Country, Colonisation and Legacies
About the program
During this new curriculum-aligned program, students investigate the far-reaching impacts of the convict system on Aboriginal peoples and explore its enduring legacies. At the UNESCO World Heritage–listed Hyde Park Barracks, students uncover the site’s role in administering the convict system at the time of the Myall Creek massacre in 1838 and the impacts on Aboriginal peoples in Sydney and beyond.
This program can be booked as a full day program as part of Exploring History and Geography in the City.
Your students will:
- take part in a simulated archaeological dig to uncover artefacts and explore what archaeological evidence can reveal about Aboriginal peoples’ experiences of colonisation
- analyse a range of sources, including an artwork, objects, oral histories and artefacts, to investigate Aboriginal peoples’ experiences and perspectives
- step into the Myall Creek exhibition space and connect with Country, learning about the Wirrayaraay people and their enduring connection to the place they have cared for over tens of thousands of years
- examine the circumstances surrounding the Myall Creek massacre and consider the perspectives and forces that shaped this event
- hear the voices of descendants of Myall Creek massacre survivors through video testimonies, exploring the themes of truth-telling and healing.
The Hyde Park Barracks’ Myall Creek exhibition and legacy stories were developed in consultation with descendants of the Myall Creek massacre. The program was also informed by the expertise of the museum’s archaeology and First Nations cultural and history specialists.
What students enjoyed about the program …
It helped me picture Myall Creek as a real place with deep spiritual connections. It helped me value and imagine how Aboriginal people viewed Myall Creek.
'It showed the past and those people did exist and aren't just stories being drilled into us.'
'It helps build your own opinion towards the history of Aboriginal colonisation and the perspective of Aboriginal people'
'...it shows how historians can study artefacts properly, and how different people's opinions matter.'
‘It was very helpful to really hear and feel their connection to the events that happened in the past. It was helpful to think about how this could impact how we think about history.’
For booking inquiries, call + 61 2 8239 2211 or email bookings@mhnsw.au
Complimentary program
Onsite
Exploring History and Geography in the City
Enjoy a day of discovery in the heart of Sydney, exploring the UNESCO World Heritage–listed Hyde Park Barracks and the Botanic Gardens of Sydney
Hyde Park Barracks
Queens Square, Macquarie Street Sydney NSW 2000- Wheelchair accessible
Cost (GST free)
From $300 for up to 20 students
See page for cost scale details
Duration of program
1 hour 30 minutes
Sessions offered
Monday to Friday
10am–11.30am
12.30pm–2pm
2.30pm–4pm
Maximum students
80 per session
Supervision ratios
The supervision ratio is 1:15 for secondary groups. Teachers and parents attend free of charge at these ratios. One carer per student with special needs will be admitted free of charge
Additional adult costs
Each additional adult will be charged at the concession rate of $15