“Canberra is home to the Australian story and therefore has a connection with all Australians that no other city in the country does. It is the custodian of our Nation’s cultural assets and scientific achievements.”
By visiting Canberra students build a deeper understanding of how we’re governed and our Australian identity, fostering a sense of national pride.
Participating in a wide range of programs in Canberra immerses students into Australia’s democratic heritage and traditions, its political and legal institutions and the shared values of freedom, tolerance, respect, responsibility and inclusion.
In Canberra, there are so many amazing programs and experiences awaiting discovery by your students, the hardest part is narrowing down your choice of activities!
Wherever possible, we recommend you choose a facilitated program or guided tour at your choice of venues. The feedback we receive from teachers is that much clearer outcomes are achieved through participation in facilitated programs as opposed to self-guided activities. In Canberra, facilitated programs are available at many venues at minimal cost.
Australian War Memorial – Discover the Australian experience of war and how it shaped the nation, told through stories and objects in the galleries. Programs are aligned with the Australian Curriculum. For primary school students, we highly recommend Discovery Zone as a part of your visit. The school wreath laying ceremonies conducted at the Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier are the commemorative experience the Memorial has designed specifically for visiting school groups (specific times only). There’s also a range of facilitated programs available to choose from for students of all ages.
National Museum of Australia – is where OUR stories live! A facilitated program is highly recommended – many to choose from. Aligning to the Australian curriculum in Humanities & Social Sciences the Museum offers programs in Australian History; Indigenous Culture and History; Historical skills. Students can investigate the museum through a self-guided tour, a facilitated program and various temporary exhibitions.
National Archives of Australia – students can experience an educator-led program in the “Memory of a Nation” Gallery. The program covers a range of Australian history, for example – birthday ballots for conscription for the Vietnam War. View key documents of Federation which are not open to the general public, including the Australian Constitution, the Royal Commission of Assent and the Royal Proclamation of Inauguration Day.
National Film and sound Archives – supporting curriculum through discussion, clips, activities and technology, explore Australia’s social, cultural and technological history through film and sound. Various facilitated programs available to suit all ages.
National Capital Exhibition – Discover the people, events, history and our unique design of our capital city Canberra.
CSIRO – An engaging exhibition focusing on creative and critical thinking. Students discover how innovations in science, technology, engineering and maths have influenced their lives.
Secondary students can try and solve a mysterious crime by experimenting, analysing data, OR draw on prior knowledge about DNA by comparing and analysing DNA profiles.
Questacon – Students of all ages engage in over 200 exhibits throughout 8 themed galleries. Feel the adrenalin as you free fall down a 6.7metre slide, feel the force of an Earthquake, launch a hydrogen rocket and let lightening spark your imagination. See an interactive show combining humour with scientific concepts.
Ian Potter Foundation Technology Learning Centre – Workshops tailored for year 7-12 students in the purpose built Maker Space area, offering creative, constructive, problem solving activities that use a range of tools and techniques. (Maximum group size applies per session)
Geoscience – Discover the earth sciences through curriculum-linked, hands-on activities. Students can make their mark by adding a layer to the ‘visitor book’ sediment columns and record an earthquake using the in-house seismograph. Other themes may include minerals, rocks, fossil specimens, mapping and historic geological instrumentation.
Canberra Deep Space Communication – A vital part of NASA’s Deep Space Network, sending and receiving data and commands from spacecraft studying the planets of our solar system and beyond. Guided tour and educational program available. Note, allow an hour to travel south of Canberra to this venue, and then an hour to return to Canberra after your visit (this limits the number of other activities that you can include in your Canberra itinerary).
Royal Australian Mint – Learn how coins are made, see robots at work, and discover interesting facts about the history of coins in Australia. What coins did the First Fleet bring with them? How did the discovery of gold in Australia change our coinage system? Who decides what design goes on a coin? How is technology used at the Mint and what do the robots do? Find the answers to these questions and more during your visit to the Mint.
Australian Institute of Sport Tour & Sportex – during your tour you might spot some of Australia’s top athletes in training. Set amongst a collection of Australian Sporting memorabilia, challenge yourself in Sportex, participating in virtual and interactive sports such as wheelchair basketball, downhill skiing, football, bobsleigh & luge, football shootouts, rowing and more….
Sports Experience – play on the very fields and venues where Australia’s sporting champions train and compete. Swim at the AIS pool.
National Gallery of Australia – The National Gallery houses the nation’s largest and most valuable art collections. Students are inspired through visual arts and design across many learning areas that align with the Australian Curriculum.
National Library of Australia – The library is the world’s largest storehouse of knowledge about Australia and its people. Be led in a guided tour behind the scenes, see the old tube room, maps and newspaper stack, book-moving robots and giant compactus. Visit the Treasure’s Gallery and view Captain James Cook’s Endeavour Journal, early maps and atlases, books and objects. High school students can take a tour going online and underground discovering the history and the role of the library.
National Portrait Gallery – Guided tours and facilitated programs are designed to be dynamic and participatory while engaging with the Gallery’s portraits. Cross-curricular programs give students an understanding and appreciation of the Australian People – their identity, history, culture, creativity and diversity.
High Court of Australia – A guided tour introduces students to the history, role and operation of the High Court and its building. Tours of the artworks and hands-on art activities are also available. Senior Legal studies students may like to view court proceedings in the Supreme and Magistrate’s Court located in the same building.
Australian National Botanical Gardens – Hands on facilitated programs allow students to explore the deep connections between people, plants and animals. Australian Curriculum outcomes met in science, geography, sustainability, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures. Spy for nocturnal wildlife in a Twilight tour from Rainforest Gully to the Red Centre Garden.
National Arboretum Canberra – book a facilitated program or a self-guided visit and explore over 90 forests of endangered and symbolic trees from across Australia and around the world – Links to the science, sustainability and geography curriculum.
There are many other recreational and night time activities to create an engaging and exciting itinerary with a balance of learning and fun. Contact our friendly team to discuss your Canberra itinerary requirements and let us design an excursion that creates life-long memories and learning opportunities for your students.
With fewer schools traveling to Canberra in Term 1, your group can move more easily around venues such as the Australian War Memorial or Questacon and experience more of the exhibitions.
During Term 1, some Canberra venues offer discounts and extras, ranging from a free memento to discounted programs (subject to dates of travel). At the time of quoting, we can advise which specials may apply to your preferred travel dates.
The Canberra Climate is much warmer in Term 1, allowing you to comfortably enjoy outdoor lunches, scenery and activities.
Booked accommodation properties vary based on availability for your dates of travel, your group size, students’ age group, your preferred accommodation style and location.
Many school groups are booking their Canberra excursion two and three years in advance to have more choice of preferred dates and accommodation.
Have you got your next excursion booked? Contact us
Let us plan, book, conduct and manage your entire East Coast excursion including flights, travel insurance and stop-overs en-route to/from Canberra.
A standard Canberra excursion can be completed in 5 days, including travelling days to and from your home state or territory *with either a day tour to the snow, or sightseeing in Sydney (*subject to travel times/distance).
We can also deliver a comprehensive East Coast itinerary that includes any of or all the following: Sydney, Blue Mountains, Bathurst or Mogo (for gold history), Canberra and the Snowy Mountains, Melbourne or Sovereign Hill. Itineraries are designed to suit your required inclusions.
Our Federal Government actively encourages school teachers to take their students to visit Australia’s National Capital, by providing a travel subsidy. The Parliament And Civics Education Rebate (PACER) is a sliding scale rebate based on schools’ travelling distance to Canberra, with rebate amounts ranging from $20 to $340 per eligible student (conditions apply).
Application must be made prior to travel and the applicable amount is rebated to the school after verified completion of your excursion. As a minimum requirement, your itinerary must include programs at Parliament House; Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House and/or Electoral Education; and the Australian War Memorial and other National Civic Institutions where possible. We will construct your itinerary to meet the PACER rebate requirements and we supply PACER information and application forms with your Booked Itinerary Information Pack.
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