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On Saturday 9 December 2017, 43 excited Year 9s and four teachers set off for a whirlwind tour of Canberra. The trip provided an invaluable opportunity to participate in a variety of activities, with a focus on Australia’s history, culture, heritage and democracy.

group parliament house distant   group parliament house

From the very first minute we set foot in Canberra, it was a whirlwind of action. We could almost smell the adrenalin at the AIS, brushing shoulders with future Olympians (maybe) before taking a walk back in time at the National Dinosaur Museum.  

The following day was dedicated to the exploration of our democracy, with visits to the Museum of Democracy, The Australian Electoral Commission and Parliament house. It was great to see how much the kids remembered from Social Studies this year! 

 voting board   AEC1

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 program and contributes $60 per student towards costs of the trip through PACER (Parliament and Civics Education Rebate). Golden Grove High School acknowledges and thanks PACER for this valuable funding.

 AEC2  AEC3

The following two days were dedicated to Science and the Arts, with the National Zoo and Aquarium, Questacon and the National Gallery of Australia being highlights. 

For many of us the pinnacle of the trip was the visit to The War Memorial; while the displays and activities were informative, laying a wreath at the Memorial of the Lost Soldier and placing a poppy on the Honour Wall were amazing experiences that many students will remember forever. 

As well as the many educational activities, camp was a blast. Those who went will never forget the pool party at the hotel or the bus sing along on the long ride home.  

An information session will be run later in Term One 2018, so if you are in Year 9, come along and find out about an amazing opportunity!