Fun Fact 1: There were 11 ships in the First Fleet to Australia, the same number of biscuits in a packet of Tim Tams!
On Friday 1 September, Year 4 learnt this fact and many others as we embarked on a journey to the depths of Australia's interesting, and sometimes, upsetting history.
Our first stop was the Museum of Sydney. Did you know the Museum of Sydney is actually built on the site of the first Governor's house? We saw the original building's foundations under the Museum floor, as well as other relics uncovered from the time of the early colony.
While at the Museum, we studied artefacts, learned about life for Indigenous Australians before and after British colonisation, discovered how Indigenous Australians hunt and gather food, and were taught how to identify different types of spears (some used for hunting and others designed to cause injury). We also experienced how challenging communication between the British and Indigenous Australians actually was. It was fascinating to consider colonisation from two very different perspectives.
Fun Fact 2: The metal studs in the concrete outside the Museum of Sydney are not for decoration or to help those with vision impairment. They actually outline the original floor plan of Governor Phillip's house.
After stopping for lunch at the Royal Botanic Gardens, we walked to the Hyde Park Barracks Museum, where we learned about convict life in the early days of the penal colony. Year 4 were shocked by the convicts' personal hygiene and very grateful that we live in a time of running water and hot showers.
As convicts, we were put in leg irons, ordered to don our convict shirts and set to hard labour building fireplaces. We learned how to identify convicts and organise a convict roll call system to ensure no one escaped. Finally, we were released to 'relax' in convict hammocks.
After making sure none of our charges had escaped, we clambered back onto the bus to return to the 21st century, grateful for the experience of those who have come before us, and now more informed as we look to the future.