Sovereign Hill Camp 

Our Grade 5 camp to Sovereign Hill was an unforgettable experience that brought history to life. Walking through the gold rush town made us feel like we had stepped back into the 1850s. We dressed in old-fashioned clothes, tried gold panning, and explored historical shops and buildings. It was wonderful to see the children's curiosity sparked as they interacted with Ma’am in their schooling experience as they got a taste of life as a child from the 1850s in the Ballarat gold rush. A highlight was the Aura sound and light show. It offered a powerful overview of gold formation, Indigenous perspectives, and the Eureka Stockade. It helped tie our learning together in a meaningful way. The camp supported our curriculum beautifully and gave students a deeper appreciation for Australia's history. Most of all, it was a joy to see our grade 5's so engaged, respectful, and enthusiastic throughout their time at Sovereign Hill.

Chins Up Backs Straight!

Have you ever been to Sovereign Hill?  Well, if you haven’t you have to go! 5MC went to St Peter’s, “the finest school on the diggings” for two days and we transformed into children from the 1850’s. We went gold panning, watched someone make a gold bar (worth $500,000), watched how candles were made and we were even lucky enough to go to the Aura Sound and Light Show that taught us about Indigenous history and the Eureka Stockade. At St Peters Denominational School we learnt our 3R’s, (reading, writing and arithmetic) 3S’s (Size, Shape and Slope) and the best ways to learn are “Discipline and Repetition”. We were taught to be sneaky and devious, especially when the Victor came. On the second day we even got time to go shopping and explore the 1850's town and shops! Our experience at St Peters Denominational school and our time at Sovereign Hill came to an end. It was 100% the best camp ever!

By Kiara Whelan