International Student Program 

Sovereign Hill Excursion 

All week we were watching the weather forecast for Ballarat, worried that we would have a similar downpour to the one we experienced when we visited the Moonlit Sanctuary in term 2.  

Although we want to share the Australian culture and our tourist sites with our international students, we were hoping that we did not also have to share the unpredictable nature of Victorian weather. And although it was a little overcast, the rain held off and we got to enjoy the full Sovereign Hill experience.

Students started the day panning for gold, with some of them convinced they would be lucky enough to find a slither of the elusive, precious metal and many certain that they had. They gripped those shovels and worked hard; I am sure if they had been around in the late 1800s, they would have been successful with their pure determination alone.  

The next activity was a little more satisfying. After watching confectionary being made, we all got to indulge in Sovereign Hill’s famous boiled lollies.  

We explored the streets, watched actors perform, some students dipped candles, while others sat in the little cafe to enjoy lunch. 

We ended the day with an underground mine tour. It took time adjusting to the darkness, the low ceilings and what felt like the start of a rollercoaster ride, but we enjoyed the information provided by our mandarin speaking tour guide.  

The day provided another wonderful opportunity for our international students from across all year levels to meet and have fun together, even if the singing on the bus was a little loud! 

On September 6th, we went to Sovereign Hill. We first experienced the gold panning, it was fun, although I did not find any gold, but the little boy next to me did! And he showed it to me. I was so happy for him. After that, we also visited some local shops, which had some beautiful clothes, hats, gloves, which were very stylish and beautiful. Then we went to make candles, and a staff member in a uniform showed us how to dye the white candles rainbow colours. After that, we also went to visit the whole process of making candy. He gave us some freshly made strawberry flavoured candies, which were very delicious. Finally, we went underground to see the traces left by the miners in 1851, where they found gold, and we saw some transportation equipment. This is the end of our day's journey. It was unforgettable. 

Yiyi DUAN 

Year 8 

I really had a good time at Sovereign Hill during the excursion. I was especially impressed by the history of gold digging in Melbourne. Also, we were able to see how the life was back in days by the display of traditional buildings and facilities, which made me understand more about the past of Australia in a different aspect. 

Amy YAO 

Year 9