Rio Tinto Naturescape Kings Park raises the bar

• Naturescape Kings Park and the Kings Park Education program recognised at national awards.

Rio Tinto Naturescape Kings Park and the Kings Park Education program have been recognised as 'raising the bar' in environmental education at the prestigious national 25th Banksia Sustainability Awards.

Environment Minister Albert Jacob said Kings Park's unique education facility was announced the national winner of the highly competitive Education - Raising the Bar Award on October 9 at a gala event in Melbourne.

"Rio Tinto Naturescape Kings Park is a world-first education facility providing new ways to educate young West Australians about the State's unique plant biodiversity and conservation," Mr Jacob said.

"It's a prime example of how government and private enterprise can form partnerships to provide a positive legacy for future generations."

The facility covers 60,000sqm and features a series of unique zones including hidden thickets, a creek, tree hides, a cubby building area, upside-down trees with climbing ropes and a wetland.

These zones are connected by meandering paths, boardwalks and bridges which offer a sense of immersion in the bush.

Rio Tinto Naturescape Kings Park has been made possible through a large cross-sector partnership including Rio Tinto, Water Corporation, the Friends of Kings Park with Lotterywest and the Perth Solar Cities program.

Kings Park Education, a school service that combines unstructured play with structured programs that encourage exploration and learning, is based within the site that has become a benchmark for the development of environmental education areas.

        Fact File

• More than 165,000 visitors have passed through the Naturescape gates since the site opened in October 2011

Minister's office - 6552 5800