Stage Three were so excited to go to Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory. We’re sure nobody went to sleep the night before because of all the excitement. When we arrived at school, the teachers got their things ready and got all the medication off students and marked the roll. Gary was our bus driver. He also told us the name of the coach was Foolish Carriage and it was a double decker bus and had screens for us to watch movies. At first we really enjoyed watching the Tooth Fairy. Ali even lost a tooth while we were watching it! After we finished the Tooth Fairy, we stopped at Goulburn to have a break and played a lot of fun games. A lot of people spun on a wheel which was really cool and we all got dizzy. After that we went back on the bus and we were even closer to Canberra and the excitement was still building up. When we were finally in Canberra, Gary decided to take us up an enormous hill to see all of Canberra. We took some photos together then we went down the hill and ate lunch. The boys played hide and seek tips and everyone had a little fun, then we walked across the road to the War Memorial. The War Memorial was a place of silence and remembrance. We had lots of fun and we also learnt a lot of things. The first place we went to was the Flight Memorial. This was the place where they exhibited the air force men and their planes. We watched an action film which was about the bombings that the Royal Australian Air Force pilots did during the Second World War. They also showed us a motion picture animation that showed the young Australian men fighting in their planes against the Germans. Many people died during the wars. We also saw the equipment that the Australians used against the enemy forces. There was also a huge wall that had millions of names of Australians soldiers that had died in wars. People could also put a poppy next to a persons name to remember them. There was also a huge shrine that had a buried person inside of it. He was unknown to anyone and he represents all of the people who went to war and never came back. The doors of the Memorial were directly opposite the Old and New Parliament house. After visiting the souvenir shop, we got back on the bus and drove to Questacon. We took some pictures outside of Questacon. Inside, we did activities that were really fun. One of them was called Earthquake House, in which you are in a room and the room moves and it is similar to a real earthquake. One of the other activities was Freefall or The Drop, in which you fall down a steep slide. That was exciting but scary at the same time. We also bought some souvenirs or toys from the shop and looked at sciency stuff. We did lots of other interesting science activities. In one, we were on a green screen and waited for a light flash. When the light flash finished, you could see your own shadow. If we started again, the new shadows appeared. We saw lots of optical illusions.We were so amazed by some of the illusions and couldn't believe our eyes. The best thing about Questacon is that it was so hands on. We got to touch and experiment with lots of things. We also saw a water fountain, with cool effects and zigzag lines in which water comes down. We saw a long tunnel with blue lights flashing. There were blue and white lines on top of the tunnel. We also saw a lightning flash. We had to wait for 15 minutes, then the lightning happened. The lightning came out of a machine inside a cage. Questacon was interesting and awesome. | |
After visiting Questacon we went to the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS). It had many statues of sports and athletes at the front of the AIS. We then went inside and Daniel, our guide, told us about his sport, Foot Bag. Then we were allowed to visit the souvenir shop. We all got a gift from Daniel which was a book and a pen. Then he showed us his sport. He said he has won numerous World Championships and once someone fell over their shoelace in the semi-finals. Then we started our tour. First we went to the Gymnastics training centre. We saw someone getting ice on her shoulder and it didn’t look good, someone was riding an exercise bike and people training for the World Championship, which was coming up. We then visited the volleyball courts which were really special because they were used at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. They were made from a rubbery surface. The net was 243cm and the world record for high jump is a whopping height of 245cm. Next we went to the gym that is used by all the athletes and then walked to the Swim Centre. We were surprised that the pools were only 25m. People were just finishing their training. The most fun part of the AIS was Sportex. There were so many activities for us to do, such as rock climbing, soccer, rowing, basketball, cycling, AFL, cricket, bob-sledding, NRL, running, arm wrestling, skiing, jumping and stretching. We stayed for an hour, playing and having so much fun. |
After the AIS, we finally arrived at our cabins. We had dinner as soon as we arrived, then the teachers sorted us out into cabins. Mrs McCabe sorted out the boys and Mrs Chegwidden sorted out the girls. Most of us were happy with who were in our cabins, but some were a little unhappy. When we were settled in the cabins, we had our showers and we had our sneaky little snacks. We had to stay in our rooms from 9:00pm and go to bed at 10:00pm. Although we had an hour, it didn't feel like it. Some naughty people had teachers in their rooms until they went to sleep. When we all went to sleep, the teachers went to bed because they had to look after us. We had a lot of fun at the cabins, but we didn't get much sleep. In the morning Mrs McCabe and some other teachers knocked on our doors at 6 o'clock and said, "Wake up boys and girls," but some of us were so exhausted from the day before that we didn't want to get up. Others were already up and dressed. The teachers told us to get dressed and pack our suitcases and then we put our bags in our cabin and went off to eat our breakfast in the cafeteria. In the cafeteria, we had two choices of food, which were cereals and bacon or sausage with scrambled eggs.We were allowed to eat both of the breakfasts if we wanted to and the food was so delicious. In the cafeteria, Mrs McCabe named some of the foods that we could order for our lunch. After that we went to our cabins to get our things and clean our rooms that we slept in and then we had to put our bags out side to put on the bus. We then drove to the National Museum. |
The National Museum is all about things that have happened in Australia's past. Outside of the National Museum was a sculpture that looked like a big shoelace. We were told that it was called the Uluru Line, because if you follow it for a very long time, it will take you to Uluru, believe it or not! Inside the Museum, it had dead animals, a skeleton of the Tasmanian Tiger and the biggest heart that belong to the fastest horse in history - Phar Lap. There was a movie room called Circa, that had screens on the ceiling and walls. The room turned around in order of the years and what happened in the past. There was a suitcase that told a story about about a man and his family. His country, Latvia, was invaded by Germany in World War II. He was forced to join the German Army while his family lived in a camp in Germany. When the war finished, he then went back to his country but everything was destroyed. He and his family moved to Australia and bought their big, green suitcase with them. He was an architect and he had to work for the Government for 2 years as part of the deal for being allowed to settle here. He also built his own house. He died from a heart attack so his wife had to live alone with her children. When she died, their children gave away the suitcase, but the people from the National Museum found it at the Salvos and bought it for $10. It told a lot about their history, including the list of what they brought with them to Australia. There were so many artifacts at the Museum that told stories from Australia's past. |
Next we went to the High Court of Australia. Firstly, we went to Court 1, where people go if they have an issue with the changes in Laws made by the Federal Government (changes to the Constitution). We had 2 tour guides. They talked about when federation started and the different State emblems. In the room, there were 7 seats at the very front for the Justices to sit in. There were tables for the lawyers to sit at. In front of them were the barristers.
Then we went to Court 2. It was similar to Courtroom 1, but on the wall behind the Justices was the Australian Coat of Arms. There were less Justices and less barristers. Court 2 is for appeals. If one side were not happy with the decision made in their local court, they can appeal it to the next level. If the other side was unhappy, they can appeal to Court 2. Whatever decision is made there is the final decision as it is the highest level of court.
Then we went to Court 2. It was similar to Courtroom 1, but on the wall behind the Justices was the Australian Coat of Arms. There were less Justices and less barristers. Court 2 is for appeals. If one side were not happy with the decision made in their local court, they can appeal it to the next level. If the other side was unhappy, they can appeal to Court 2. Whatever decision is made there is the final decision as it is the highest level of court.
After the High Court, we had lunch out side on the grass area. The meals were ham and cheese, chicken and mayo, vegetarian, chicken and salad. We had some water with it. We had fun on the grass playing tips. The food was so yummy. While we ate we saw only trees and the nice view of the flags of different countries. We also saw the beautiful Lake Burley Griffin. We heard the tower with fifty-five bells and the bells were ringing like a song.
Parliament House was an amazing building. We visited the New Parliament House. When we made it up the stairs, there was a welcome room with water and (YUMMY!) fruit bars. Most of the kids went off to the displays filled with materials that were used for the whole Parliament House! We visited 2 different chambers - The House of Representatives and the Senate.
In the House of Representatives we saw where the Speaker sits and saw the two boxes that were replicas of boxes that sat in the British House of Commons that were destroyed in the bombings in World War 2. Inside the boxes were the Holy Books of the religions of all of the Members of Parliament. There were books on the table that contained all of the Acts of Parliament. We saw where the Hansard Reporters sit, as well as the soundproof glass area where students can sit when parliament is in session, as well as the press gallery, where journalists sit. We learned that when a vote is going to happen, bells ring and Parliamentarians have 4 minutes to get to the Chamber. After 4 minutes the doors are locked. The House of Representatives is green because our Government is based on the British Westminster system, where they have a House of Commons, that is green, and a House of Lords, that is red. It is also because that is the colour of Australia's beautiful Eucalyptus leaves.
In the House of Representatives we saw where the Speaker sits and saw the two boxes that were replicas of boxes that sat in the British House of Commons that were destroyed in the bombings in World War 2. Inside the boxes were the Holy Books of the religions of all of the Members of Parliament. There were books on the table that contained all of the Acts of Parliament. We saw where the Hansard Reporters sit, as well as the soundproof glass area where students can sit when parliament is in session, as well as the press gallery, where journalists sit. We learned that when a vote is going to happen, bells ring and Parliamentarians have 4 minutes to get to the Chamber. After 4 minutes the doors are locked. The House of Representatives is green because our Government is based on the British Westminster system, where they have a House of Commons, that is green, and a House of Lords, that is red. It is also because that is the colour of Australia's beautiful Eucalyptus leaves.
In the Senate, we saw how the kangaroo and emu on the Australian Coat of Arms look at the leaders of the opposition and the government, rather than looking at one another as they usually do. The Coat of Arms in Court 2 of the High Court was the same. The Senate was different shades of red based on the blossoms of the Eucalyptus tree. Behind the chair of the President, was a chair that is there for the Queen. Unfortunately, she has never sat in the chair, but the Governor-General (the representative of the Queen) sits there. The Senate is smaller than the House of Representatives, as it only has 76 Senators, whereas the House of Representatives has 150 Members. The Senate has a red exit sign, which they had to get specially made to go with the red colour sceme.
After a long 2 days of fun and learning in Canberra, we had to head home. Since it was a long trip, our teachers provided movies for us to watch on the way home. We watched a movie called ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ and thought that it was cute when the little Oompa Loompas sang random songs. It was a fantastic movie! We stopped on the way home at McDonalds to have a little, yummy snack. Even though, it was FREEZING, we managed to enjoy it. We hopped back onto the bus and continued on our trip back to school. We arrived at school at approximately 7:30. It was a fabulous overnight excursion! We all hope to attend another great overnight excursion like this!
Have you been to any of the places that we visited? If not, would you like to visit and why?
What was an interesting fact that you learned in Canberra or from our post?
If you could visit any capital city in the world, what would it be and why?
What was an interesting fact that you learned in Canberra or from our post?
If you could visit any capital city in the world, what would it be and why?