Booking Terms and Conditions as at May 25, 2026

CUSTOMISING PROGRAMS
Requests to customise our programs or workbooks may incur a fee. While we are happy to adjust and meet the specific needs of each school, larger adjustments will require a cost for our staff to read and plan for changes. This will be charged at $12.50 per educator per 15 minute time block for the time it takes for each staff member involved and added to your school invoice as an itemised amount.

If on the day of your excursion your school is running late and or you wish to undertake additional activities or require staff to travel independently ie no seats are available on your bus, an additional fee will be added to your invoice. The fee will depend on how long those changes take and how many staff are involved. Additional time for Educators will be charged at $12.50 per educator per 15 minute time block with mileage charged at the ATO rate of $0.88c per km.  Also see, the Arrival and Departure Times section.

BOOKINGS PROCEDURE.
When you submit a booking request, our Bookings Coordinator will review the form and compare program and staff availability. If your first preferred date is unavailable, we will check other dates as alternatives. If we need more information or have difficulty placing your booking, we will contact you by email or phone.

Once a date is secured, the bookings coordinator then sends you a tentative booking email with the key details that teachers need for approval.

A quote based on the tentative booking is sent to the administration email address provided and the organising teacher.

Tentative bookings will be held while the organising teacher reviews the details and quote and seeks internal approval. We request where possible that bookings be confirmed at least 60 days before the program date.

We do not require deposits or advance payments to secure a booking.

IMPORTANT: Bookings made with less than 60 days’ notice 

For short-notice bookings (60 calendar days or less), please confirm your booking within 5 business days of receiving the tentative booking email and quote. If a response is not received from the organising teacher, school, kinder, or organisation within this timeframe, the booking request may be cancelled to make the slot available to others.

Please follow these steps to confirm your booking:

  1. Read your tentative booking email carefully and check your quote.
  2. Please make any changes before you confirm.
  3. If ready to confirm: Accept your quote and reply to the tentative booking email, and provide the requested extra information.

After booking confirmation, the organising teacher will receive a confirmation email and a reminder email 1–2 weeks before the booking date. If student workbooks are included in your program, they will be attached to the reminder email.

For bookings at our Cheltenham Sustainability Centre, digital copies of Working with Children Check and/or VIT registrations are required for all adults on a school site, including parent helpers and aides, as per Department of Education policy. These documents must be provided within one week of the booking date and will be securely stored in our records.

Once a booking is confirmed, any changes may incur a fee, as outlined in the cancellation policy.

If there are any changes to your booking details, please notify our Bookings Manager promptly by calling 0431 107 389 or 9585 7860, or by emailing [email protected].

CANCELLATION POLICY

Tentative bookings

  • Cancelling or rescheduling a tentative booking is free.

Confirmed bookings

Rescheduling

  • Rescheduling with less than 21 calendar days’ notice = $50 administration fee per booking (unless due to severe weather policy or other unforeseen circumstances)

Cancellations

  • Cancelling more than 21 calendar days before the program = no charge
  • Cancelling within 21 calendar days of the program = 25% fee of the total booking cost
  • Cancelling within 14 calendar days of the program = 50% fee of the total booking cost.
  • Cancelling within 7 calendar days of the program = 75% of the total booking cost
  • Cancelling or not attending on the day = full charge (unless due to severe weather policy or other unforeseen circumstances)

Please give advance notice where you feel adjustments may be required for students with additional needs. It is essential we know about mobility issues as not all our spaces and outdoor sites are suitable for wheelchairs, walking frames or crutches. We also need to know in advance if there are students with:
• low English comprehension
• other intellectual or behavioural needs e.g. may need people to speak more slowly
• noise or other sensitivities
• allergies and anaphylaxis risks
Adjustments required will depend on which program is booked. Gould League welcomes all learners of all abilities and is passionate about inclusivity but is not responsible for loss of program time where this information has not been advised in advance and last-minute changes need to be factored in on the day.
Please contact our bookings manager immediately if there are ANY changes to your booking details. Phone 0431 107 389 / 9586 7860 or email [email protected]

Where a severe weather warning is issued by the Bureau of Meteorology within 48 hours of your program, please contact Gould League to discuss alternative activities or whether to reschedule. If no alternative date can be arranged, then the booking will be cancelled. There is no additional cost to the school for rescheduling or cancellation due to these circumstances.  Gould League are guided by the Beaufort scale in terms of when and were programs should be postponed or rescheduled due to high winds.

If the weather is forecast to be slightly rainy or cold, or slightly hot, but it is considered safe to continue the booking, then we will proceed with the booking. If a school or organisation decides not to come on the day without any prior discussion about the weather, they will be charged the full fee for their excursion. Activities will be assessed on the day for changes that can happen to minimise time out in wet, cold or warmer conditions.  Advice is given about appropriate clothing requirements for different weather conditions in your confirmation email. It is expected schools make sure students come dressed accordingly. Gould League will endeavour to continue the program regardless of how students are dressed. However, if it appears there is concern to health and wellbeing of students due to lack of clothing preparation, then Gould League may alter the program. We won’t be held responsible for necessary reduced coverage of our program due to clothing choices by students/parents on the day.

SEVERE WEATHER
As safety is our priority, it is important that we ensure all programs conducted in the field are carried out in a safe manner.

For Toolangi and Ricketts programs, our programs will not run where extreme weather warnings are issued. This can include gale/storm force winds, extreme heat, extreme windchill factor, severe thunderstorms/hailstorms, flooding rain, severe smoke haze, and black ice on roads. On days with a weather warning, we will be in contact as soon as we can to discuss alternatives. On days with a fire rating of Extreme or Catastrophic all excursions will be rescheduled. Bookings will be cancelled if an alternative date can’t be found.

We will endeavour to arrange these 48 hours prior to the excursion, however in some rare cases we may need to do this on the day of the excursion where sudden or unexpected changes to conditions make safety a threat.

All parties are responsible for checking weather forecasts and fire bans and ratings for the day of the excursion and communicating any concerns as soon as possible. It is recommended that all relevant staff utilise tools such as the VIC EMERGENCY APP to be aware of the safety conditions for the day of your excursion. Please note the fire rating and other weather conditions for a day can change several times in a given day.

Bureau of Meteorology
Vic Emergency Incidents and Warnings
Fire Bans and Ratings Victoria (Toolangi is North Central)

Gould League will not be held accountable if a booking has been rescheduled or cancelled 24 – 48 hours prior to a date even if the severe weather warning is downgraded by the Bureau of Meteorology as safety is our first priority.

SAFE BEHAVIOUR
Gould League educators will give safety instructions where required at the start of programs and at different points along the way. They may need to adjust programs where participants are ignoring instruction or acting in a way that jeopardises safety for that participant, educator or the rest of the group. If the school’s designated staff member with Duty of Care are unable to maintain safety on request from our educators, then our educators have the right to shorten or cease programs if they feel that theirs or the groups safety is of concern.

CLOTHING
Closed-toe shoes are required for ALL programs and appropriate protective clothing (eg. broad-brimmed hats, sunscreen, shoulders covered, &/or waterproof jackets, warm hats, layered clothing, gloves.) We provide hard hats for Toolangi Forest Programs.

For our Ricketts Point and Toolangi programs clear advice is given in your confirmation letter about what clothing is required for different weather conditions. It is the organising teacher and parent/guardians who are responsible for how students dress on the day. If it appears there is concern to health and wellbeing of students due to lack of clothing preparation, then Gould League may alter the program. We won’t be held responsible for necessary reduced coverage of our program due to clothing choices by students on the day.

MAXIMUM NUMBERS
Cheltenham Sustainability Education Centre: Maximum of 30 primary or pre-school students per group.
Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary:  Our preferred group size is 25. Our licensing stipulates we can have a maximum of 25 participants on the rock platform at a time. This includes adults. If your total numbers per group are higher, we may need to run an adjusted activity at the Rock Platform/Rockpools to meet our licensing conditions. Programs have different maximums for the number of simultaneous classes that can be accommodated, the different activities run etc so contact us if you exceed this maximum to discuss options.
Toolangi State Forest:  Our preferred group size is 25. Some of our forest sites are quite small, so it can be a challenge to fit everyone in. Programs have different maximums for the number of simultaneous classes that can be accommodated, the different activities run etc so contact us if you exceed this maximum to discuss options.
Beaconsfield Flora and Fauna Reserve: Our preferred group size is 25 but we can take up to 30 students per group.  Programs have different maximums for the number of simultaneous classes that can be accommodated, the different activities run etc so contact us if you exceed this maximum to discuss options.

ADULT SUPERVISION
Free admission is offered to teachers and adults supervising students participating in an education program. Each group of students must be always accompanied by at least one staff member with DUTY OF CARE. This includes incursions. Student supervision and discipline are the school’s responsibility, and teachers and adults accompanying school groups should actively always supervise students. Students should not be unsupervised at any time.

The following adult to children ratios are recommended:
1:10 students for Primary and Secondary groups
1:25 for Tertiary groups
1:4 for Early Childhood groups
1:1 for Special needs groups

While we know at times that there can be lots of interest from parents to help, we ask that no more parent helpers attend than is required as we don’t have enough room to fit everyone for all our activities. If there are excessive amounts of parent helpers on the day, our Educators may ask them to sit out of activities where there isn’t enough space to fit them all. Parent helpers are expected to participate in the coordination of groups and assist in supervision of children needing toilets. It is expected that they won’t talk or distract students during sessions. Parents who are found to be distracting students will be asked to stop or sit elsewhere.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE TIMES
Please talk to bus companies and carefully evaluate your trip time (including realistic departure time for school, traffic, toilet & snack upon arrival) and communicate the program start time that will best suit your needs at the time of booking your program. While we advertise our regular start and end times, we can be flexible on start and end times when given advance notice on some programs.  If travelling to Toolangi please allow for toilet stops along the way as recommended as we only have two toilets on site.

Our educators’ hours are booked and paid in accordance with the needs of your program. If your school arrives late, or delay the start time due to extended toilet or snack time, our programs will still conclude at the original booked end time, which may shorten your program time.  It is up to the Educators on the day as to whether they can accommodate a later finish time due to late arrival. If they agree they can, then an additional fee of $12.50 per person involved will be applied to every 15 minute period beyond the planned end time. This fee is merely to cover the costs of paying educators for their extra time. This additional amount will be itemised on your final school invoice.

BUS PARKING, PROGRAM MEETING LOCATIONS AND SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS – See maps and instructions for bus and or parent drivers.

Cheltenham Sustainability Education Centre: LePage Primary School, 77 Argus St Cheltenham VIC 3192. Entry is via the hall unless directed otherwise (Herald St end of school). Sustainability Centre Driver Map

Ricketts Point: Beaumaris Life Saving Club. Turn left upon entering the carpark, and travel south along the gravel road until you reach the bus turning circle and parking area. Ricketts Point Driver Map

Toolangi: Discovery Tree (behind DEECA and Toolangi CFA), 1685 Healesville-Kinglake Rd, Toolangi VIC 3777. Buses are required to stay with the group for the duration of the program. Toolangi Driver Map

The Beaconsfield Flora and Fauna Reserve is located within walking distance from Beaconsfield Station (approx. 15-20 mins), alternatively there the 837 bus Berwick Station – Beaconsfield East stops in front of the Beaconsfield Wetlands. There is also an ample parking between the sports oval and Beaconsfield Recreational Reserve past the tennis courts at 100 Beaconsfield-Emerald Road if you come via private coach. Enter via Tennis Club carpark and meet Gould League in front of Sporting Oval where you will have access to the Club Toilets before starting your excursion.

For Toolangi and Ricketts Point Locations – both areas will require coaches to drive on unsealed roads. These roads are graded regularly and suitable for driving. This should be discussed with your coach companies when booking in to avoid concern or avoidance by your drivers on the day. Program time will be lost on the day if coach drivers decide not to use these roads. So, it is important the drivers know in advance their are some unsealed road. Gould League will advise if certain conditions make the roads unusable.

Special Toolangi Bus requirement – please note that it is expected our Gould League educators will travel on your bus for the duration of your program time. We ask schools to ensure when booking coaches that 1 one seat is allocated for each group booked as they will provide commentary on the bus to students and guide the bus drivers. Please advise the Bookings Manager if there is no room on the coach for our educators, and travel fee of $0.88 per km will be added to your final invoice. Invoice range $40 to $62. This amount will vary according to the program that is booked. Note this is to cover the cost of one vehicle only as Gould League Educators will carpool.

FIRST AID
First Aid is the responsibility of the visiting school and/or carer(s), therefore, you must bring a First Aid Kit (a minimum of one per bus) with you, along with any medical instructions (action plans) and medications for children with existing medical conditions such as anaphylaxis, asthma, etc.

As your staff have Duty of Care, it is expected that your staff will implement any first aid to students. Gould League Educators are First Aid trained and can help if required. For any serious injury our staff may ask your teachers to complete an incident report. If this is done, a copy will be made available for your school records.
Please note leeches are common in Toolangi State Forest – so please ensure your staff are equipped with leech first aid and/or insect spray to aid prevention. It will be the responsibility of schoolteachers to remove attached leeches with Gould Educators providing assistance but only if requested to do so.

FOOD AND WATER
Please ensure each participant (including parents and teachers) have enough food and drink for the day. There is no café/canteen on any program site, and stops at shops are not a part of any program.
• at Toolangi there is no Potable (drinking) water at Toolangi. It is important all participants bring enough drinking water to sustain them through their excursion time.
• at Ricketts Point and our Cheltenham Sustainability Centre we have water stations to top up bottles if required.

RUBBISH
We have a Zero waste policy at all our sites with a “carry in, carry out” policy. It is the responsibility of the school to manage all waste at each site. We encourage all schools to bring nude food and avoid excessive packaging to minimise accidental littering across all our sites. Composting will be provided at the Sustainability Education Centre in Cheltenham only.

TEACHER MEMBERSHIP
To enable you to get the most out or your excursions and to gain additional benefits, the organising teacher will be granted an (Individual) Teacher Membership to Gould League for a period of 12 months. They will receive a poster and welcome letter on the day of your program, along with a coupon code to provide a 20% discount from our online bookshop (excludes memberships and clothing). As per our constitution (available under ‘Charity Documents’ on our Australian Charity and Not-for-Profits Commission’s listing), members will be invited to attend and vote at our Annual General Meeting. You may also be sent emails with newsletters and future offers such as free resources or invites to PDs. You can ask us to remove you from these communications if you don’t want to receive these via [email protected]

If you choose to resign from your membership, please contact us in writing at [email protected]