Schools
Programme
Our heritage buildings and pioneer reserve provide an ideal venue for students to learn about early rural life on the outskirts of Melbourne.
Overview
Our schools programme provides the support to visiting schools based on the Victorian and Australian Curriculum, focusing on early rural life in Westgarthtown.
Built in the 1850s, Ziebell's Farmhouse is significant for its substantially intact collection of objects and original garden, allowing students to step inside a living time capsule.
Understanding what it must have been like to live without electricity or running water, children gain a deeper understanding of family life in that era.
Primary Inquiry Units
Download our primary school inquiry units based on the Victorian Curriculum, focusing on History, Geography, and technology.
Then & Now
Students explore how daily life has changed and remained the same over time, focusing on technology and family life.
Continuity & Change
Learn how and why life changed in the past using the experiences and heritage of German settlers.
Perspectives
Students examine how an Australian colony developed over time and the environmental impact of early development.
Excursions
& Tours
Tours are hosted by our education-focussed guides and tailored specifically to the interests and needs of each class.
No charge applies for teachers and supervisors.
Available by appointment for groups of 10 to 30 students.
Enquiries & Bookings:
tours@westgarthtown.org.au* A cancellation fee of $50 applies to bookings cancelled with less than 24 hours notice.
Curriculum Focus
Students learn why and how German immigrants travelled to Melbourne and the steps they took to build and farm the land.
Special focus is given to comparing past and present, identifying examples of continuity and change in family life by exploring objects inside the homestead.