The Year 4 students had a wonderful time on their recent excursion to Fremantle. The trip included visits to The Shipwrecks Museum and Fremantle Prison. Our session at The Shipwrecks Museum took the students back in time through the centuries to the height of the Age of Discovery and Exploration. The activities were focused on learning about the journey and mission of Willem de Vlamingh, as he explored the coast of the ‘Southland’, searching for lost ships, making maps, collecting natural specimens and leaving behind what became one of the most famous objects in the Shipwrecks Museum’s collection.  

Whilst both venues presented wonderful learning opportunities that enabled our students to develop their historical understanding through the key concepts of cause and effect, perspectives, empathy and significance, the highlight of the excursion was no doubt the visit to Fremantle Prison. We explored the building and cells of Fremantle Prison and discovered what life was like for the convicts who were transported to the Swan River Colony. The students were also fascinated by the stories of famous convicts such as Moondyne Joe and his many escapes. We were very fortunate to have excellent guides during our tours, whose passion for sharing the history associated with the venues was clearly evident in the way they shared their knowledge and interacted with the children. The Year 4 teachers and students would also like to extend a huge thank you to our wonderful parent helpers for their assistance on the day.