Our School

Zoology Centre

The Zoology Centre at Lilydale High School is a one-of-a-kind facility unlike any other in an Australian school. The aim of our Centre is to provide students with the unique opportunity to study and interact with live animals, an experience most young people would never otherwise access.

What began in 2002 with a few simple enclosures at the back of a science classroom, has grown into what it is today; a state-of-the-art facility, complete with a centre wide automated control technology system.

The Zoology Centre at Lilydale High School proudly holds the largest collection of animals in any school in Australia, complete with two crocodiles, Leo and Cleo. With nearly 200 animals, students can experience a rich variety of native wildlife, from Australia’s largest python to endangered species of turtles, lizards, and frogs. Having live animals on campus provides hands-on learning opportunities in biology, ecology, and animal care, as well as many other learning experiences across the curriculum.

Junior Zookeeper program

We run a Junior Zookeeper program at the school which encourages students to learn animal husbandry techniques. Students who show dedication to the program and exhibit excellent animal husbandry skills become Zookeepers, giving them special privileges and opportunities to share their knowledge with other students and the wider community. The program operates as a mentor program so that the more experienced Zookeepers train the newcomers and over time, the most experienced keepers attain the level of Head Keeper giving them more responsibility and greater opportunities. Through their participation in this program student alumni have been successful in gaining employment in related fields and have been accepted into Zookeeper programs in zoos and private wildlife parks across Australia.