Year 6 Canberra Tour

Students from our school have recently undertaken an education tour of the national capital and were given the opportunity to participate in a variety of educational programs with a focus on Australia’s history, culture, heritage and democracy.

The Australian Government recognises the importance of all young Australians being able to visit the national capital as part of their Civics and Citizenship education. To assist families in meeting the cost of the excursion the Australian Government is contributing funding under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate program towards those costs. The rebate is paid directly to the school upon completion of the excursion.

The Year 6 boys, together with the Year 6 girls from St Margaret’s School, Berwick Campus, enjoyed a wonderful week of furthering their understanding of the federal political system, the scientific developments in Australia and the sporting programs available to elite athletes. They were immersed in a variety of cultural and artistic opportunities that ensured that the boys walked away with a deeper and more informed understanding and appreciation of life in Canberra.

Jake and Andrew remember these aspects most fondly: ‘Government House was next on our itinerary where we met the house staff for a guided tour. We learned that it is home to the Governor General of Australia. There were so many cool features of this property, like a massive pool, a really cool Rolls Royce and a beautiful garden with breathtaking views.

Our final stop for that day was the National Portrait Gallery where we participated in the Visual Art education program. We viewed a variety of exhibits and gained a better understanding of the artists’ intentions and explored our own drawing abilities.

On another day, we visited the Australian Institute of Sport, the Royal Australian Mint, and the Australian War Memorial. At the Australian Institute of Sport, we first looked at the history of the Olympics and had lots of fun in a sports games room. A tour of the state of the art facilities was certainly impressive. At the Royal Australian Mint, it was interesting to see how coins are made and how they’ve changed and improved over time. Our day concluded with a visit to the Australian War Memorial. We saw some incredible displays of planes, tanks, guns, a submarine and military clothes which were used in every conflict that Australia has been involved in. Participating in the Last Post Ceremony and laying a wreath in memory of those who have died was certainly a great honour.’