We all walked at the same repetitive pace as the rain plotted the enormous shower it had in store for us. Our guides explained what we were going to do on our exciting day at Botany Bay! Oscar was our chosen guide - he was as funny as a clown and made us all convicts! We each received a convict card which stated what we had done to earn our trip to Sydney all the way from England. He also made us wear jackets to show who were convicts and who were soldiers - if you were wearing yellow you were very naughty! We overlooked Bare Island after inspecting different cannons and when we lumbered up to the grassy lookout device, we heard CLICK as we smiled for the bright light of the camera.
The rain had quietened down as I finished my lunch wondering what adventures were up next! Oscar took us to a room full of Aboriginal artifacts and showed us native Australian animals that had very sadly been roadkill. He said kangaroo was the best thing to kill because it provided a lot of meat. He showed us how Aboriginal people used to hunt and kill kangaroos, and they only ever took what they needed. We then smelled some spices Aboriginal people used to season their food - they were lemony, bitter and strong. We each had a lap of sniffing and smelling and passing them on like a game of pass the parcel.
After we stepped into and sat on the floor of the hall, we were immediately told about explorers from Britain like Captain James Cook, and we heard about Sir Joseph Banks - a botanist who named our beautiful native banksia. Our final task after research was to build the HMS Endeavour out of natural items. My group got really big sticks for the body but could only make the mast. I still think my group did a great job. As we walked out, we thanked the guides for their exceptional help. We crossed the bridge as the sun came out up the hill, and onto the bus we went back to our beloved school.
Hamilton Brierty 4/5K
Tip, tap, tip, tap! As we all boarded the grey bus, the sky grew angrier by the second. I put my bag on the sopping wet floor, which I quickly regretted. When we arrived at Botany Bay, Bare Island, the instructor walked us over a wooden bridge and into a fort built in 1885 where we met Oscar, the instructor that would take our group through the day.
Oscar took us into a room in the fort and pretended we were all convicts sent from England. He gave us these old rags to wear with arrows on them (they were called broad arrows which is a symbol for the British Empire), and then he pretended we were all on the ship to Australia. Oscar chose me and Ash to pretend to be real convicts - he made us put on itchy, yellow coats which were way too big for us, and a real chain on our ankles! While we were there, he explained what happened to the convicts.
Secondly, we took a tour of the island. Oscar took us to the lighting room that was full of gunpowder back in the day which powered cannons! He told us how they light it up without fire so they don't get blown up by gunpowder. As we walked, there were numbers on the walls which told the soldiers how deep underground they were. There were big metal rings used to move the heavy cannons - they would tie ropes to them and then the soldiers would pull with all their might to move the heavy cannons. Oscar also told us the soldiers would scream to block the massive noise the cannon made and we all had a go. It was as loud as an erupting volcano! We then saw real cannons that weighed 18 tonnes which was as heavy as two African elephants!
Next, we had a delicious lunch but the sky was still pouring. We went into a nice room with loads of Aboriginal artifacts. There was a table with weapons including a small boomerang, a large one, and a paddle shaped tool used to smack animals in the head. Then Oscar chose Seb to be a kangaroo hunter and showed us how the Aboriginals outsmarted the animals and how they cooked them. Later, Oscar explained how Aboriginals used every part of the animal and never wasted anything. We also were shown spices that were used on their food that was made from crushed roots and berries, and we discussed different native Australian animals.
Lastly, we learnt all about explorers and ships. We walked into a room in the fort with Oscar and saw a big whiteboard with pictures of Captain James Cook, Sir Arthur Phillip, and Sir Joseph Banks, and discussed zoologists, geologists and botanists who made the journey to Australia. Oscar then brought out a barrel of different sized sticks for us to make 2D ships like the Endeavour. Our team made an excellent ship and the others were amazing too. We then spoke about livestock that was taken on ships such as goats for their milk, chicken for their eggs and a roast, and cats to catch mice and rats!
Sadly, it was time to go back to school after our wonderful excursion. We all trudged over the bridge and back to the bus headed to school.
Delilah Fletcher 4/5K
