What a fantastic tour group.  I knew that this group was going to represent the best values of St Stephen’s School when the personal attendant to the Governor General of Australia invited our group to stay on the garden after the official tour and spend a little time relaxing on the gardens in front of the major dining room.  Tom Sorrell also played the piano beautifully in Government House. Lindsay MacFarlane, Lauren Bailey, Jayden Bray, Bianca Smout and Madeline Hays got the chance to sit at the executive table where the Governor General signs the bills that become laws in our country.  This group of students were complimented everywhere they went for their manners and attention given to the presenters.  Some other highlights of this tour were our trip to Old Parliament House where Stuart Gale, Dean of Carana, donned the white wig and became the Speaker of the House of Representatives with his attentive Barrister Emma Pattenden. At the New Parliament, there was a heated debate between our Prime Minister Jayden Bray and the Opposition Leader James Gishubi.  The Speaker of the House, Niall Goldberg was escorted into parliament by Lindsay MacFarlane, while his secretary Jayden Papworth completed administration duties.  All students articulately presented their views on the proposed bill and, once again, the presenter of this activity complimented our students and mistook them for older students.  The Australian War Memorial was another highlight and our school participated in a wreath laying ceremony where Jayden Papworth, Mitchell Booth, Lindsay MacFarlane and Sarah Chadwick were the stars.  They laid the wreath, recited the ode and thanked the veteran who gave up his time to talk to us.

Melbourne also had many highlights.  Students enjoyed the Islamic Museum and developed a more accurate understanding of the Muslim faith.  Students also learnt about the Holocaust at the Jewish Holocaust Centre and Lauren Bailey and Caleb Bolt lit a candle in remembrance to the 6 million people who were murdered while the Nazi’s ruled 21 countries.  We were lucky enough to hear from a 97 year old survivor who presented the aspects of his time under this rule in a way that was enlightening but not distressing to students. A balance like this is hard to achieve.  His closing statement that ‘young people need to remember that there will be cloudy days; however, they are always followed by sunny days and people must endure and understand that life is full of many types of days’ resonated with our students.  We then headed to Old Melbourne Jail where students spent time on a tour and learnt about Ned Kelly and then all got arrested in the Watch experience.  The presenter is a prison guard and her job is to be very strict with the students to show them what being arrested is like.  This tour group were so sweet that she kept breaking character and laughing with them.  Students then got to see the Melbourne Museum and watch the sun set from the Eureka Skydeck. One of my favourite moments was seeing the students at Sovereign Hill, a replicate of an old gold mining town in Ballarat.  Jayden Papworth, Sibella Dique, Madeline Hays and Edward Smith were all dressed up according to the time.  Edward was able to pull of distinguished gentleman of the late 1800s.  Our next day was at the MCG and then spent time at the Queen Victorian Markets.  Amy Lockley, Bianca Smout, Jayne Kay, Lorali Grasslin, Abbey Hazebroek and Millie Roddy-Clarke provided service to others by handing out our spare food to the homeless people in the area.

We thank PACER for their contribution to this tour and the financial assistance it provides to families going on the HASS Tour.  This assistance has made all the memories above possible and is appreciated by St Stephen’s School.

Ms. Leeanne Shanks 
Humanities and Social Sciences/Biblical Studies