Backyard Sustainability

Join our experienced horticultural educators to learn how to set up a compost heap or worm farm in your school or backyard and prevent 40% of household waste going to landfill.

Learn how to create a no-dig garden

What happens?

  • Discover the importance of composting in reducing the amount of household waste
  • Learn how to correctly set up your compost bin
  • Learn how to create a no-dig garden

Curriculum links

Themes: Sustainability

  • SC4-13ES: explains how advances in scientific understanding of processes that occur within and on the Earth, influence the choices people make about resource use and management
  • SC4-2VA: shows a willingness to engage in finding solutions to science-related personal, social and global issues, including shaping sustainable futures
  • SC4-15LW: explains how new biological evidence changes people's understanding of the world
  • SC4-2VA: shows a willingness to engage in finding solutions to science-related personal, social and global issues, including shaping sustainable futures
  • SC5-2VA: shows a willingness to engage in finding solutions to science-related personal, social and global issues, including shaping sustainable futures

Booking information

Minimum students: 15

Maximum group size: no more than two groups of 30 students per day

Please note: no education bookings are available on Fridays.

Class size will be limited for certain activities ​due to safety considerations and staffing resources.

Please book at least two months before your visit.

Use the button on this page to request an excursion booking, or call us during business hours on (02) 4227 7667.

If your request is accepted, we'll send you a booking confirmation letter, risk assessment, garden map and instructions for your visit (including wet weather plan).

Excursion cost is $14 (incl. GST) per student per day, and includes two activities. Carers and teachers are free.

In line with new Education Department policy, we are requesting the pre-payment of your attendance by credit card. This will be emailed to you as soon as we have confirmed your education date and you have confirmed your numbers. (Please note we cannot amend numbers after an invoice has been generated).

If payment before attendance is not possible you will be required to send us a PO number so we can send the invoice to EDConnect, to be paid prior to attendance.

Once your payment is made we will issue a confirmation, along with Council risk assessments covering safety for garden excursions.

Please meet at the Discovery Centre, located at the north eastern corner of Wollongong Botanic Garden.

Buses can drop students off at either the bus bay located at the University of Wollongong on Northfields Avenue or at our Murphys Avenue car park.

If your activity is being held at one of the Garden Annexes, such as Mount Keira or Puckeys Estate, please meet at the designated located specified on your booking confirmation.

We have a minimal waste policy and ask that packaging of food items brought to the Garden are minimised​​​​​.

Most activities can still go ahead in light rain. In this case, please make sure students, teachers and accompanying parents wear appropriate wet weather clothes and shoes.

Our activities may need to be cancelled in heavy rain or high winds.

Please call us on the excursion day to confirm whether the program can continue or if your excursion needs to be rescheduled.