The much anticipated Year 6 Canberra Tour was a huge success.

In the early hours of Tuesday October 17, 80 students prepared themselves to set off for our nation’s Capital.

The four-day educational tour gave students an opportunity to participate in a variety of educational programs with a focus on Australia’s history, culture, heritage and democracy.

In order to take full advantage of the many attractions Canberra had to offer, the tour began early with the students arriving at Adelaide Airport at 4.45am and the itinerary was certainly jam packed! The tour included visits to National Museum of Australia, Parliament House, Australian War Memorial, and the Australian Institute of Sport.

The students also visited Questacon, Government House, Mt Ainslie Lookout, Deep Space Communication Complex, National Electoral Education Centre, CSIRO Discovery Centre and National Capital Museum. Students took part in a range of activities, met many inspiring people and enjoyed everything that our Capital has to offer.

In between these venues they enjoyed a driving tour of the embassies, a cycle around part of Lake Burley Griffin and plenty of stops at playgrounds and parks to run around and have a bite of lunch, a morning snack or afternoon tea.

Nights were spent at Leumeah Lodge where they were treated to comfortable beds and hearty meals to give them the energy to engage in rich learning experiences throughout the day.

Many of the students found Cycle Canberra, Questacon and the Australian Institute of Sport highlights because of the interactive component. Both groups were privileged to attend Parliament House when members of parliament were in session. The Upperhouse group were particularly excited to see Anthony Albanese in action.

“I really enjoyed Parliament House because it was really interesting seeing what they talk about in the house of representatives and the senate. It was also super cool seeing Anthony Albanese at the house of representatives.” – Scarlett

“I loved all of the places that we visited, but a couple of my highlights were Cycle Canberra, because the lake was beautiful. Not only that, but all of the trees and the different elements of nature made the ride wonderful. I also really enjoyed Mt Ainslie because it had an amazing view. I wish I had a camera, because then I could keep the memory forever.” – Sasha

“My ultimate highlight was the High Court of Australia because I was able to learn about Australian law and how the Constitution works. I also enjoyed engaging in healthy debates with the tour guide about Australian history at the National Museum.” – Archie

The tour linked to many parts of the Year 6 curriculum, particularly the Civics and Citizenship portion of the HASS curriculum and the Learning Area: The World Around Me from our DARE – Year 6 Graduate Diploma. The Australian Government supports such tours to Canberra and is acknowledged below:

The Australian Government recognises the importance of all young Australians being able to visit their national capital as part of their Civics and Citizenship education. To assist us in meeting the cost of the excursion the Australian Government contributed $90 per student under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate (PACER) program towards the costs. The rebate is paid directly to the school upon completion of the excursion. SPW would like to thank the Australian Government for their support of this program.