On Thursday, 21 August, Year 5G from Rochedale State School went on a trip to learn about Australia's Gold Rush Days. Set up in bush behind Beenleigh, just south of Brisbane by Berrinbah East State School and run by a teacher from the school, the day is a wonderful opportunity for the children to experience first hand the gold rush days and conditions experienced by our early settlers. It was one of the best excursions I have ever been on and the kids had a great day. Here's some photos.

After arriving at school at 8.00am, the children eagerly hopped onto the bus to start our Gold Rush Trip.

The bus driver was lost and asked directions from the man on horseback who seemed to know the way.

We hopped off the bus and collected our bags.

We followed the man on horseback down the dirt track.
It was a long walk through the bush. Soon we met up with another man on horseback.
We all had to wait in the Cobb & Co station while Trooper Johnson went to make sure it was safe for us to proceed. The bushranger knew one of the students had a bag of gold and demanded it from her.
We all waited until it was safe again. Soon we arrived at GoldRush Gully.
The Blacksmith was important to the Gold fields as he not only shod the horses but made all sorts of useful things. We learnt that the Union Jack was called the Union flag before it was put on the Australian flag.
When we went exploring Goldrush Gully we saw different places that were named after children in our class.This was the bakery. Pity Madam Brooke was no longer in our class to see her fortune telling sign!!
Jesse was the local butcher and he had a nice piece of meat waiting to be sold to the gold miners. We had morning tea while Trooper Jack explained the rules and told us what we would be doing during the day.
The local sign post gave all the news to the miners. The boys' toilets were out the back of the old tin shed.
The horse thought this was a great joke!! The grave yard told a tale of the hardships of the gold field.
Some of the children found they had their own tents in the town. This was a luxury tent compared to some.
Hannah, the tent maker and Reneye, the sign writer shared a tent. Who would like to live in Green castle??
Gold was bought and licenses sold at the assayer's tent. This mine shaft showed how they dug under the ground for gold.
The miner's clothes are hanging on the old fashioned line. Some of the children checked out the Assayer's tent.
This is Jarrod's tent where he got drunk. He was the town drunk.