Last Friday, our Melton Year 3 students attended Day Camp at Sovereign Hill Ballarat, accompanied by their teachers Mrs Dixon and Mr Hunter and capably assisted by Mrs Saliba and Miss Markovski. It was a truly authentic step back in time to the dusty 1850s as we sweltered in the 38-degree heat. It may well have been the hottest day in Ballarat since the Gold Rush!
Arriving at 10:00am, we began with a morning snack before heading off to a gold pouring demonstration. We learnt that rose gold is an alloy of pure gold and copper, whereas white gold is an alloy of gold and other white metals such as nickel or zinc.
After admiring various displays of exquisite gold jewellery, we eagerly headed to the gold panning river. Much time was spent paddling in the cool water while panning for riches. In the 1850s, the cost of a licence to pan for gold in the Ballarat goldfields was 30 shillings (1 pound) per month. This fee was substantial for most miners and became a serious point of contention, ultimately leading to protests and the Eureka Rebellion in December 1854.
Sadly, none of us struck gold on the day despite Mrs Dixon’s pleas for contributions to her retirement fund! A highlight of our camp was a tour down into the Red Hill Mine. The cool underground environment brought us welcome relief. Walking through lantern-lit tunnels, we enjoyed a hologram re-enactment of discovering gold deep in the mines, gaining an appreciation for the harsh and often dangerous conditions miners endured in their quest to strike it rich.
Our final activity was an engaging educational session titled “Living in the Past.” Here, our tour instructor, strictly referred to as “Sir,” informed us about life and etiquette in the 1850s. For example, if a man and a woman were to pass each other in the street, the man could not greet the woman until she first greeted him with a small curtsey of her crinolines. The man would then return the gesture by tipping his hat. Our students enjoyed dressing mannequins in period attire, noting the distinctions in clothing between poorer and wealthier classes.
Returning to our Melton campus around 4:30pm, students enjoyed some free play before demolishing pizza, garlic bread, juice, frozen Zooper Doopers and other treats for dinner. A movie rounded off our adventures before parents collected their children at 7:00pm. As much as we enjoyed our journey back in time, it was pure bliss to return to the air-conditioned comfort of the 2000s at the end of our awesome Day Camp!