What a great way to begin the term!
Our Year 3-6 major excursion to Bathurst/Hill End was a funpacked three days. The students were treated to a range of engaging museums, hands peer bonding activities.
On Wednesday 12th October, the students were able to explore the Railway Museum. They were fascinated by the scaled model of the Bathurst railway. They were intrigued by the smallscale details and thoroughly enjoyed a treasure hunt. Mr Burley was a wealth of knowledge in this museum and was able to answer all the students’ questions.
After lunch in the park, the students and teachers then went for a lap around Mount Panorama, a stop at the lookout at the top and then a tour of the Car Museum. Students were delighted by the huge range of cars on display. Each student had a favourite car or bike some even had 2 or 3. We then trekked out to Hill End to get settled at our accommodation. The students enjoyed their free time as much as any of the tours and activities.
They played Tips, Red Rover, cards and chatted throughout their time away.
The weather stayed clear on Thursday 13th and the students took a tour of Hill End, looking at the way the town would have looked in its boom during the Gold Rush. Our tour guide Jo was absolutely mesmerising to listen to. He recited Henry Lawson poetry throughout our tour, answered the thousands of questions and accurately described how life would have been in the late 1800’s. The cemetery tour was fantastic with Jo reciting more poetry that echoed through the trees, giving the students more time to reflect on the past.
The next activity was gold panning in a secret location with our guide Jo. This was a highlight for many of the students and the teachers. There was much ‘Gold Fever’ amongst us and to the delight of the guides, students and teachers, everyone found gold. The value of the haul is not important (approximately 50c each) but we were able to get a sense of how the prospectors relished in finding gold!
Our next stop was at History Hill for a delicious lunch and a museum tour where the students could have spent numerous hours exploring the many, many items on display! We finished our tour with a demonstration of a stamper and a mine shaft tour. This tour was an experience for all. A gentle entry into the mine but to get out, 7 ladders straight up. Every student and teacher pushed themselves to the limit in this activity and felt a huge sense of achievement when they had surfaced! It shows the character and resiliance of all our students. Jo then took us for a tour of the Golden Gully where the students were able to look at some Cornish roasting pits. Nighttime activities consisted of games. The first night was all balloon games and the second night was all about thinking and memory games. It was such fun!
Friday morning was a pack up morning and then we travelled back to Bathurst to the Dinosaur Museum. There was an array of fossils, minerals and dinosaur bones. The students were amazed by the size of the dinosaurs and the variety of colours and shapes of the minerals that exist on our earth. We then travelled home with a short stop in Orange at the Adventure Playground. This excursion was without a doubt, one of the best that we have ever been involved in. The activities were outstanding, the student’s behaviour was impeccable and the weather held out for us.
The staff and students would like to thank Spence Coaches for all their organisation. A huge thank you to Mr Burley and Mrs Southon for their tireless supervision of the students. Excursions such as these cannot go ahead without them.
Report from the Trundle Central School Newsletter. Image Credits: Trundle Central School Facebook Page.