Waste Education for Schools
Waste and Recycling Education
Annual Educators E-newsletter:
Contact us at enquiries@rrc.qld.gov.au to subscribe to an e-newsletter emailed once a year providing you with an overview and hyperlinks to Rockhampton Regional Council teams with educational programs, resources, facilities, excursions on offer to local school and community groups.
Free guided site tour or guest speaker:
To learn about local waste management, primary and high school teachers plus community groups within the Rockhampton Region can request a guest speaker or Waste Management Facility site tour - please provide us with your curriculum topic or assessment questions beforehand (Year 4 is highly recommended). Suggested Australian Curriculum links to waste education(PDF, 212KB).
The Education Officer will talk to students about waste types and what goes in which bin, how the kerbside wheelie bin collection service works and what waste facilities are available throughout the region. Recyclables are a key message, video footage of a Materials Recovery Facility is used to explain how recyclables are sorted and why we need to improve their quality through reducing contamination.
Site tours are available of the Lakes Creek Road Waste Management Facility, which includes a visit to the Reviva Ibis Reuse Shop and use of the Waste Education Centre on site.
Transport to and from the facility is arranged by the school.
Read this Factsheet for additional site tour information(PDF, 165KB).
To request a site tour or guest speaker, fill in the Waste and Recycling Education Tour/Guest Presentation Booking Form and email to enquiries@rrc.qld.gov.au.
Please note all bookings are subject to changes in weather, availability of staff and on site operations.
Teacher/Educator Professional Development Expo:
Come along to chat with a variety of Rockhampton Regional Council staff and discover their available teaching resources/ programs, venues, guest speakers, training and site tours on offer to local school and community groups. It's FREE to attend and so is afternoon tea! Enjoy a taste of the tour of the host venue, to understand what your groups' excursion could include. Attendance at this workshop may be accredited towards your annual/continuing professional development hours.
NEXT EVENT
- Term 1 in 2026, typically 3pm - 5pm
- To be hosted at a Rockhampton Council venue - tbc
Self-book online (link will open closer to the event)
Invitation flyer with all details will be made available closer to the event
Limited places, tickets required to attend (free), bookings will close a couple days prior to the event
Recycling Hero School Program:
Eligibility for free program delivery - Rockhampton Region schools only (primary & secondary)
Our free program assists your school to overhaul its waste management system and develop a student leadership opportunity using peer to peer teaching.
Qualified educators will support your school to implement tailored sustainable behaviour changes to achieve the goals of a reduction in waste generation, an increase in recycling and less contamination of these, monitored by annual waste audits.
A sequenced delivery of classroom lessons with small group activities, site tour of Lakes Creek Road Waste Management Facility and guest speaking on assembly ensures your whole school are included and educated in the journey to becoming a zero waste community.
This program is a long term commitment from schools, once enrolled, the program will be fully delivered by Council waste educators, in following years, the school will take on content delivery in their own planning and Council waste educators will only revisit to carry out an annual waste audit, to provide a guided site tour of a waste facility or by request as a guest speaker. The data from the audit will be tracked over time and feedback will be given on how to continue trending to achieve the program goals.
Program incentives -
- After the first successful round of implementing the program, your school will receive a free aluminium sign installed on their front gate awarding the title of a 'Recycling Hero School'.
- Annual bus subsidy for waste facility tour.
- Sustainable themed project funding opportunities.
Book a meeting with the Waste Education Officer to enrol and tailor your Recycling Hero School Program - plan for the term ahead! Email to enquiries@rrc.qld.gov.au