Shipwreck Coast School Tour – Beauty Along the Great Ocean Road

Cultural Education & Ceremonies

Booln Booln Cultural Centre is a place where stories, language and culture come to life. They bring people together to yarn, learn and connect to Wathaurong Country.

They offer Cultural Ceremonies including Welcome to Country, Smoking/Cleansing Ceremonies, and Yarn Sessions that create space for sharing and understanding.

Their school programs and excursions are hands-on and full of learning, from ochre art and storytelling to learning Wadda Wurrung language and connecting to Country through touch, feel and story.

The also run cultural awareness and professional development sessions, which can be designed for your specific needs. Another offer is our creative workshops. These include basket weaving, dilly bag making, emu feather jewellery, nature art, and bush dolls.

Every session is about sharing culture in a real, meaningful way.

Don’t just learn about history, experience it!

At the end of The Great Ocean Road, just beyond the 12 Apostles, the picturesque seaside city of Warrnambool is home to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village.

Self-guided Visit

A self-guided visit gives you the freedom to discover Flagstaff Hill at your own pace.   Self-explore trails, traditional games and other self guided activities are also available.

Meet the Maremmas (Education Program)

Meet the Maremmas is a program designed to create an awareness of the threats that sea life in the Southern Ocean face, how programs such as the Maremma Project can have a lasting effect on an animal colony, giving them a better understanding of the natural environment.

Students are introduced to the dogs.   They learn about the breed’s history, the life cycle of a Little Penguin and how the local penguin colony has been saved.   Conservation and sustainability are threaded through all aspects of this program.

Traditional make & create (Education Program)

Scone making – mix, knead and shape dough and discover the simple magic of turning everyday ingredients into warm, delicious scones which can be enjoyed straight out of the oven, topped with sweet jam and a dollop of cream.  Students will gain a sense of achievement that can be felt by creating something with their own hands.

The 3 R’s – Reading, ‘riting and ‘rithmetic (Education Program)

This program provides students with the opportunity to experience common school life in the 1860’s, early 1870’s through role-play.   Participating students dress in costume and engage in appropriate curriculum areas such as arithmetic (time tables), copperplate writing on slates with slate pencils, class reading and spelling.

Batten down the hatches! (Education Program)

This program provides students with the opportunity to develop their knowledge and understanding of the Shipwreck Coast by discovering why, how and where shipwrecks occurred.  It includes opportunities to explore the motives of immigration, enabling students to make the connections between local and other environments.  It presents local shipwrecks in detail and includes navigation in the 1800s and the Great Circle Route.

Traditional trades

Outlines of occupations with a maritime focus:  Lighthouse Keeper, Port Medical Officer, Shipsmith, Ships Chandler, Shipping Agent, Whaler, Cooper and Sailmaker.  Touring around the village students are shown the workplaces of the various tradesman in an 1800s coastal village.   While viewing  the tools of the trade, students discuss how this workplace is similar/different to the modern day one and the difficulties faced by the tradesman in the 1800s.

The Sound & Light Show:  ‘Tales of the Shipwreck Coast’

As night falls, step inside the village to experience dramatic stories of Australia’s rich maritime history, told vividly through the multimillion-dollar Sound and Light Show Experience.

Tales of the Shipwreck Coast takes you a journey through the ages.  From local Indigenous creation stories to our colourful whaling past.  Then to one of the most famous events that gave our coastline a reputation that inspired fear and trepidation amongst mariners – the wreck of the Loch Ard at Loch Ard Gorge.

The show begins at dusk, with start times changing seasonally.   The show runs in most weather conditions.   The Wharf Theatre is open fronted, so warm clothing in the cooler months, is recommended.

Explore

Tower Hill is home to some of Australia’s best loved wildlife. Emus, kangaroos, koalas, swans, ducks and blue wrens all live inside this magnificent dormant volcano near the Great Ocean Road. Walk across wetlands, craters and bushland and learn how the park was exploited by early settlers before being restored by volunteers.

Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve sits in a large volcanic crater. It is one of Victoria’s most fascinating and significant geological formations. Volcanic cone-shaped hills rise from the lakes. It’s a short detour from the Great Ocean Road and offers ample walking opportunities for people of all abilities – from easy boardwalks to scenic climbs.

School Group Tours

2 hour interactive program providing a unique opportunity to observe, learn, and discuss, Aboriginal Australia, and Australian flora and fauna.  Programs include guided tours, nature walks, and conservation workshops in a dormant volcanic crater, managed by Worn Gundidj.

Mulloka Cruises offers a 30-minute, family-friendly bay cruises departing from the main fisherman’s wharf in Port Fairy.  Led by Captain Jane and crew, the trips provide scenic views of the Moyne River, a historic lighthouse, and wildlife, often featuring dolphin sightings and historical commentary.   The Mulloka is only a small vessel, so splitting your group between other activities, like a self-guided walk on Griffith Island or a beach walk for a game of ‘spot the creature’, will be required.

Griffiths Island in Port Fairy, Victoria, is a scenic, easily accessible nature reserve known for its historic 1859 bluestone lighthouse, stunning coastal views, and a large shearwater (mutton bird) colony.  Located at the mouth of the Moyne River, it offers a popular 3-5 km walking track and is a sanctuary for wildlife, including swamp wallabies.

Griffiths Island Lighthouse

Built in 1859, this iconic lighthouse stands at the far end of the island, offering panoramic ocean views.

Shearwater Colony

The island is home to a significant population of short-tailed shearwaters, which return annually to nest. Visitors can watch the birds arrive in large numbers at sunset.

Walking Track

Whale watching at Logans Beach offers world-class viewing of Southern Right whales from June to September.  A dedicated, accessible viewing platform, located on Logans Beach Road, acts as a nursery where mothers and calves swim close to shore. Early morning/late afternoon is best. 

Southern Right Whales have been visiting Warrnambool for hundreds of years. Once they were hunted almost to the point of extinction, but since whaling was outlawed in 1935, their numbers have been growing.

In summer, Southern Right whales live in the sub-Antarctic. In winter, they migrate to warmer waters around the southern areas of Australia.

The females migrate to the “nursery” areas close to the shore to bear their calves, while the males, yearlings and young adults remain further out to sea.

Depending on the time of year, Mini Golf by the Sea can be a great way to spend an evening on your Warrnambool camp.  Students & teachers can try their luck on their 18 holes mini (outdoor) golf course!  Located adjacent to the spectacular foreshore and Warrnambool’s fabulous Lake Pertobe Adventure Playground.  Mini Golf by the Sea is also the home of their all-ages Jumping Pillow – fun for all of your students.

Warrnambool’s fantastic Lake Pertobe Adventure Playground is a year-round family attraction and a great place to come to have lunch, whilst students get to run around and relax.

A massive 8-hectare adventure playground is paradise for kids with giant slides, flying foxes, a maze and boat rides (fees apply for hiring boats).  Located near the foreshore, it includes multiple playgrounds, sandy beaches, BBQs, walking paths, and accessible facilities, making it a top year-round destination. 

The Great Ocean Road journey from Melbourne to Warrnambool offers dramatic coastal scenery, iconic limstone stacks, lush rainsforests and historic maritime sites.   Key sights to stop at on your journey along the Great Ocean Road:-

The Twelve Apostles

Experience the awesome natural beauty of the world-famous Twelve Apostles. Rising abruptly from the tempestuous Southern Ocean, these seven limestone stacks are the highlight of the Great Ocean Road.

The Twelve Apostles are a collection of towering limestone sea stacks, which were formed by erosion of the mainland cliffs.   Despite the name, only seven stacks still exist (the eighth stack collapsing in 2005).   Not bad considering they were formed between 10-20 million years ago!

Loch Ard Gorge

Loch Ard Gorge, located in Victoria’s Port Campbell National Park, is a stunning historic site featuring towering yellow-sandstone cliffs, turquoise waters and two sandy beaches.  It offers scenic walking trails to view rock formations like the Razorback and Mutton Bird Island.

Named after the iron clipper Loch Ard which wrecked in 1878, with only two survivors, teenagers Tom Pearce and Eva Carmichael.

London Arch (formerly London Bridge)

London Arch (formerly London Bridge) is a dramatic offshore natural arch in Victoria’s Port Campbell National Park.  Renowned for its 1990 collapse, this limestone formation is a popular, accessible stop featuring two viewing platforms with stunning coastline views and a small colony of Little Penguins.

Originally known as London Bridge because it connected to the mainland, it is now often called Lodnon Arch because it is a standalone arch.  On January 15, 1990, the arch section closest to the mainland unexpectedly fell into the sea. Two tourists were stranded on the outer section and required rescue by helicopter.

Explore, Learn & Create – inquiry-led education programs for all ages facilitated by Artist Educators.

All sessions have been designed to support the Victorian Curriculum and to expand students learning, develop critical and creative skills and foster an awareness of the Arts.

The Elements of Art  (Suitable for:  Year levels 3-6)

This session introduces pupils to the elements of art. Just like letters can be made into words to form a story, poetry and understanding, the elements of art can be used to build understanding through an artwork. Pupils use the exhibitions at WAG to focus on the different elements and pick them out within the artworks.  Students are engaged in a hands on session exploring the elements of line, colour and texture to create an artwork.

Gallery Explorers  (Suitable for:  All year levels)

An inquiry-based gallery tour including a studio session responding to current exhibitions. Students are encouraged to use creative and critical thinking to explore and then create artworks.

Suitable for all levels.  Tours can be tailored to meet the specific class/ curriculum needs.

Gunditjmara Country, Bronwyn Razem  (Suitable for:  All year levels)

Deepen students understanding and appreciation of First Nations arts and culture through engagement with our Maar Nation Gallery.

Guided by an Educator, this inquiry-led program will explore the work of Gunditjmara master weaver Bronwyn Razem. Born and raised in Warrnambool and currently residing in Geelong on Wadawurrung Country, Razem is recognised as a leading cultural figure in the revival and sharing of the traditional weaving techniques of the region.

In this guided tour students will explore how Razem creates contemporary artworks using traditional weaving skills passed on through maternal lineage and her deep connection to culture and country. They will gain an expanded knowledge of the creation and use of eel traps and the use of symbolism in First Nations culture.

Art Analysis  (Suitable for:  Lower to Middle Secondary)

In this session students will be engaged in the analysis of artworks and interpret the practices employed in the development of a variety of artworks on display. Students will be encouraged to question the content and choices employed, the creative elements and evaluate the context in which the work was created. They will be introduced to artistic terminology and develop an artwork in response to work exhibited.