VCE VM

Enterprize Sailing Excursion

On Thursday 29th May the VCE Vocational Major and Ignite classes travelled to Docklands to board the Enterprize, a fully operational replica of a tall ship originally constructed in Hobart in 1830.

A huge thank you to Tori and Natalie for allowing me to share their excursion reflections.

Our trip on the boat

Our trip on the boat - a reflection by Tori Jane Kilpatrick... We arrived at the train station at 9:00 AM, excited for the day ahead. After a smooth journey, we got to Southern Cross Station around 10:30 AM. The city was busy and full of energy as we made our way to the tram stop. We caught a tram that took us through the streets of Melbourne to our first destination, we reached the dock where an old wooden ship called the Enterprize was waiting for us.

Once on board the Enterprize, we were given the chance to take part in some hands-on sailing activities. We followed commands from the crew, helping to raise sails and learning how sailors in the past worked together to control the ship. We spent about an hour onboard, even sailing under a bridge, which made us realise just how small the boat really was. It was fascinating to think about how people used to travel and transport goods on such a compact vessel.

After the sailing session, we returned to shore and walked over to a nearby classroom. There, we listened to a man who gave a detailed talk about the historical background of the Enterprize, explaining its importance in Melbourne's early settlement and trade. It gave us a much better understanding of what life was like back then and why the ship was such an important part of history.

The tram we got on was extremely crowded, and we had to squeeze in just to find space. It was a bit chaotic, but eventually, we made it to our stop. We were given about 30 minutes of free time to grab some food or snacks before heading home. Ruby and I managed to find the rest of the group, and once everyone was back together, we boarded the train and began the journey back to Seymour. It was a full and exciting day, filled with learning, exploring, and spending time together in the city.

Enterprize Sailing Trip reflection by Natalie Coad... On Thursday May 29, 2025, the Year 11 VM, Year 12 VM and Ignite classes traveled to Melbourne to sail on a ship called the Enterprize.

When we were setting sail and pulling up at port, the crew told us to stand on the starboard side of the boat so they could have a clear view of what they needed to work on. During the trip I got to climb the rigging, steer the boat, open the sails and go below deck.

My favorite activity was steering the Enterprize. It was a special experience as only me and one other student got to do it. While I was steering the boat I loved hearing all the history from the volunteers and the captain. Another thing I loved about steering the boat was getting to navigate the ship around other boats and water traffic.

Another one of my favorite things I did on the boat was talking to Dom and getting to know her and what her role is on the boat. Dom is one of the crew members on the Enterprize and some of her jobs where to climb out to the front of the boat and untie the Jib, climb up the rigging and untie the mainsail and the Foresail and swing out of the boat to the dock to moor the boat and help tie it up if necessary. She was really funny and witty and I actually found out that she was also a comedian!

I would one hundred percent recommend this to anyone if they asked me, it was such a fun experience but not only was it fun it was also very educational. If you ever get the chance to go on the Enterprize you should definitely try and do everything they offer because it was all so great and I had the best time