reptile species behind the safety of the glass!

Thank you for ensuring that your students use quiet voices and do not tap on the glass

Please enter in small groups

Farm Show

10.00am, 1.00pm and 3.00pm 

This show is held in an undercover seated barn, and runs for around 35 minutes

Sheep shearing, sheep dogs mustering, stockman on horseback, billy swinging, feeding the lambs and milking the cow

Please Note: Please arrive at The Farm Show 10 minutes prior to show commencement. If you intend on making your way to the Farm Show after morning tea or lunch, it will take a minimum of 10 minutes to get your group from the Picnic Area to the Farm Show, and seated in-time. Please ensure you are organised to make a prompt arrival as late groups will not be permitted to enter - we don't want you to miss out!

Penguin Feeding

12.00pm

This is a great opportunity to see the penguins feeding and learn a little about them - don't be late as they eat quickly!

Meet the Wombat & Friends

9.30am, 11.00am and 2.00pm 

Here, your students can meet a wombat, and up to 20 other Australian species, displayed in an Australian Homestead                                                                                    

Educational information provided by experienced keepers

Sessions run for approx 30 minutes. We may provide you with a time to arrive, to stagger groups through the session. 

Meet The Koalas

9.00am, 11.30am and 3.30pm

You are welcome to attend one of these sessions (which are open to general public also). During these session times, koalas will be situated in waist and shoulder height trees for visitors to meet, have photos with, and have a feel of the fur

Sessions run for approx 30 minutes. We may provide you with a time to arrive, to stagger groups through the session. 

Outside of the session times above, the koalas are accessible for viewing any time

PLEASE REMEMBER - To enable your students to see and do everything as easily and comfortably as possible, we ask you to make your way around the park in small groups.

PLEASE NOTE - These attractions are open to general public also.

Payment

Payment must be made on the day in a single payment, unless alternative arrangements have been made prior.

Payment must be made on the day via cash/cheque/credit card, in one payment. A tax receipt will be provided on the day.

Prices are inclusive of GST. 

Additional adults above the ratio will be charged the same price as the children. 

Please Note: Effective 1st January 2025, the child price will increase to $14.00. 

Coordinator Information

Vac Care groups are provided with an undercover area to use for breaks and to leave bags in.

There are no drinking fountains at CWP – drinking water is the centre’s responsibility to organise.

Vac Care groups are expected to make their way around the park in small supervised groups. Children are to be supervised at all times; no unsupervised free-time.

Coordinators/Play Leaders are expected to have carefully read the Excursion Info, Risk Management & Emergency Response Plan document and briefed attending adults and children prior to the excursion.

Attending adults are provided with CWP maps and guidelines upon entry.

Safety is a priority for CWP; we expect it is a centre’s priority also! We thank you, in advance, for your support and cooperation to achieve a safe, enjoyable and informative experience for your children.

 Coordinator Checklist

• Have you read this information thoroughly?
• Have you ensured that your children will have adequate drinking water, keeping in mind that there are no water fountains at CWP?
• Have you notified parents to adequately secure their child's lunch to avoid it being taken by a raven?
• Have you notified your bus driver that the bus needs to be moved to the Whiteman Park car park?
• Have you made arrangements for your class to be divided into small supervised groups?
• Have you explained and demonstrated the suggested method of animal-feeding to your children?
• Have you explained the appropriate method for touching of animals to your children?
• Have you briefed your supervisory team of relevant info and/or allowed them time to read this document?

The following extensive excursion information is provided by CWP, so that the leader-in-charge can be completely prepared for their excursion. 

This information can be used to create a risk assessment, to ensure the centre maintains their Duty of Care to their children. 

No further information will be provided by CWP.

Please Come Prepared 

It is expected that the leader-in-charge will have:

• read this information thoroughly prior to the excursion
• informed their supervisory team of relevant excursion information prior to their arrival
• briefed the children, prior to the excursion, about appropriate behavior around animals and around other patrons
• read the Conditions of Entry on our website prior to the excursion

Driveway Guidelines

Buses enter the circular bus-bay and pull-up along the footpath for children to set-down.

It is the responsibility of the school’s supervisory team to ensure the adequate supervision of the children, keeping in mind that the driveway is used by other groups.

Parking of Buses

Buses are to be parked in the Whiteman Park car park.

It is the responsibility of the leader-in-charge to arrange a pick-up time with the bus driver.

It is the responsibility of the leader-in-charge to notify the driver of this policy.

Briefing Upon Arrival  

Upon arrival, CWP will greet the group at the main entrance of the park. The leader-in-charge will be provided with CWP guidelines and maps for each adult in the group. It is expected that they will then allow the adults sufficient time to read the info before making their way into the park.

CWP will obtain final child and adult numbers for invoicing purposes.

CWP will perform a head-count.

CWP will obtain the mobile phone number of the leader-in-charge.

CWP will remind the leader-in-charge that the bus needs to be moved from the driveway.

Assigned Area 

You will be assigned to an area within the Picnic Area; this is where your group will be expected to have lunch and other breaks. Children’s bags can be left here.

CWP recommends that valuables are not left unattended.

The CWP Kiosk seating is reserved for general public. We ask that groups kindly do not utilise this seating area. 

Please ensure children's food is secured to avoid ravens stealing snacks! We recommend food be secured within a plastic container/lunch box/bag, and within a backpack. They can easily tear open food wrap and zip-lock bags. They have even learned how to manipulate zips, so having food double-secured is advised. As a group, please try to have all of your belongings secured away to avoid tempting the ravens - if they see open bags or uncovered storage crates, they will try their luck in search of a free lunch!

Supervision

It is the responsibility of the centre to ensure that their children are supervised at all times, by an appropriate supervisory team, in compliance with the child to adult ratio specified by CWP.

It is the responsibility of the leader-in-charge to ensure the implementation of effective supervision strategies, including regular head-counts and/or roll calls.

As the park will be open to public at the time of your visit, it is expected that children are well-supervised and behave appropriately to ensure an enjoyable day for all patrons.

It is expected that the centre’s supervisory team will participate in CWP attractions with their children (rather than simply observe), actively monitor their children’s behavior and intervene as necessary.

CWP staff are situated at various locations around the park; however will not be responsible for monitoring children’s behavior.

Children are not permitted to wander around CWP unattended (free time).

Standard Conditions of Entry apply - these are located on our website, at the front entrance, and on the back of the map. If it is perceived that children are contravening the Conditions of Entry, they and their supervisor will be approached.

Small Groups

Vac Care groups are required to make their way around the park in small groups (5-10 children), with each group accompanied by an adult at all times.

Larger groups will be asked to split-up.

Identification of Participants

This is the responsibility of the centre’s supervisory team. There may be several centres visiting CWP at the same time. It is the centre’s responsibility to ensure they have a suitable method for identifying their children. Wearing an identifiable uniform, wrist band, vest, or similar, assists CWP to identify children from individual centres.

Child Protection

CWP staff and volunteers are not required to provide a Working With Children Check because they are not solely responsible for any children, without a parent/guardian/teacher being present.

It is the responsibility of the centre to ensure that their supervisory team have appropriate clearances for working with children.

Communication Strategies

It is the centre’s responsibility to ensure they have an adequate method of communication between children and their supervisory team.

Upon arrival, the leader-in-charge will provide a mobile phone number to CWP. This ensures that CWP can make contact with the centre, if need be, for the duration of the excursion.

CWP staff contact each other by CB Radio and/or mobile phone. Urgent messages from one Vac Care group to another can be made by contacting the closest CWP staff member.

Vac Care staff may use the CWP telephone for urgent calls.

Students Arriving Late

If the centre is expecting a child to arrive late, CWP are to be notified upon arrival.

When the child arrives at the main entry, CWP will contact the leader-in-charge on their mobile phone to arrange for the child to be collected from the main entry. CWP will not be responsible for the child; therefore the parent/guardian will be required to wait until they can hand the child over to a member of the centre's supervisory team.

If the centre is expecting a child to be picked-up early, it is appreciated if CWP are notified. CWP will not be responsible for the child; therefore the child is to be handed over to a parent/guardian by a member of the centre's supervisory team. This hand-over is to take place out the front of the park.

In these circumstances, parents/guardians are not permitted into the park to drop-off/collect their child, unless they wish to pay the normal park entry fee.

Respect for Other Patrons

It is expected that the leader-in-charge will ensure that their group displays respect for other CWP patrons.

Drinking Water

There are no water fountains in CWP. It is the centre’s responsibility to ensure that children have adequate water.

Toilets

There are 3 toilet blocks around the park; please see map.

Centres are not permitted to block-off the toilet blocks from general public.

Allergies

CWP is not a nut-free zone.

It is the responsibility of the centre to ensure that any children with allergies are appropriately catered for. It is expected that centres will supply, carry and be trained to use relevant medication, including epipens, to be used in the event of an allergic reaction, where relevant.

The animal feed provided to patrons to feed to the animals is nut-free and made in a nut-free site.

Accessibility 

CWP is wheelchair friendly. Patrons in wheelchairs may have difficulty if they choose to venture off the footpath in the kangaroo enclosure; therefore it is recommended that they remain on the footpath.

Two, out of the three, toilet blocks have designated disabled toilets and wheelchair access; the Molly’s Farm toilet block does not.

Should you wish to attend the park with an Assistance Animal, please click here for important information.

Surfaces

The majority of the park is covered with even pathways; however there are some uneven surface areas. Please exercise caution on uneven ground, and stick to pathways where possible.

Garden beds are not to be entered and/or walked on.

Please walk only.

Appropriate footwear is recommended.

Indoor surfaces may become slippery when wet, in which case ‘Slippery When Wet’ signs will be erected.

Water Features

Ponds, lakes etc around the park are fully enclosed and unable to be accessed by patrons.

Safety Signage and Barriers 

Vac Care groups are expected to obey CWP signage. It is the responsibility of the centre supervisory team to ensure that their children adhere to these signs.

Weather Conditions 

Centres are encouraged to prepare for their visit according to the weather forecast.

Children are encouraged to be adequately protected (rain coats, umbrellas, sunscreen, hats, drinking water, etc) for weather conditions.

Upon booking an excursion, Vac Care centres are appointed an undercover seated area.

CWP attraction-areas are undercover.

Photography

By booking an excursion to CWP, the centre accepts that photographs may be taken of their children, by other patrons. CWP will not be held responsible for this.

Souvenir Shop

The Souvenir Shop is out-of-bounds to Vac Care groups.

Direct Animal Contact

Vac Care groups are welcome to enter the walk-through Kangaroo enclosure, which occupies approx. 50-70 macropods, which can be touched and fed.

Vac Care groups are welcome to get up close to a koala, which can be touched.

Vac Care groups are welcome to enter walk-through enclosures at Molly’s Farm, which occupy a range of farm species, which can be touched and fed.

Vac Care groups are welcome to attend the Farm Show. For the most part, the show does not allow direct contact with the animals, however there are some opportunities for participants from the crowd to bottle-feed lambs, feel sheep’s wool and milk a cow.

Vac Care groups are welcome to attend the Meet the Wombat & Friends. There are opportunities for touching of reptiles and marsupials.

Animal Feeding

Animal food is provided for your children to feed the kangaroos and some farm animals.

CWP suggests that feeding of animals is to be done by placing food on a flat hand, and allowing the animal to take the food from the hand. Poking or forcing feed into an animal’s mouth can result in bitten fingers.

Please ensure that children take a small handful each and refrain from wasting the food. Leftovers can be placed back in the bin.

Animal Welfare

Animals are not to be picked-up, chased, teased, tormented (ears or tails pulled, etc). Vac Care groups who ignore instructions and/or deliberately cause harm/stress to an animal, will be removed from the exhibit and/or the park, at the discretion of CWP.

Animals that are able to be touched, are to be touched gently on their back only.

First Aid

Monitoring the physical well-being of the chidren remains the responsibility of the centre’s supervisory team.

Administering of first aid remains the responsibility of the centre’s supervisory team. It is suggested that the centre supervisory team has access to a centre-provided first aid kit during the excursion.

Basic first aid supplies and assistance is available from the CWP front office (report to shop) if necessary.

Please Note: For cases of serious medical emergency, calling 000 should always be the centre supervisory team’s first response. CWP can assist with this process if necessary.

Should an ambulance be called by the centre to attend CWP, CWP must be notified immediately to enable easy access and to implement an evacuation if needed.

To request assistance at any time, please call 9248 1984 or ask your nearest staff member.

It is suggested that the leader-in-charge has a list of full names, emergency contact details and medical/health information for their entire group; children and all attending adults.

Emergency Response Plan

CWP has extensive risk management planning and emergency procedures in place. We are confident in our ability to respond quickly and appropriately manage an emergency situation. Our first priority is to ensure the safety of all patrons.

CWP has an evacuation procedure in place for the entire park. In order to ensure CWP maintains full control of an evacuation, details of the evacuation procedure will not be released. 

In the unlikely event of an evacuation, all patrons will be provided with instruction, including directions to exits/muster points.

Emergency response actions will be made in conjunction with Whiteman Park and Emergency Services where relevant.

It is essential that your group take direction from CWP staff at all times, to ensure your groups safety.

Your centre's supervisory team can increase the safety of your group by always ensuring they meet the recommended supervision requirements as outlined in this document.

CWP First Aiders have completed a 'Provide First Aid' course.

Insurance

Please click here for 2024-2025 Certificate of Currency