As you plan your enriching excursions for the rest of the year, you and your students are invited to take a step back in time and experience colonial history and First Nations culture with a visit to Old Government House and Experiment Farm Cottage.
Up to 120 students can be accommodated across one day, led by our knowledgeable and engaging guides.
Located on Burramatta Dharug Country in the heart of Parramatta, Old Government House is the oldest surviving public building in Australia and a UNESCO World Heritage-listed site. Come and explore the lives of the first governors of NSW and their convict servants and experience what a schoolroom lesson in the year 1815.
Students can also visit Experiment Farm Cottage on Burramatta Dharug Country at Harris park, to learn about James Ruse’s agricultural experiment that shaped the colony and impacted the lives of Australia’s First People.
Curriculum-linked primary programs
Education is a chance to share our passion for Australia’s unique natural, Indigenous and historic heritage. The school programs at Old Government House have been carefully developed to address New South Wales syllabus outcomes and cross-curriculum priorities and have been adapted in response to new syllabuses for the Australian Curriculum.
Our new programs at Old Government House cover all primary education stages and offer a hands-on approach for students to learn about people, places and communities in a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
“In Aboriginal culture, people are managers of Country. We are responsible for the health and well-being of all creatures.” Dharug Elder Uncle Chris Tobin
Teacher and student materials
You’ll be supported with lesson guides and worksheets to use before and during the excursion. Your pre-visit information pack also includes a copy of our risk assessment.
“Very well run / well organised. Great explanations and hands-on activities to learn about and understand the history here. Thank you to the team!” Carlingford Public School, visited June 2024
“Was really informative and promoted student inquiry. Was definitely worth the visit.” Sacred Heart Kooringal, visited September 2024
“Thank you for a very informative session. The small groups were great! We loved the hands-on activities.” Pitt Town Public School, visited May 2024
Bringing history to life for students: Discounted rates for groups
We offer discounted rates for groups visiting both Old Government House and Experiment Farm Cottage. There are 3 programs available at each property:
Colonisation and Change at Old Government House Suitable for Stage 1 (Years 1 & 2)
Students get to know about colonial life, its impact on First Peoples’ cultural practices and themes in sustainability, as they explore one of only 11 convict sites in Australia. They’ll travel back in time to play games popular in the 18th century and visit our 1815 classroom, where they practice writing on slates. As they hold and examine traditionally made Dharug tools, they’ll consider how cultural practices converge with sustainability and how everyone can help Care for Country.
Governing and Caring for Country at Old Government House Suitable for Stage 2 (Years 3 & 4)
In the Dharug classroom, students hear what Caring for Country means to local Dharug Elders and make connections with their own impact on Country. A sustainability memory game keeps them on their toes! Students also learn about diversity in the community, including the reasons why colonisation occurred and its impact on different groups of people.
Commanding change and Social advancement at Old Government House Suitable for Stage 3 (Years 5 & 6)
The changing social, economic and cultural landscape of 1800s colonial New South Wales provides a rich territory for learning, as students uncover the secrets of Australia’s oldest surviving public building and even pay a visit to the Macquarie Cellar. They’ll learn about the impact on the freedom of Australia’s First People to participate in cultural practices, and develop an understanding of sustainable environmental practices, including fire management through the cultural practice of firestick farming.
Explore our new teacher-led programs at Old Government House
You and your class can explore Old Government House at your own pace with our educator-led programs. You’ll be equipped with all the tools to understand this prominent Georgian building, helped by Rosie, our cheerful Rosella guide.
The Seed that Saved Sydney at Experiment Farm Cottage Suitable for Stage 1 (Years 1 & 2)
This program allows your students to develop empathy for Australia’s earliest colonists through hands on farming experiences. Students will also gain new perspectives exploring historical medicine and the differences between Western and indigenous practices.
Plants, Pills and Poultices at Experiment Farm Cottage Suitable for Stage 2 (Years 3 & 4)
Students will have fun learning the significance of farming and land grants in the early colony from the perspective of the first settlers and then explore a physic garden and the continuing medicinal use of local plants through creating their own homemade remedy.
Colony, Country and Conflict at Experiment Farm Cottage Suitable for Stage 3 (Years 5 & 6)
Explore the significance of colonization, its causes and its ongoing effects on indigenous groups and peoples. Experience what farming and working life was like from the perspectives of the early settlers, James Ruse and Surgeon John Harris.
Educator-led programs at Old Government House are priced at a cheaper student rate and typically run from 60–90 minutes. The price includes downloadable pre- and post-visit lesson packs to help you get the best learning outcomes from your excursion to our iconic historic property. Educator-led programs do not include the 1815 school room experience at Old Government House.
Contact the team to find out more: ogh@nationaltrust.com.au
