Year 9 Impact Program

Melbourne city excursion - Year 9 Impact Program

Archie Fifoot, Maddie Prentice, Sophie Padgett and Aanika Kumar, Year 9 

In May, the Year 9 students set out to explore Melbourne, visiting parts of the city that bring people and cultures together.

To prepare for our upcoming Transformative Expeditions, we planned and navigated routes around Albert Park Lake and the Tan at the Royal Botanic Gardens. After completing this walk, some of us realised that we need to work on building the physical fitness required for the upcoming expeditions!

During a fun guided tour of the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), we learnt more about the history of Australian sports. There was lots to take in, from holograms of famous Australian athletes to old medals and trophies. Following this, we explored Games On and participated in loads of interactive sporting activities.

We explored many laneways in the city during the Street Art Tour, including those famous for their incredible displays of art. This experience helped us to appreciate the street artists and the diverse ways in which they portray their talents.

At the Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre in The Melbourne Museum, we discovered what life was like before British settlers arrived in Australia and the harsh impact of colonisation on Aboriginal communities and their culture. Our favourite part of the museum was Bunjil’s wings, a dark room illuminated by a hanging kinetic sculpture in the centre, moving and glowing. 

Overall, this museum taught the stories of Aboriginal people, their connection to and survival on the land, and celebrated their vibrant cultures through storytelling, artwork and native artifacts.

We also participated in a class on self-defense through the art of Wing Chun Kung Fu. In this class, we learned how to improve our balance, identify pressure points in the human body and develop skills for de-escalation. We were also taught various techniques to defend ourselves from attackers. This was an informative session!

Overall, this was an enriching and enlightening excursion that broadened our understanding of Melbourne's cultural landscape and equipped us with valuable skills for our upcoming expeditions.