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Plants and animals

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Our reptile collection

Click on the images below for large photos.

Our resident blue-tongue is popular with many visitors to our centre. See if you can find where it is hiding when you look into the enclosure.

In addition to our "Hopping Mad" frogging activity, the centre exhibits a number of green tree frogs as well as an interactive diorama featuring models and recorded frog calls.

The centre maintains a turtle exhibit that students can observe. The turtle tank is located inside the Snake Pit building. This is strictly a look but do not touch display.

We have a resident carpet python and diamond python in the Snake Pit building. Students can see them in their enclosures but handling is only permitted during our Reptiles program.

On display in the Snake Pit are a number of stuffed specimens including this antechinus. Antechinus were once common in forests close to the centre but is rarely encountered these days due to habitat loss and predation by cats.

 

Plants in schools

Grounds staff are often required to provide plants for various projects around the school grounds.

Sometimes the plants have been gifted to the school or purchased by teachers or students. Occasionally the plants are supplied in good faith but later turn out to be problematic or hazardous in some way—whether because of toxic flowers or fruits, thorns or falling limbs and other issues.  The question of which plants to use in schools is a very important one.Plants in school booklet

Finally there is a publication that can help. In the Appropriate Plants in Schools booklet (PDF, 5MB) you will find everything you need to know (and probably some things you don't want to know) about plants in schools.

Written by well-known environmental educator Mr Glenn Leiper, this booklet identifies:

  • recommended native plants for school grounds
  • declared and environmental weeds
  • poisonous plants commonly found in some schools
  • recommended nurseries.
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Last reviewed 02 November 2020
Last updated 26 February 2019