Year 5 Students Dive into History at Fremantle Prison
To cap off their History program for Term 3, Year 5 students from Santa Maria College embarked on an exciting excursion to Fremantle Prison and the Round House. This visit aimed to deepen their understanding of the Swan River Colony’s development by exploring two of Australia’s most significant convict sites. The Round House and Fremantle Prison, key pieces of Western Australia’s history, served as a living classroom, bringing the past vividly to life for our students.
The students were thoroughly engaged throughout the tour, bombarding the guide with questions and eagerly soaking up tales of Moondyne Joe, Peg Leg, and the early hardships faced by prisoners and settlers alike. The historical sites, with their rich stories and well-preserved architecture, offered a tangible glimpse into the lives of convicts and colonists, leaving a lasting impression on the students.
We asked some Year 5 students to share their thoughts and experiences:
How did this excursion further your understanding of the history of the Swan River Colony?
“Seeing how the free settlers and convicts lived during colonial years and how hard it was.” Laila
“Seeing how the convicts were sent to the colony to do all the hard work, while the leaders sat back.” Katherine
“It allowed me to visualise what it was like back then.” Tilly
What did you enjoy most about our excursion to Fremantle Prison and Round House?
“At the Round House, we really enjoyed learning about the 13-metre well that was dug by hand and a few of us got to pour water into it.” Thalia
“I really enjoyed seeing our tour guide pour the water down into the well, so we could see how deep it was!” Milla
Has your view of convicts during the colony years changed? If so, how?
“My view of convicts during the colony has changed because I thought before the excursion convicts just did something wrong and they just got in a cell, but they actually got treated very poorly to what I thought.” Zoe
What was your ‘wow’ moment on this excursion?
“My wow moment was when we saw the whip and how they punished people. It was very interesting and it’s so close to Fremantle.” Eve
“My wow moment was when we learnt about Moondyne Joe and it wowed me how many times he escaped!” Zara
“It was so cool to see and find out what life was like hundreds of years ago, and especially hearing stories about the convicts and prisoners like Moondyne Joe, and also seeing the cells.” Ivy
“My WOW was Moondyne Joe escaped from jail four times and still got out of the impossible cage!” Addison
This excursion has not only enriched the students’ understanding of the Swan River Colony’s history but also provided them with a memorable experience that brought their studies to life.
- ColonialHistory, Excursion, FremantlePrison, MoondyneJoe, RoundHouse, WesternAustraliaHistory, Year5
Author: Santa Maria College
Santa Maria College is a vibrant girls school with a growing local presence and reputation. Our Mission is to educate young Mercy women who act with courage and compassion to enrich our world. Santa Maria College is located in Attadale in Western Australia, 16 km from the Perth CBD. We offer a Catholic education for girls in Years 5 – 12 and have 1300 students, including 152 boarders.
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