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Year 6 discover Canberra

Canberra, the carefully crafted capital of Australia, is crammed with cultural treasures as our Year 6 students discovered on their recent excursion, visiting all the top attractions there.

The students were fascinated to learn that the site of Australia’s capital city was chosen as a compromise between two age-old rival cities, Sydney and Melbourne, and that ‘Canberra’ is derived from an Aboriginal word ‘Kanbarra’ meaning ‘meeting place’. They also learnt about American architects, Walter Burley Griffin and his wife, Marion Mahony Griffin, who won an international competition to design the city.

Chloe said, “One of the things that I thought, ‘Wow! I’ve never heard that before’, was about how Canberra was named and designed. I learned that the architects tricked the competition holders, saying that only Walter designed it. They knew that they wouldn’t be able to win if they mentioned Marion because she was a lady!”

Inaugurated in the middle of WWII, the Imperial War Museum, a massive Byzantine-style monument to commemorate Australia's war fatalities, is Canberra's most poignant attraction.

Beyond the entrance, different galleries retrace the stories of Australia's armed conflicts from colonial days to the present.

However, it is much more than a war memorial, with an excellent museum, archives, art gallery, and library.

Our Year 6 students had the privilege of walking across a field of 62,000 poppies - one for every Australian who died in World War 1 - installed on the lawns to mark the 100th anniversary of Armistice Day.

“The War Memorial was amazing! All the poppies were beautiful, yet very sad. Although the whole place was very confronting, it was still very interesting and I Iearnt a lot from it,” said Claudia.

Chloe said, “I liked the War Memorial because we got to remember all the soldiers that not only died, but served our country at war and came back home. We also learnt a lot about the medals and wars.”

And Phoebe said, “I enjoyed the War Memorial because in the diagrams, I could see the battlefield laid out before me and experience it in my mind. We were also told about the Aborigines and their contribution to the war effort.”

Many of Canberra’s top attractions are located along the sparkling shores of Lake Burley Griffin. This includes the parliament buildings that lie within the Parliamentary Triangle, formed by Kings Avenue, Commonwealth Avenue, and the lake. The students were fascinated by the marvel of modern architecture that is New Parliament House. The boomerang-shaped structure nestles comfortably into Capital Hill and from the expansive grassed walkway, which forms the roof, they were able to enjoy panoramic views of Canberra.

Phoebe said, “I enjoyed Parliament House where we got to role-play The House of Representatives and understand how they make a law. And we were able to understand each person’s role and their importance.”

A particular highlight for many of the students was their visit to the National Electoral Education Centre (NEEC), which is located in the Senate Wing of Old Parliament House. It was a fun and interactive way to learn about Australia’s electoral system. And they were fortunate to meet with local MP, Mr Trent Zimmermann who kindly answered their questions about democracy and the role of a federal politician. 

“I enjoyed the NEEC because we got to do a preferential vote and we also learnt what you have to be to qualify to vote in Australia,” said Chloe.

Claudia said, “We participated in many activities and we voted for ‘Which fruit is the best’ and learnt about all the jobs behind accurately voting and counting. I had no idea how secure ballot papers are kept once they are used.”

Phoebe said, “I also learnt that when you cannot make it to the polling place, you are still able to vote by a postal vote.”

On the shores of Lake Burley Griffin, the National Gallery of Australia contains Australia's largest collection of art, with 11 main galleries on three levels, as well as a large sculpture garden laid out according to the four seasons. It has the largest collection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art in the world.

“The Art Gallery was really cool and the Australian landscapes… wow!” said Claudia. “The architecture of the buildings was so creative and unique. The ceiling itself was an artwork.”

Another highlight was Questacon, an interactive National Science and Technology Centre with interactive science displays and do-it-yourself experiments designed to delight and inspire.

“I really enjoyed Questacon with the slide,” said Claudia. “Although it was incredibly steep and petrifying, it was also really fun. The earthquake simulator was very bumpy, but I also learnt a lot about what it would be like to be in an earthquake. Man-made lighting was impressive, but very, very loud!”

The Australian Institute of Sport was another highlight. “It was an AMAZING experience because we got to have a look around the facilities, go to Sportex and do activities, which most of us haven’t done before,” said Chloe.

So why is it important for Year 6 students to visit Canberra? According to Claudia, “It is important for Year 6 students to visit Canberra, whether it be with school or with family, because you learn so much about democracy and Canberra itself.” Chloe said, “You get to see everything you talk and learn about in class in real life. When we went to Canberra I saw parliament right in front of my eyes.” And for Phoebe, “It allows the students to experience and see what they have been learning in real life. It also gives students a better understanding of their learning and gives them a fun aspect too.”