During visit learning: student activities, project ideas and questions

The first thing for teachers to consider is the route they are planning to take to Mount Morgan. Ideally, a guide should join the group at school and travel with them to Mount Morgan via Razorback. This will give students the opportunity to locate the sites mentioned in the narrative they have read about the Crocodile Creek Uprising. Guides will be able to point out the approximate site of Ah Sings Public House, the Crocodile Creek, Gavial Creek and Dee goldfields and the bullocky tracks up the Razorback to the Mount.

Arrangements could also be made with the Railway Society for a guide to demonstrate and teach students the fine art (and great patience) associated with panning for alluvial gold.

It would be interesting for the students at this point, to learn from the guides about other ways in which the Chinese contributed to the life of Mount Morgan, (e,g. by supplying the miners with fresh fruits and vegetables from their market gardens, operating stores and public houses) (Worksheet 9). There are even humorous childhood stories to be heard about raiding the Chinaman’s market garden.

Student may also be interested to hear that the Chinese were not the only ones singled out for poor treatment on the goldfields. Guides will be able to tell lots of stories about discrimination against the Irish, the Aborigines and women.

Possible sites that the group may wish to visit during their tour include:

• Bouldercombe and Struck Oil - where students can view the sites where the Mount Morgan gold rush began. Sites like Crocodile Creek where racism against and jealousy of the success of the Chinese diggers led to riots in 1867.

• Razorback - where students can see the steep back track that bullock teams needed to negotiate on their way to and from Mount Morgan.

• The Lookout - where students can experience a panoramic view of the town and the famous Mount Morgan Mine.

• The Railway Station - where students can ride the old steam train, look at old train memorabilia and learn how to pan for alluvial gold.

• The John Cani Nursing Home - where permission may be sought to interview residents and document their memories and impressions of Mount Morgan.

• The Museum - where students can see a wonderful collection of objects and photos which re-create and shed light on Mount Morgan’s multicultural past.

• The Cemetery - where students can see the Chinese “Heung Lew” or ‘Prayer Oven’ and graves dating back to 1888 especially those that reflect the harsh living and working conditions of days gone by. Students may make grave rubbings to take back to school.

• The Court House - where students could reenact the trial of the rioters, meeting the requirements of SRP 5.4 by learning the roles of people within the court, or just view the courtroom and the cells attached.

• The Irish Quarter - where students can see the cramped living arrangements of the lowest class of ‘white society’.