VCAL News 

On the 3rd of August, the Intermediate and Senior VCAL classes made their way to Sovereign Hill. The aim of this excursion was to identify and consider occupational health and safety changes in industrial, domestic and civil settings. 

Upon arrival at Sovereign Hill, we were met by our guide for the day. We learnt about the change in working conditions during the Industrial Revolution, and how this changed the lives of all the workers and their families. This was portrayed through visuals of the Creswick Mining Disaster, a walk through the wheel making factory, and a train ride down into the pitch-black mines, accompanied by a sound and light display. 

We learnt about what caused the Creswick Mining Disaster, which trapped 27 and killed 22 men, when one of the mines began to flood into the second mine. In the wheel making factory, we caught a glimpse of how the production of wheels drastically changed once the industrial revolution began.

We saw the schools that the boys in the families attended before being sent to work, and the duties that girls and women were expected to undertake during the day. 

All around, it was a great day of learning and reflection, and lots of fun was had. 

Sienna Dridan and Lilah Johnston 

Senior VCAL