Carlsruhe Annexe / 

Main Campus - Year 4

Captain Cook’s Cottage 

On Monday, the 24th of March 2025, the Year 4 students eagerly embarked on their memorable excursion to the historic Captain Cook’s Cottage nestled within the picturesque Fitzroy Gardens. They were captivated by the compact size of the cottage and marvelled at how remarkably small the rooms were, imagining the challenges of living in such confined spaces during that era.

We were extremely proud of the students throughout the day for being respectful and listening attentively to the guides during the informative sessions. They eagerly participated in the discussions about artefacts connected to Captain Cook and his first voyage to Australia.

We would like to thank Blair Hobbs, Tracy Cheney, Rachel Hewitt and Catherine Powell for helping us with the supervision of the children on this day. 

History of the cottage

Originally located in Yorkshire, England, and built in 1755 by the parents of Captain James Cook, Cooks’ Cottage was brought to Melbourne by Sir Russell Grimwade in 1934. The cottage was deconstructed brick by brick and packed into 253 cases and 40 barrels for shipping on board Port Dunedin[1

Navigator and explorer Captain James Cook never lived in the cottage – he’d been away from home for almost 10 years when his father built it – but this connection to the Cook family was enough to prompt Grimwade to transport the cottage to the other side of the world. Astonishingly, each brick was individually numbered, packed into barrels and then shipped to Australia, along with cuttings of the original ivy coverings.

The Fitzroy Gardens

The students immersed themselves in the enchanting Fitzroy Gardens, embarking on the thrilling outdoor adventure challenge in the heritage-listed grounds. Beginning their quest at the Fitzroy Gardens Visitor Centre, the children eagerly collected their maps, ready to navigate the lush pathways and solve 12 intriguing questions scattered throughout the gardens. They were extremely excited when they found a playground during their journey through the garden, where they happily slid down the colourful dragon.

Athletics sports day – Tuesday 25.3.25

The students from Years 4 to 6 displayed their energy and enthusiasm during a dynamic day packed with athletic events. They participated in discus, shot put, the 100 & 200 metre races, long jump, high jump, vortex throwing and triple jump. The atmosphere buzzed with camaraderie as students cheered on their peers with genuine positivity and heartfelt encouragement. A special thank you goes to Mrs Connell, whose impeccable planning ensured the day unfolded seamlessly. Warm gratitude also extends to the supportive parents and grandparents, whose contributions added to the resounding success of this day.

Local Carlsruhe History and Yelka Trail

All students enjoyed a local Carlsruhe history walk where they explored the Yelka Trail, sketched the Campaspe River and learned about important people and places during early settlement in the 1800’s from the original hotel to Cobb and Co road. 

Carlsruhe Annexe Friday Activities 

Last week, we had so much fun cooking cheesy zucchini muffins (zucchinis fresh from our garden), making friendship bracelets, planting sugar snap peas, painting stones for our Indigenous Garden, learning calligraphy and learning about our diverse beautiful trees! 

Year 4 Teachers

Ashleigh Dodds (4AD), Lisa Sutch (4LS), Louise Safstrom/Alison Meggs (4SM)