Information for volunteers

Mining Mt Morgan 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 in the Dee River, the value of mining and the mining process, as well as the concept of change in variety of contexts.

Students will create timelines about the history and more recent developments and changes in Mt Morgan and explore the causes and effects of these events. Working in groups they will cooperatively collect and analyze data gained through visiting a variety of sites around the town. They will try to understand and describe why people value these sites and what they do to care for them.

On return to school students will be involved activities such as debating issues such as:

• the benefits of mining compared to the environmental problems it causes
• making models
• projects outlining the activities involved in mining and how they have changed over time recording how Mt Morgan has changed
• producing boardgames, game shows or interviews to display the knowledge they have gained during their research and visit to Mt Morgan
• posters persuading people to care for a place

During the students’ visit volunteers can support their activities in the following ways.

• Dee River - Volunteers should be able to explain how the river came to be in the current condition, what is being done to improve the water quality and who is involved both organisations and individuals. Water samples should taken and measured to identify aquatic life, pollutants and turbidity. These could be compared and contrasted to those of a healthy stream. The flow and temperature of the river could also be measured. Stream bank habitats could also be examined to enable students to identify native vegetation, damage and re-vegetation. It would support the program if volunteers take part in interviews by the students to answer questions such as:

  • How is the place used?
  • Who uses the place?
  • Why is it considered valuable or important to people?
  • What changes have occurred in it?
  • What or who brought about these changes?
  • What values do people attach to the place?
  • How do people care for this place?
  • Do you use this place?
  • Why is it valuable to you?
  • How do you care for this place?
  • What organisations value and care for the place?

• Town tour - Explanations by the volunteer will enable the students to view the historic buildings, develop an understanding of the size and infrastructure of the community in its hay day and compare these to current activities as the students will be investigating the economic benefits of gold and life on the gold fields. Places to visit could include:

  • land that was once a Chinese vegetable garden
  • sites of homes such as the mine managers home
  • the court house, banks, hotels, railway station and historical stores
  • the hills which were once covered with homes

• It is important that the students develop an understanding of the size and activity in Mt Morgan in its hay day so that they can understand its economic importance to Australia and the local region. Telling “tales” from the past, pointing out buildings and their past uses, explaining how far the mine hooter needed to be heard, and describing the size of places such as the hospital, needed to cater for the needs of the community.

  As the students are completing timelines in their classroom, support from the volunteer in explaining the history of Mt Morgan in sequence and allowing students to take photographs in sequence would help the students complete their classroom activities successfully.

  It would support the program if volunteers take part in interviews by the students to answer questions about why they value the Mt Morgan and their actions towards the town.

• Mined areas - Organising for students to pan for gold and view mine tunnels and shafts would enable the students to experience in a real life setting how gold was mined and the life miners led. It maybe worthwhile asking the classroom teacher which aspects of mining the students have researched, in order to tailor the information to the students’ needs.

• Museum - Volunteers could support the students in finding pictures and objects that depict changes in town and mining scenes and equipment. As the students are completing timelines in their classroom, support from the volunteer in explaining the history of Mt Morgan in sequence and allowing students to take photographs in sequence would help the students complete their classroom activities successfully.

  It would support the program if volunteers take part in interviews by the students to answer questions about why they value the Mt Morgan and the museum and their actions towards them.

• Mine tour - During the tour the students should have the mining process explained to them and view the actual equipment used. They can then see how the Dee River pollution problems began and relate them to the current situation. The tour should help the students understand occupational specialization and interdependence in the mining industry.