As part of the Unit of Inquiry ‘Societies’, the year 5 students have been exploring significant events in history and in particular, the Australian Gold Rushes.  In week 11 term 1, we visited the Barossa Goldfields Historical Society where we had the opportunity to experience a small part of what life was like on the goldfields in the 1850s and 1860s.

Reflections from the year 5s:

‘It would have been scary to have been so deep underground.’

‘Gold panning was hard work!’

‘The size of the mines and how deep they were was surprising.’

‘I like how they restored the old house to create a museum.’

‘I have claustrophobia so I find it creepy that people would have been underground in those small, dark spaces.’

‘I really enjoyed panning for gold as it gave me a glimpse into the life of miners.’

‘The miners developed clever techniques.’

‘We saw an old refrigerator.’

‘Gold is heavy so it all fell to the bottom of the pan.’

‘The people who often made the most money on the goldfields were the shop keepers.’

‘I thought I was going to be rich!’

‘Gold fever is contagious!’