LEARN about the early explorers and founding settlers on the Birrarung or Yarra Yarra River and the events that led to a settlement in defiance of British law.
VISIT landmarks that tell stories of the colonisation period such as settlement explorer locations, Indigenous, shipping, gold rush, Eureka, Marvellous Melbourne.
DURING the tour each student assumes an early Melbourne identity
VIEW early paintings, maps, and documents e.g. historic pictures, timelines.
DISCOVER the impact of settlers on the Indigenous people and landscapes of the Kulin Nation.
WHEN: School excursions are normally up to two hours by arrangement at a time of your convenience.
WHERE: Our tours usually start and finish at Federation Square or from the Immigration Museum.

SEE: BOOKINGS AND PRICES  –   FOR INDIVIDUALS, GROUPS AND SCHOOLS

See also our other Early Melbourne School Excursions below:

• MELBOURNE CITY DISCOVERY TOUR. More.
• MELBOURNE INDIGENOUS LANDSCAPES TOUR. More
• A NEW LAND – PORT PHILLIP DISTRICT 1830-1860. More.
• MELBOURNE GEOGRAPHY TOUR. More.
• TRADERS AND EXPLORERS. More.
  
• MELBOURNE EXPLORERS SCHOOL EXCURSION. More.
• THE GOLDEN MILE – MARVELLOUS MELBOURNE. More.

Students of all ages respond enthusiastically to this challenging and stimulating journey by the Yarra River to early Melbourne locations and buildings in the Melbourne CBD. This interactive two-hour program allows them to explore the events of the early settlement periods and the impact on the history, identity and culture of today’s Melbourne by visiting places that tell stories about historic milestones. We provide interactive activities such as bushtucker, visit building buildings,  handle artifacts, and examine images. They meet challenges in a fun way that promotes learning and questioning. We can also design a  specific mix of destinations and activities to meet your specific learning needs including from our many other school programs.

Once again thank you so much for our series of Early Melbourne walks, the students loved them and they were so informative and engaging.
Lumen Christi, Point Cook

All three groups had a wonderful time… The boys (and teachers!) gained so much from your knowledge and expertise.  It was a wonderful way to start our unit and get the boys to engage with their learning and appreciate the impact of white settlement on the indigenous and the development of Melbourne in general.  They loved hearing your stories and much of what you presented is being followed up and explored even further in the classroom.
Scotch College

SOME LOCATIONS WE MAY VISIT

• Pre-1835. Federation Wharf, Birramung Marr Park and the Yarra Yarra. Birrarug Marr celebrates the Birrarung ‘River of Mists’ and the original federation of the Kulin Nation. The ‘Yarra Yarra’ was the site of the first explorers and settlers arrival in 1835. Who were the European founders, why were they here in 1835 and what was their impact on the Kulin Federation?
• Flinders Station. First steam train in Australia 1857
• Federation square celebrate the birth of the Australian nation as well as First Nation.
• Flinders Statue. The explorer that named Australia
• St Pauls Cathedral 1854:  Early church services. Goldrush Eureka demonstrations: – Birth of Australian democracy and flag.
• 271 Collins former Bank of Australasia: The confidence of the gold boom with Collins Street as world financial centre gave Melbourne a boost as ‘Marvellous Melbourne’
• The Block Arcade 1891: Rise and Fall of Marvellous Melbourne.
• Royal Arcade 1869: Goldrush, arcades,  icons of Melbourne.
• The GPO building 1886: The Centre of Melbourne
• The Coles Book Arcade 1886
• Presgrave Lane: Federation saw the introduction of many new services such as sewerage, child care, schools and healthcare services that saved millions of lives.
• Manchester Lane 1860s: Gold rush architecture, early settlement
• 1890s – Flinders Lane: The great heritage warehouses, subterranean Melbourne immigration pathway from the docks

 

 

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