Wanneroo Regional Museum

Year 2 and 3: Wanneroo Past Investigators (facilitated) - 90 minutes duration

When: Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays // mornings: 9:30am to 11:30am - afternoons: 12:30pm to 2pm

How has life changed in our local community? In what ways has our use of land changed? What can objects tell us about history and how people lived? In this interactive program, students explore maps of Wanneroo over time, and explore different themes throughout the museum with accompanying handling objects and activities to stimulate inquiry. We also use object investigation, soundscapes and visible thinking routines to stimulate curiosity, comparison and critical thinking.

Our Museum and Community History Centre have objects and images with links to all areas of Wanneroo and historical Joondalup. We encourage teachers to get in touch with us and discuss the purpose of your excursion. In this way, we can do our best to include local history material and content which is relevant for your students.

Curriculum links

Year 1-3: Noongar Boodja Wanneroo - 90 minutes duration

Note: This program is currently being reviewed. Stay tuned for future programs.

Year 2-3: Commemoration in our community

Program 1: Anzac and commemoration in Wanneroo - 90 minutes duration

When: Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays // mornings: 9:30am to 11:30am - afternoons: 12:30pm to 2pm

The Anzac program uses rich local sources and hands-on activities to examine a number of aspects of soldiers’ and nurses' experiences of war, particularly WWI and WWII, including photographs, uniforms and written sources, role play to explore the work of men and women in wartime, and wartime postcard creation. Students will also investigate commemoration in our local community.

Optional: Guided visit to Wanneroo War Memorial and Wanneroo RSL sub-branch military museum (extra 30 minutes)

As a valuable addition to the Anzac program, students can investigate commemoration in our local community. Led by highly knowledgeable RSL volunteers, students will be guided around the Wanneroo War Memorial and its commemorative garden to reflect on the area’s rich symbolism and purpose of commemoration. They will explore the fascinating displays and hands-on collections of the Wanneroo RSL Sub-Branch military museum which includes objects from World War 1. 

Program 2:  Wanneroo in Wartime and Remembrance Day 

When: Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays // mornings: 9:30am to 12.00pm 

World War II was the first time in which the threat of overseas invasion became very real in Perth. After the bombing of Pearl Harbour in December 1941, daily life changed markedly. Wanneroo Regional Museum is just a short walk from the location of the City’s first local war memorial and the historic location of the Wanneroo school, which was situated next to the local aircraft spotting headquarters in World War II. In this program, we use this location to bring this wartime period to life. Using role play, students will explore wartime life from different perspectives of local residents (based on their oral histories), from a local market gardener who was ‘manpowered’, to the founder of the local Red Cross society, to a female radar operator stationed at Yanchep, to a soldier in the 10th Light Horse who trained in Neerabup bushland and a child’s experience of food rationing. We acknowledge the role of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have fought in all of Australia’s theatres of war, despite discriminatory policies restricting their enlistment. Students will participate in an aircraft spotting activity, blackout and school air raid drill, and investigate relevant objects to reflect on life in wartime. The reasons for Remembrance Day will also be discussed.

Part 2 of the program will see the students walking to the Wanneroo War Memorial and being guided by knowledgeable Wanneroo RSL members to explore the symbolism and meaning behind the memorial and its gardens. Students will also have an opportunity to explore the RSL’s military museum and engage with the fascinating collections of military memorabilia. 

Pre-visit activities including vocabulary list and games, as well as some guided research of names on the Wanneroo War Memorial, are available for this excursion.

Curriculum links

Facilitated program cost per session (one session= minimum of 20 students, maximum of 35 students)

• 20-24 students: $125.00
• 25-29 students: $155.00
• 30-35 students: $175.00
• Adults are free of charge.

We require a ratio of at least one adult to five students. Additional adult helpers are always welcome. 

For further information and bookings: 

Please click on the link below to make a booking enquiry and one of our heritage team will be in touch within two business days.

Wanneroo Museum booking inquiry form

You can also call on 9405 5920, but please note that as the team facilitate programs we are not always available.

From Year 2 - 60 minutes duration

When: Weekdays - booking required

Students explore the museum in small groups, investigating themes such as our rich Noongar history and heritage, roads, transport, communication, migration and farming. Handling objects and activities are linked to the themes for a multimodal approach, and students can use a reflection booklet to answer open-ended questions and make notes. Additional open-ended exploratory activities are also available for students to enjoy while at the museum. Please see our friendly front-of-house staff for ideas.

Cost per session
One session = maximum of 32; no minimum. Free if you photocopy and bring along the self-guided booklet for your students. There is a charge of $60 if we photocopy the booklets for your students.

Download and print the self-guided program booklet

For further information and bookings: 

Please click on the link below to make a booking enquiry and one of our heritage team will be in touch within two business days.

Wanneroo Museum booking inquiry form

You can also call on 9405 5920, but please note that as the team facilitate programs we are not always available.

When: Fridays (March to November) - 9:30am to 2pm

Why not make a day of it and do a combination program? Our museum is just a five minute drive up the road from Cockman House, enabling your students to be immersed in the small domestic surrounds of a historic house as well as discovering the stories of continuity and change in people’s lives and land use in the larger Wanneroo community.

Alternatively, you could enjoy a combination of two museum programs.

See the Combination Programs guide for more information.

For further information and bookings: 

Please click on the link below to make a booking enquiry and one of our heritage team will be in touch within two business days.

Wanneroo Museum booking inquiry form

You can also call on 9405 5920, but please note that as the team facilitate programs we are not always available.