Year 4/5

This term in our “Australian Colonies” unit, students learned about how Australia began as a group of British colonies—places set up by Britain from 1788 until 1901. We explored how the first colonies were founded, why people came (including convicts, settlers, and soldiers), and what life was like for everyone: the new arrivals, the people who already lived here, and those who had to adapt to big changes. Throughout the term, students investigated key events, looked at maps and stories, and thought about how the colonies grew, how people lived differently, and how these early times still matter to Australia today.

The students tried writing diary entries imagining they are convicts transported to the Australian colonies. Follow these QR codes to see some of our work.