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Mount Morgan as a 'whole town experience' is a great resource for
teachers providing an adventure in learning beyond the classroom.
The experience offered by a real place, with real objects and the
stories of real people introduces students to a heritage experience
through primary sources: the mine, the Dee River and museum, photographs
and artefacts from the lives of the people who lived and worked
in and around the town.
Education programs are based on enquiry and critical thinking and
encourage students to make connections between the past and the
present in a way that encourages them to actively participate in
their own learning. The approach to constructing experiences ensures
that mind (cognitive), body (psycho-motor) and spirit (affective)
are actively engaged.
Mount Morgan School Programs are directly linked to the P-10 Curriculum
Guidelines for Queensland Schools and cover a broad range of subjects
across the various age groups from Years Four to Ten.
Mount Morgan presents the story of a mining township from the perspective
of traditional cultural history, science and human interaction.
To gain the most from your visit, prepare students before you arrive
by accessing our on-line Teacher and Student resources.
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Philosophy
'Every child ought to be made to understand not only something
of the world in which he lives, but something of the inheritance
from the past to which he is born.
He cannot take his place worthily as a citizen unless he realises
that his life is part of a great stream of national life that has
been running for a thousand years, and that this national life is
a slow-won civilisation that has been many millenniums in the making.
To get a child to feel the organic relation of life today with
life of the past as a much greater thing, because the facts may
only bury his faculties under heaps of stone; but the historic sense,
if born in him, is a permanent enlargement of his life, kindling
imagination, enriching experience, inspiring character' .
William Charles Braithwaite (1909)
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Mount Morgan as a Learning Environment
The Mount Morgan Experience is part of the Queensland Heritage
Trails Network and is an important cultural heritage site in the
history of regional Queensland.
The Mount Morgan Experience tells the story of the town itself,
its history, its people and the role of the Mt Morgan community
in the mining heritage of Australia.
A visit to Mount Morgan will:
- Enthuse, engage and inform visitors
- Provide a genuine heritage experience that is atmospheric, unique,
interactive and living (real people, real places, real artefacts
and objects)
- Celebrate our shared cultural inheritance for visitors of all
ages
Mount Morgan's rich history began when gold was discovered and
the mine opened in the 1880s. It was to become one of the richest
gold mines in Australia. The discovery of copper in 1903 gave the
town renewed life with ores from the mountain bringing prosperity
to the community and the Nation. The mine closed in the early 1980s.
After a period of downturn various companies with more advanced
technology to extract ore, returned to Mount Morgan to work the
tailings of previous mining.
The legacy of mining in the town has led to significant environmental
degradation reflected both in the landscape itself and the Dee River.
Under the stewardship of government and community groups an environmental
regeneration program is underway.
Mount Morgan offers a diverse range of opportunities for learning
and is an ideal site to explore issues of cultural heritage and
history and the impact of mining and settlement on the environment.
Mt Morgan on-line Education Programs are designed to complement
the Queensland School Curriculum for P-10.
Ready-to-use Work Units, are teacher-friendly and extend and enrich
classroom experiences in new and exciting ways. Students are provided
with opportunities for active hands-on learning and extension projects
relevant to current curriculum areas.
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Overview of Education Programs
Programs are designed to have relevance and interest to students
from years 4-10 and relate to school subject areas.
Teachers are advised to adopt a ‘field study focus’ by
presenting students with a broad theme to explore during their visit.
An in-depth investigation of a subject engages students in critical
thinking and problem solving, providing structure to their learning.
A full day trip is recommended to take advantage of guided tours
workshops, activities and demonstrations on offer.
Education programs available on-line:
Rich Tasks that adopt a multi-disciplinary approach across
curriculum areas are inherent in many of the units on offer and
provide an opportunity to for educators to cover many elements of
the key learning areas (KLAs).
Social and Environment Studies
Aims to develop students’ understanding of historical events,
industrial processes and environmental impacts. Students explore
the impact of mining on the Fitzroy catchment and aquatic life,
the value of mining and the mining process, as well as the concept
of change in a variety of contexts.
Explores the significant role of the Goldfields in the lead up
to the development of the White Australia Policy.
The acceptance of minority cultures and their uniqueness has been
a challenge for Australians since settlement began. The Chinese
in Australia have often felt the full weight of discrimination because
of their marked differences from the dominant culture. This unit
seeks to understand the decisions and actions of the people of our
past.
English
Aims to provide students with a range of opportunities to express
their feelings, understandings and opinions through a variety of
language learning experiences. This unit can stand-alone or be used
as part of units focusing on Australian history, communication,
change or communities. The suggested genres to be produced include:
a brochure, report writing, video documentary, persuasive speaking,
role-plays and dramatic re-creation. It integrates outcomes in SES
(formerly SOSE)and technology.
Aims to provide students with a range of opportunities to express
their feelings, understandings and opinions of historical and contemporary
life in, and the people of, Mount Morgan. A broad range of writing
tasks across a variety of genres and audiences are offered. There
is a strong cultural emphasis and students read or listen to the
stories of local people and participate in a discussion of the idiom
of the bush poet. The program includes experiences in writing, creating,
performing, discussing and debating topics through research, hands-on
and sensory experiences in real-life historical settings in and
around Mount Morgan.
Science
Aims to develop students’ understandings about the reasons
why the Mount Morgan was, and mining continues to be, so important
to the prosperity of Australia. Students will investigate the processes
of getting the gold from the mountain, and in particular need to
be involved in gaining an overview of the way these processes changed
over time. Activities in this unit are developed around three themes:
simple separation techniques, mining gold at Mount Morgan, the use
of water and the impact on the Dee River.
Aims to develop students’ understandings about the problems
faced in making money from the natural resources at Mount Morgan
and the importance and impact upon the water in the region. Students
will investigate the separation processes used to obtain the gold
and other valuable resources of the area and test the impact of
these processes on the water supply. They will focus on gold, how
it is found and why it is considered so valuable. Activities in
this unit are developed around three themes: Finding and mining
gold at Mount Morgan, The impact on the Dee River and the challenges
of the future.
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Visiting
The Visitor Centre at the Mount Morgan Railway Station will provide
information. The General Manager of the Mount Morgan Experience
Ltd may also be contacted to assist teachers in planning their trip.
Volunteers at the Railway Precinct and the Mount Morgan Historical
Museum will endeavour to respond to individual and specific requests
for information, resource materials and programs.
Prior to a visit to Mount Morgan, teachers may also wish to contact
the Wowan Dululu Landcare Group Dee River Sub-Committee to organise
a representative to speak to the students and help them conduct
water quality testing of the Dee River.
The Department of Natural Resources and Mines works in partnership
with the Landcare Committee and is also able to provide information
and guest speakers for schools. The Department of Natural Resources
and Mines and Department of Primary Industries also provide useful
publications such as Catchment Care and Waterwatch, as well as guest
speakers for schools.
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Planning your Visit
When planning an excursion to Mount Morgan, teachers and group
leaders are advised to visit Mount Morgan in advance and to access
resource materials and information on-line. Teachers may also like
to contact members from the groups and organisations listed in the
various Mount Morgan Education programs.
Have Children and Staff Dress Up!
Encourage children in the younger age groups to dress up in clothes
from the 1800s. This can be easily achieved from clothes that children
have at home.
Boys
- Long trousers with belt
- Long Sleeved Shirt tucked in
- Scarf or bow tie
- Optional Waistcoat
- Lace up shoes or boots
- Cap
Girls
- Dress mid-calf length or
- Skirt and long sleeved blouse
- Optional apron/pinafore, petticoat
- Stockings or long socks
- Boots or shoes
- Cape or shawl (use an old baby blanket, table cloth or square
piece of fabric folded on a diagonal and tied or pinned at the
front
- Bare head (with sunscreen), bonnet or straw sunhat
Name Tags
To help volunteers build rapport with your students, we recommend
that students wear name- tags that are easy to read.
Free Time
We suggest that you allow some free time for students to explore
places and artefacts and photographs of special interest to them.
Eating
The town’s main business centre has many food outlets.
First Aid
First aid treatment is available at the Mount Morgan Hospital.
Toilets
Male and female toilets are located in Morgan Street and at the
Railway Station.
Wheelchair Access
Mount Morgan can cater for visitors in wheelchairs. The Railway
Station has been designed to permit disability access.
On Line Resources
Take advantage of our on-line resource material to ensure that
your trip to Mount Morgan enhances and enriches learning experiences
in the school curriculum.
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Tours and Demonstrations
Click here to find out what tours
are available.
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Bookings
It is essential for teachers with groups of students to make prior
arrangements with the General Manager of Mount Morgan Experience
Ltd.
Contact :info@mountmorganexperience.com
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Resources
To assist teachers in linking the school program activities with
their visit to Mount Morgan, a range of Teacher and Student Resources
are available to make planning easier and the school visit more
purposeful and focused.
- Photo Galleries
- Research Papers & Publications
- Links
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Volunteer Information
Thank you for your interest in the Volunteer programs at Mount
Morgan. Becoming involved with some aspect of the programs gives
you the opportunity to make a positive contribution to visitor’s
enjoyment of the Mount Morgan experience.
The mission of the Mount Morgan Education programs is to tell the
stories of Mount Morgan itself, its history, its people, and the
role in the Mount Morgan community and the history of mining in
Australia.
Volunteers may conduct tours providing information to groups of
children, families or adults, perform demonstrations, explain processes
and invite guests to participate in hands-on experiences.
Volunteers can provide assistance as:
- Archivists
- School Program Leaders
- Weekend Interpreters and Program Guides
- Vacation Program Coordinators or Support Staff
- Annual Festival Volunteers
- Railway Restoration Volunteers
- Green Thumb Group
- Gold Diggers
- Craftsmen and Women with skills in painting and drawing and
photography
- Environmental research and restoration
School Programs
School Programs are central to Mount Morgan’s aim to engage
youth in an authentic heritage experience that is both educational
and enjoyable. Volunteers will be provided with information to ensure
that they have the knowledge and skills to effectively deliver programs.
Volunteers can specialise in one or more programs and may be rostered
on duty one to two days per week, depending on their availability.
An initial ‘buddy’ system ensures that new volunteer staff
will not be not left alone until they feel confident to run programs
and tours on their own.
Weekend Volunteers
Members of the public including families, couples and individuals
not in groups tend to wander through Mount Morgan at their own pace,
exploring their own interests. Therefore programs may not be as
heavily in demand and tours tend to be more informal and less structured.
Festival Volunteers
There is a busy schedule of events on the Mount Morgan Calendar
and Volunteers are always needed to help with car parking, food
services, hosts, demonstrators and organisation.
Benefits of Volunteering
Volunteering can be a very rewarding and enjoyable experience.
Not only will you make new friends but you will help to share the
stories of Mount Morgan, its history its people and its architectural
presence with the wider community. Preserving our shared cultural
heritage is crucial for its survival for future generations.
Volunteers can enjoy learning and sharing their knowledge and skills
with others.
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Credits
Education Director Megan James
Resources and Research Coordinator Peter Edman
English (4-7) Margaret Simpson
English (8-10) Alota Lima
SES (4-7) Margaret Simpson
SES (8-10) Alota Lima
Science (4-7) Alan Allinson
Science (8-10) Alan Allinson
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