Program outline
Evolution and Australian Wildlife Diversity |
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Educator-facilitated Sessions(School Teacher supervised)
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Students will observe, learn about, and interact with a range of animals, including mammals, birds, reptiles and invertebrates.
The sessions consist of guided tours of our Park, as well as a session in our classroom with our education ectotherms. Students will appreciate the use of the theory of natural selection to support our understanding of all forms of life and their adaptations through time. Students will hypothesise how species may have or will, react to changes in their environment including drought, rainfall and climate change as well as inter-species pressures, disease and periods of abundance. Students will explore the ways in which Australian wildlife have adapted to extreme local conditions across traditional evolutionary timescales as well as being prompted to hypothesise the potential ways in which wildlife could adapt in shorter time frames to survive a changing climate. Students will explore the reproductive strategies of differing animal groups and will consider how this influences the survival of their young. |
Teacher-led Session
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Groups will be provided with Roo-food and an identification sheet so that students may observe, identify, interact with and potentially feed our free-roaming wallabies and kangaroos. |
2026 PRICES
**TERM ONE DISCOUNTED PRICING**
Cost per student: $21.50 (minimum charge for 15 students per timetabled group)
TERMS TWO, THREE, FOUR
Cost per student: $24.00 (minimum charge for 15 students per timetabled group)
- Includes sessions facilitated by a Moonlit Sanctuary Education Officer (supervision by School Teachers required)
- Includes 1 Teacher-led session in the Wallaby Walk and roo food
- Includes reserved undercover seating.
- Includes entry to Moonlit Sanctuary
Extra adults over the below ratios: $25.50 (to a maximum of 1:1)
NOTE: All prices include GST
ADULT TO STUDENT RATIO
Secondary: 1 adult included free of charge for every 10 students (rounded up to the next 10)
Carers and Aides (for people with physical or learning needs): 1 included per student free of charge
Extra adults over the above ratios: $25.50
The DET requires a minimum 1:20 supervision ratio for excursions.
RESOURCES
Resources
On the day, a Wallaby Walk Guide will be provided to leading teachers and other supervising adults to assist them in facilitating the teacher-led session.
Digital copies of these resources can be found here: Wallaby Walk Guide and Identification Sheet
GROUP SIZE, STUDENT NUMBERS & TIMETABLE
- Program can be run with 1 to 5 groups
- There is a minimum charge for 15 students per timetabled group (invoiced for 15 per timetabled group even if fewer attend).
- Schools with greater than 5 classes can visit over multiple days.
Please contact the Education team for more information about sessions, and to see an example timetable: education@moonlitsanctuary.com.au
CHANGES TO CONDITIONS FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL EXCURSION BOOKINGS
Due to the intimate size of the park and the close contact guests can have with our wildlife, Moonlit Sanctuary is not a suitable facility for free-time and unstructured activities for large school groups.
Based on feedback from our guests, Keepers, and Education staff, and to ensure the welfare of our animals, we request that Year 7-10 school groups of 3 or more classes, depart Moonlit Sanctuary after their program or following lunch.
If there is a need for a data collection session, we can schedule this within the structured timetable. During this session, students must remain with their class groups and be under the full supervision of a teacher.
VICTORIAN CURRICULUM F–10 VERSION 2.0 : YEAR 9 AND 10
Our Evolution and Australian Wildlife Diversity program provides real-world examples that explore the curriculum descriptors shown below.
| LEARNING AREA: SCIENCE | |
| Biological Science | The theory of evolution by natural selection includes the processes of variation, isolation and adaptation and is supported by evidence including the fossil record, biogeography and comparative embryology; the theory explains past and present biodiversity and demonstrates how all organisms have some degree of relatedness to each other (VC2S10U05) |
| The structures of reproductive cells and organs in plants and animals are related to their functions; processes of sexual and asexual reproduction enable survival of a species (VC2S10U01) | |
| Science as a Human Endeavour: Nature and development of science | Scientific knowledge is contestable and is validated and refined over time through expanding scientific methods, replication, publication, peer review and consensus (VC2S10H01) |
| Science as a Human Endeavour: Use and influence of science
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Scientific knowledge may be interpreted in different ways by individuals and groups in society; the values and needs of society can influence the focus of scientific research (VC2S10H04) |
| CROSS CURRICULUM PRIORITIES: | Learning about sustainability |
| LEARNING CAPABILITIES: | Critical and creative thinking & Ethical |
