Published on: 30 July 2020




This week our Year 4s welcomed an opportunity to visit Fremantle’s Shipwrecks Museum and explore a replica of the Duyfken, the first European ship ever known to map and record Australia’s coastal plains.

The visit included guided tours, a close up look at the hull of the sunken ship, ‘The Batavia’ as well as tools and objects people carried aboard ships in the 1800s.

Year 4 Teacher Ms Georgia Watson commented that the visit was a perfect introduction for the boys and a great opportunity to immerse them in Australia’s rich colonial history as they learn about early European exploration and colonisation in Australia.

“Recently we’ve been investigating the impact of exploration on other societies, how these societies interacted with newcomers and how these experiences contributed to their cultural diversity,” said Ms Watson.

“The interactive experience allowed the boys the chance to handle plenty of authentic props and examine real historical evidence of de Vlamingh’s journey to the great Southland.”

“The boys also discovered that spices during the 1800s were much more valuable than gold.”

Year 4 student Henry Stobie said his favourite part of the visit was having a tour of the Duyfken and inspecting the deck and cabins onboard.

“Life on the Duyfken would have been tricky because of the small spaces!” remarked Henry.