Our trip to Canberra (Ngunnawal Country)!

POSTED October 29 2026 , News, Senior School

Canberra really was a ‘mark your calendar’ experience. It was something to look forward to, and also proudly look back on. There was a buzz in the air when we landed, not knowing what the week ahead would bring. After finding our rooms on the first night, it finally started to sink in that, after three terms of anticipation, we were actually in our nation’s capital.

Our first day started with a visit to Parliament and Government House, bringing our HASS classes to the real world on the other side of the country! We took part in a mock Passing of the Bill in Parliament and couldn’t help but think that being Governor-General would be a pretty cool job, with a pretty nice house to match.

Day two was a ‘blast from the past’, with a tour of Old Parliament House and the National Museum showing just how much our country and democracy have evolved over the years. We also walked down Anzac Parade and learned about the wars Australia has been involved in and the dedicated soldiers, nurses and citizens who devoted themselves to protecting our country’s freedom.

On our third day, we toured the War Memorial, where we had time to reflect, visit the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and honour relatives who had served in a war by placing a poppy on the Roll of Honour. Afterwards, we visited the Canberra Zoo and Aquarium, where we saw some unusual animals like pig-nose turtles and dingoes.

In our opinion, these were highlights of the trip:

• Questacon! It is the National Science and Technology Centre where we got to step inside an earthquake house and even witness a lightning strike.
• Floriade is Australia’s biggest celebration of spring and the largest flower festival in the Southern Hemisphere, and it was beautiful to see!  
• We took a river cruise along Lake Burley Griffin, where everyone got dressed up and went on a boat ride across the lake. The views were stunning, and the music was pumping.

Overall, Canberra was a fantastic way to explore HASS outside the classroom, reflect on Australia’s history, and just have great fun! We hope all future Year 7s have as much fun as we did. Until next time, Canberra!

Article written by Year 7 students Ira & Kavya