School Resources
We offer Newcastle schools a number of waste education activities that can be tailored to your needs.
Class Excursions
- Take a tour of the Summerhill Waste Management Centre and see where your garbage goes!
- Tours are free and available for students in Stage 2 and above.
- Your school or community group must be located within the Newcastle Local Government Area and arrange your own bus hire.
Class Incursions
- Our waste education team can visit your classroom to teach students about recycling, composting, and more!
- Programs are available for preschool through to high school.
- Talks can be tailored and can cover topics such as resource recovery, worm farming, landfill gas management, litter and ocean pollution.
Waste Audits
- Help your school reduce waste by conducting a waste audit!
- Students will get hands-on experience and collect data to improve your school's waste management systems.
- We can loan you a free waste audit kit and provide advice on how to include waste minimisation in your school's environmental plan.
Booking and Information
Complete a Waste Education Request Form below.
Waste Education Videos
View our free waste education videos that capture the day-to-day landfill operations, kerbside bin collections and resource recovery facility, as well as our landfill gas capture system and solar farm.
Videos and Resource Links
In this short video discover the path your waste, garden organics and recycling takes once it leaves the kerb.
Online Resources
Early Stage 1
Waste and Packaging* - Introduce younger children to the ideas of packaging, waste and recycling.
Truck Safety and Landfills on the Central Coast - Learn how to be safe on bin day with Central Coast Council.
Stage 2
There's No Waste in Nature* - Investigate why is there no 'waste' in nature. Students can also look at organising a local clean up event.
Stage 3
Big Challenges, Big Impact* - Look some of the environmental challenges we are facing and discover how the new Australasian Recycling Label (ARL) can help improve your recycling.
Stage 4
Towards Zero Waste* - Learn about the positive impact recycling can have on reducing the amount of waste we send to landfill.
Stage 5
Waste Pathways* - Investigate what happens to different waste streams in your local area.
*Requires the set up of a free account to access resources
Discover what happens in the day-to-day operation of the landfill at Summerhill Waste Management Centre in this short video.
Online Resources
Stage 1
School Waste Tour* - Investigate what happens to the different types of waste in your school.
Waste Breakdown* - Students look at the timeframes it takes for different wastes to decompose.
Stage 3
Break Down The Waste* - Investigate the composition of recyclable materials and look at how they break down.
Stage 5
Waste Pathways* - Investigate what happens to different solid waste streams in your local area.
Build A Landfill* - Investigate how a landfill site works and build a three dimensional landfill model.
*Requires the set up of a free account to access resources
Discover how waste is sorted and recycled at Summerhill Waste Management Centre's Resource Recovery Centre in this short video.
Online Resources
Stage 1
School Waste Tour* - Investigate what happens to the different types of waste in your school.
Waste Break Down* - Students look at the timeframes it takes for different wastes to decompose.
Stage 2
Recycle Rescue* - Learn about the environmental benefits of reycling mobile phones and printer cartridges.
Unmaking A Phone* - Explore the life-cycle of mobile phone materials.
Stage 3
Reduce And Re-use* - Explore the purpose of the Australiasian Recycling Label (ARL) and learn about sustainable packaging.
Design A Materials Recovery Facility* - Design and build a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF), investigating the processes used to sort and classify products based on their properties.
Stage 4
Back To Earth* - Follow the life cycle of green waste, from tree to bin to compost at the Resource Recovery Facility.
Stage 5
Recycle Rescue* - Learn about the environmental benefits of recycling mobile phones and printer cartridges
*Requires the set up of a free account to access resources
In this short video discover how greenhouse gases are managed at the Summerhill Waste Management Centre.
Online Resources
Early Stage 1
The Impacts Of Waste* - Students begin to understand how waste impacts the environment.
Stage 3
Regenerating Australia*- Look at the concept of 'regeneration' and the impact of regeneration on our communities and ecosystems.
Stage 4
2040 - Renewable Energy* - Explore the differences between renewable and non-renewables resources.
Stage 5
Future Solutions*- Students explore what needs to be done to provide future energy solutions.
*Requires the set up of a free account to access resources
In this short video discover how to reduce, reuse and recycle following the steps of the Waste Hierarchy.
Online Resources
Early Stage 1
Australasian Recycle Label Memory Card – Print and play with these free memory game cards.
Stage 1
What waste do I make?* - Students look at the waste they produce in one day and investigate where it all ends up.
Stage 3
School Waste Audits* - Conduct a waste audit of your school's bins. All the necessary equipment is available for loan from City of Newcastle.
*Requires the set up of a free account to access resources
Join our Waste Services staff in this short video as they answer some of the most common waste and recycling questions.
Online Resources
Stage 2
Waste And Recycling Sorting Game - Test your knowledge with Cleanaway's waste and recycling quiz.
Stage 5
Planet Ark Mythbusters - Planet Ark's Recycling Near You Top 7 recycling myths.
Waste Q & A* - Run a class Waste Q&A quiz show.
*Requires the set up of a free account to access resources
Other Environmental Education Services
The Hunter Region fosters environmental responsibility through a diverse range of educational programs. These programs cater to various age groups and curriculum requirements, equipping students with the knowledge and skills to become environmental stewards.
Awabakal Environmental Education Centre
Awabakal Environmental Education Centre is a NSW Department of Education School, providing environmental sustainability education for students and teachers across the Hunter Region.
Hunter Water
Hunter Water cultivates water-conscious citizens through engaging programs like "Let's Love Water." This interactive show, ideal for preschool to Year 2 students, promotes water conservation in a fun and informative manner.
Local Land Services
Local Land Services offers a comprehensive curriculum designed to empower students of all ages to become environmental champions. Programs address critical issues like water quality, pest management, and habitat restoration.
Museum Express
Museum Express brings science to life through interactive shows delivered by expert Newcastle Museum educators. These curriculum-aligned programs cater to primary and early secondary students, sparking curiosity and igniting a passion for science.
Wetlands Environmental Education Centre
The Wetlands Environmental Education Centre is located within the grounds of the Hunter Wetlands Centre at Shortland. The Centre offers a range of excursion opportunities for students from Kindergarten to Year 12, introducing students to the connections between people, their culture and their environment.
