School information

• All year: book as required
• School Years: K-12
• Curriculum/Subject connection: Environmental Studies

Willoughby City Council’s Bushland Officers provide guided bushwalks throughout the local Willoughby area. Most schools are within walking distance of a bushland reserve. In Willoughby we have 338ha of natural bushland to discover. We can take your class on a 1 or 2 hour bushwalk where students will develop a connection with their local environment.  Students will learn about:

• Native Plants and Animals
• Biodiversity
• Water Catchments
• Pollution
• Weeds and Pest Animals
• Bushland Regeneration
• Aboriginal Culture
• Local History

Links to Curriculum

Stage 1

• Growing and Changing
• Earth and its Surroundings
• Places We Know
• Wet and Dry Environments
• The Need for Shelter
• Bush Christmas 

Stage 2

• Australia You’re Standing in It
• Places: Then, Now and Tomorrow
• National and State Parks
• Mini Worlds
• Cycles in Our World
• Our Australia

Stage 3

• Global Environments: Rainforests
• Global Connections & Patterns of Place and Location
• Environment Matters

Stages 4-6

Students will meet syllabus outcomes in Science, Geography, History, and Aboriginal Studies.

We can also develop an activity to meet your student objectives. For example, Mercy College’s Year 7 students have participated in the Flat Rock Gully Bushland and Geography Adventure. Here students come for a day activity which includes a guided bushwalk, focusing on environmental matters, Aboriginal presentation from the Aboriginal Heritage Office, and a session on how to read topographical maps and use a compass.

Contact

Emma Hayes, Bushland Interpretation Officer

Emma.Hayes@Willoughby.nsw.gov.au

9777 7942

• All year - book as required

• School Years: 6 - 12

• Curriculum/Subject connection:  PDHPE, creative arts, wellbeing day workshops and resilience programs.

Willoughby City Council’s Youth Services Team provide a range of social, recreational, arts, leadership and skill-based opportunities in a safe and supportive environment. Delivered across various settings including Chatswood Youth Centre (CYC), local High Schools, online, and through events in partnership with local youth support services. 

Our youth services team have coordinated a multi-service program to support local high schools help build resilience in young people and improve mental health. Hear from the young people who participated and what they took away from the program. (In a video created by a young person who was also involved!)

Chatswood Youth Centre offers Youth Drop In – a free recreational space, information and referral services for 12-18 year olds, 3-6pm on Wednesdays to Fridays.

• Term 3
• School Years: K-6
• Curriculum/Subject connection: Visual Arts

Willoughby City Council’s Festive Season Competition provides children the opportunity to become involved in creating the decorations for Chatswood CBD’s Festive Season look.  Children from Kindergarten age through to Year 6 are invited to showcase their talent and create a design for a Festive Flag about Christmas, Chanukah or Summer Holiday that occurs around that time of year. The winning flags will hang in Chatswood pedestrian Mall and Chatswood CBD throughout the holiday season.

Festive Flags Competition 2022 

Contact

Events Team

events@willoughby.nsw.gov.au

9777 1000

• November - March
• School Years: 10 and 11 at Chatswood Girls High, Willoughby Girls High and St Pius High Schools
• Curriculum/Subject connection: English, science and history

Library staff work with local school librarian to target year 10 and year 11 students. Library staff attend selected classes at local high schools and present an introduction to Willoughby Library service and in depth training and supported lab session on using online resources to research assignments based on a current assessment task.

Contact

Willoughby City Library

library@willoughby.nsw.gov.au

9777 7900

• All Year: book as required
• School Years:  All school years - tours are tailored to the specific needs of each class
• Curriculum/Subject connection: general research or subject specific

Classes visit the library and are taken around by a member of the Children and Youth Services team. The resources available to them at the library are highlighted, as well as talking about how to access services and how to find information in the library. Children can then sign up for a library card, and the online resources available through the library can be demonstrated.

Contact

Willoughby City Library

library@willoughby.nsw.gov.au

9777 7900

• All year: book as required
• School Years: All school years. Available for literacy students from TAFE and Chatswood Intensive English Centre.
• Curriculum/Subject connection: General research or subject specific

Classes visit the library and are taken around by a member of the Multicultural Services team. The tour will highlight the ESL resources available to students as well as showing students how to access services and find information in the library. Students can then sign up for a library card, and the learning language online resources available through the library can be demonstrated.

Contact

Willoughby City Library

library@willoughby.nsw.gov.au

9777 7900

• All year: book as required
• School years: 3-12
• Curriculum/Subject connection: Government, Politics, Sustainability, Social Science

School’s studying government are invited to visit Willoughby Council and find out exactly what local government provides to the community, as well as how it interacts with State and Federal tiers of government. Presentations can be tailored to your study needs and often include elements relating to a sustainable Willoughby.

Contact

Lindy Riese

lindy.riese@willoughby.nsw.gov.au

• January/February and September/October School Holidays
• School Years: K-6

Willoughby City Library Services provide annual Chinese New Year programs to celebrate multiculturalism for primary and high school aged children during the January and September school holidays. Activities include craft, games, magic shows and Bilingual storytelling.

Contact

Willoughby City Library

library@willoughby.nsw.gov.au

9777 7900

Willoughby Youth Action Group (WYAG) provides a voice for young people aged 12-24 who live, work or study within the Willoughby local government area. WYAG plays a pivotal role in representing the young people of Willoughby, co-designing programs and activities, and informing Council on matters of importance to young people. 

The objectives of the group include: 

• To ensure opportunities for local young people (12-24 years) have input into Willoughby City Council’s (WCC) Youth Services programming. 
• Co-design and deliver activities that support young people in the Willoughby LGA .
• Be a voice for the youth of Willoughby.  
• Organise Council-approved events for young people in the Willoughby LGA. 
• Advise Council on matters affecting young people.

Register Now 

Contact: 

Youth Development Officer - Renee Simpson - email youth@willoughby.nsw.gov.au or phone 9777 1062. 

• All year - book as required.
• School Years: K-6
• Curriculum/Subject connection: English, HSIE

Take the time to borrow a book with stories written by your own classmates. Year 5 students across Willoughby for 6 years have participated in the ‘Our Local Wildlife’ Short Story Competition. The winning stories and artworks have been complied in several books over the years. Look for the latest titles: ‘There’s Something in the Water,’ ‘Magic Corridors’ and ‘Long Necks and Short Tales.’  The book is available in all school and Council libraries and is suitable for primary aged children. Books from previous competitions are also available.

Contact

Emma Hayes, Bushland Community Officer

emma.hayes@willoughby.nsw.gov.au

9777 7942