During 2003, Heany Park Primary School begun participating  in the Science in Schools program. One of our aims was to  link our science teaching and learning to real science in the wider community. The Year Six students lead by classroom teacher Kathy James, discovered an article in the newspaper about saving green tree frogs. This sparked a lasting interest in frogs and reptiles!

These same Grade Six students took over and began to prepare a glassed in area of the main building into a suitable environment. Continuing their good work, the 2004 Grade Six students wrote to Bunnings with their ideas which resulted in a kind donation of a pond to get us started. A local  landscape gardener and small band of enthusiastic volunteers were responsible for keeping the project rolling along. Unfortunately, this environment wasn't suited to green tree frogs and new ideas were tossed around.

Our students in 2005, also became interested in lizards and began research on the Reptiles Australia website. Simon Watharow, President of the Herpetological Society, was contacted and his advice proved invaluable. It was decided! We would look after reptiles from the Lost Reptile Home. Some modifications were made to the atrium with help from the school community and a $5000 Small Volunteers Grant from the State Government meant that we could plan for the future.

An intranet web cam and web site was set up and with that the Reptile Atrium took off as part of the Global Classroom Projects and is now an Oz Project and international iEARN Project and iEARN Australia featured project. 

The Heany Park Primary School Reptile Atrium was officially opened on the 15th of November, 2006. To see photos and learn more about the opening, click here.

Thanks to the continued dedication of current staff and students, our atrium is thriving and we will be keeping you updated on new and exciting developments.

Newspaper Articles

During the development of the Reptile Atrium at our school, we have featured in the local papers as well as the Education Times.

We have included copies of these articles as well as some newspaper articles related to reptiles and the Atrium that the teachers and students have found interesting.

If you know of any newspaper articles, email us heany.park.ps@edumail.vic.gov.au

Click on a newspaper article below to download it as a pdf.