Now and Then
About the program
As students are guided through the property, they discover that the Macarthurs and their hardworking servants lived without the benefits of running water, bathrooms, electricity, appliances or paved roads. They experience what it was like to do the laundry by hand, see what’s growing in the kitchen garden and discuss seasonal eating and life without supermarkets. They also practise writing with a quill pen and ink by signing their name on a bookplate which they take home.
They explore the colonial kitchen to observe how different it is from their own kitchens at home. How did the cook keep food fresh without a fridge, and how were foods preserved?
In the drawing room, students investigate how the Macarthur family and their guests relaxed and amused themselves, and how the servants were summoned. How was the house kept cool in summer and heated in winter? Why was Mr Macarthur’s bed so high, and where was the toilet hidden? In the pleasure garden, students play 19th-century children’s games including hoops, skittles, quoits, and cup and ball.
Prepare your group for a visit with an 'Excursion Introduction' listed under Resources. These introductions are suitable for teachers of children with ASD in integrated classrooms.
Elizabeth Farm
70 Alice Street, Rosehill NSW 2142- Wheelchair accessible
Cost (GST free)
From $200 for up to 20 students
See page for cost scale details
Duration
1 hour 30 minutes
Sessions offered
Monday to Friday
10am–11.30am
12.30pm–2pm
2.30pm–4pm
Maximum students
60 per session
Supervision ratios
The supervision ratio is 1:10 for primary groups and 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 visitor costs
Each additional visitor will be charged at the concession rate of $12
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Child's Play
Students learn about what it was like to live at Vaucluse House for the wealthy family of William Charles and Sarah Wentworth, with their ten children and many servants