Year 6 Camp to Canberra
Holly Krischock, Year 6
The Year 6s went on an amazing camp to Canberra from 21 to 25 October. This camp was like no other, as it offered us exclusive experiences available only to school groups.
We participated in the Last Post Service at the War Memorial, took a behind-the-scenes tour of New Parliament House, and visited Government House, where two students even had the chance to play the piano in the Drawing Room.
Monday was mostly spent settling into Canberra, but we also visited the National Archives of Australia. Here, we learned about the Emu War and saw the original Australian Constitution, along with a draft with notes by Edmund Barton.
On Tuesday, our first full day, we visited the new and old Parliament Houses, with the old Parliament House now transformed into the Museum of Australian Democracy (MOAD).
Next, we went to the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC), where we learned about how voting works and why it’s important. We even got to take part in a mock election, which gave us a deeper understanding about voting!
Wednesday was a jam-packed day. We toured Government House, tried orienteering at the National Arboretum, and visited Questacon, the War Memorial, and the High Court. My favourite places were the War Memorial and the High Court.
At the War Memorial, my fellow Junior School Co-Captain, Dante, and I had the honour of laying a wreath. We both felt incredibly grateful for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and were honoured to be part of such a meaningful ceremony.
On Thursday, we started with a tour of the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), followed by the National Capital Exhibition and Embassy Drive, and finished at the National Portrait Gallery.
As part of the AIS tour, we saw world-class sports facilities and got to play in a room filled with games testing our strength, agility, balance, and other skills needed by professional athletes.
On our final day, Friday, we visited the Royal Australian Mint and the National Museum of Australia. At the Mint, we learned all about coins, including their history, design, and how they’re made.
I hope future Year 6 students will enjoy Canberra as much as we did!