From Wednesday 2nd April to Friday 4th April, 206 excited Year 6 students and 10 dedicated teachers, visited our nation’s capital. Travelling in 5 coaches, we set off at 6:45 am, just as the sun was coming up! 

In Canberra, students were given the opportunity to participate in a variety of educational programs with a focus on our country’s history, culture, heritage, and democracy. These activities supported our history unit, Australia as a nation, and deepened our understanding of democracy. 

After visiting the Royal Australian Mint, a group of students came face to face with an important member of Australia’s government, her Excellency the Honourable Ms Sam Mostyn AC, the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia. APS students were very excited to ask her questions and even had a photo opportunity.  

The Australian Government recognises the importance of all young Australians being able to visit the national capital as part of their Civics and Citizenship education. To help families meet the cost of this excursion, the Australian Government is contributing $30 per student under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate program. This money was applied to cover some of the excursion costs paid by our families and is paid directly to the school.  

Artarmon’s most senior students were wonderful representatives of our school. They demonstrated their knowledge of Australia’s systems of government and made the most of each opportunity to discover more about our nation's capital. 

After 3 long and tiring days, our students and wonderful staff returned home. We had a wonderful time and learned so much! 

A sea of green overlooks the arena in which the federal debates are held. Our guide pours priceless information into us. We stare in awe, through the glass that looks over the famous house of representatives.  

Last Wednesday to Friday, Year 6 attended the annual Canberra Camp where we visited well known landmarks and museums. In my opinion, the most memorable place we visited was the current Parliament House.  

During our time there we learnt about the Senate and the House of Representatives, where different members of parliament sit during federal meetings. We even held our own meeting and debated our own laws. 

Overall, I loved every part of Canberra Camp. It was fascinating, knowledgeable and fun! 

by Lilia 6MR 

The Year 6 camp was my favourite camp of all the camps, well the 2 school camps I’ve been to anyway! And we did learn a lot.  

Let’s start from the beginning. I was on Bus 4, which meant I had the National Gallery of Australia as my first activity. We learnt that art can really be anything. From ginormous sculptures to small paintings, it really shows how diverse art can really be. One of my favourite sculptures would have to be from the sculpture garden. My favourite was ‘Ouroboros’ made by Lindy Lee. It is a sculpture depicting a snake eating its own tail, representing renewal.  

The Australian Electoral Centre taught us all about voting, and how the parliament works. We learnt that there are two main sections of parliament, the House of Representatives and the Senate.  The House of Representatives gets elected in different zones with approximately the same number of voters, and the Senate get elected by state and territories. We learnt so much, and we had so much fun. 

We went to many places in the space of 3 days. Sometimes we only spent an hour at one place; sometimes we spent three. But no matter what we enjoyed it. In all the places we went to, from Questacon to the museum of democracy; embassy drive to the mint, learning was made fun. We learnt so much and didn’t even realise it! We had fun everywhere, even in places we thought would be boring.  

We made new friends during down time and shared a seesaw with 7 other people. I don’t think many people, and most definitely me, didn’t want it to be over. One of the most popular and most enjoyed places we visited was Questacon. Personally, my favourite part of Questacon was either the free fall slide, the fabric launching tubes or the earthquake room. 

By Nirish and Holly 6PS 

Canberra, a once in a lifetime opportunity, with friends, fun and chances to learn so many things. For me, it was an unforgettable, amazing experience. My friends were what made my Canberra experience what it is now, a special opportunity. I also enjoyed Questacon, a centre filled with games and activities that build your creativity and knowledge about science.   

I will always cherish my memory of Canberra Camp and the endless benefits of it. 

by Grace 6MR 

Canberra Camp was an opportunity to learn about Australia's past and present, such as going to Old and current Parliament House to learn about democracy and voting and going to Questacon to learn about natural disasters and science. There are many fun things to do in Canberra, but my favourite in particular was Questacon.  

Overall, the Canberra Camp was a great experience and to the 2026 Year Sixes, I wish you guys a great time next year.  

By Cloe 6MR 

Learning about currency and the history of Australian money gave me and my peers a clear explanation of The Mint. Located in Canberra, The Mint is a place in which coins and many other currencies are made. The building and company were founded over 50 years ago, making this was one of the many significant places to visit on our trip to Canberra.  

Going to The Mint gave Year 6 an opportunity to fully get an understanding and have knowledge about the first currencies ever made all the way to today. 

By Jossy 6MR