Our Year 6 cohort recently attended an educational tour of the national capital, Canberra. They had the opportunity to participate in a variety of educational programs focused on Australia’s history, culture, heritage, and democracy. The Australian Government recognises the importance of all young Australians being able to visit the national capital as part of their Civics and Citizenship education. To assist families in meeting the cost of the excursion the Australian Government is contributing funding to our school in the amount of $90 per student under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate program towards those costs. This rebate is paid directly to the school upon completion of the trip and has been factored into the cost charged to families.

There were many engaging and educational experiences throughout the week. During the tour of Parliament House, students visited the Senate and House of Representatives and learned how the Federal Government makes decisions. At the High Court, they observed a case in session and gained insight into Australia’s legal system. They also explored the history of Australian democracy and the founding of Canberra through a variety of exhibitions. A particularly moving experience was the visit to the Australian War Memorial, where students followed the stories of defence force members and located relatives or notable individuals they had researched on the Roll of Honour.

Other highlights of the trip included the Sportex experience at the Australian Institute of Sport, where students tried their hand at various sports through interactive exhibits. Questacon by Night was a firm favourite, with students exploring hands-on science displays, squealing down the gravity slide, and braving the Earthquake Room. The group also travelled to the Snowy Hydro Discovery Centre and then up to Perisher for an afternoon of snow play. There were plenty of snowballs thrown (mostly at the teachers!) and a friendly snowman-building competition. We were even lucky enough to see snow falling during the afternoon.
The week was a valuable opportunity for our Year 6 students to grow in resilience and independence. They proved to themselves that they can do hard things. We are incredibly proud of the way they represented Lourdes Hill College at every site we visited.

A sincere thank you to our dedicated staff who travelled with the group and supported our students throughout the week.