Earlier this term, forty-four students from Year 9 and 10, accompanied by six staff took part in a tour of Melbourne, Canberra and the Snow. The tour began in Melbourne, where students experienced some of the best attractions Melbourne has to offer including the Queen Victoria markets, the Melbourne Museum, the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, the LUME exhibition, Mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral and a tour of the Old Melbourne Gaol. For many of the students, the highlight of their time in Melbourne was witnessing the spectacle of the Melbourne Cricket Ground where students watched the Brisbane Lions take on Collingwood in a nail-biting game with Collingwood winning by a single point.
It was then on to the nation’s capital, Canberra where students were given the opportunity to participate in a variety of educational programs with a focus on Australia’s history, culture, heritage, and democracy. Students were lucky to visit Parliament House on a parliamentary sitting day where they were able to see both houses of parliament in action and were met by Member for Hasluck, Ms Tanya Lawrence MP. Other visits while in Canberra included the Museum of Australian Democracy, the National Museum of Australia, Government House, the Royal Australian Mint, Questacon and the Australian War Memorial.
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 tour, the Australian Government has contributed funding in the amount of $510.00 per student under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate program towards those costs. The rebate is paid directly to the College upon completion of the excursion.
In the final leg of the tour, students travelled to Berridale in New South Wales’ Snowy Mountains, their base for two full days of experiencing either skiing or snowboarding at Thredbo. Students took part in lessons in their chosen snow sport and had time to practice and hone their new skills, with many of the students becoming quite proficient by the end of their time in the snow.
The Melbourne-Canberra and Snow tour was a tremendous opportunity for students in all aspects of the College LIFE Curriculum and students have returned with many new experiences and great memories. The College is now in the preliminary stages of planning for the tour in 2025 and further information will be made available to families shortly.
Ms Karen Taylor
Learning Area Leader – Humanities and Social Sciences
