School Programs for Victoria

Your students can enjoy one of our facilitated education programs at the Old Melbourne Gaol, Polly Woodside Tall Ship, Rippon Lea mansion, Como house or McCrae homestead.

We offer programs that cover a range of discipline areas from history and humanities to maths and geography. See below for more information about program content, curriculum links and making bookings or download our program guide to all Trust Education programs.

Digital Resources

Can’t make it to one of our properties? To support our teachers and students operating through distance education we have created a range of interactive online learning resources and programs. These include:

3D tours of our historic sites, including of the Old Melbourne Gaol, Polly Woodside and Rippon Lea Estate
VCE Geography – virtual fieldwork of Rippon Lea Estate. Learn more.
Old Melbourne Gaol – Interactive Court Room. Learn more.
Heritage at your Touch – Meet George at McCrae’s Cottage and Nellie at La Trobe’s Cottage. Learn more.
Then and Now – Explores occupations of the past and their equavilent today comparing the changes over time. Learn more.
Kids activity sheets. Download here.

For more information on digital programs, contact us at education@nattrust.com.au or phone (03) 9656 9889.

Book your school visit today

Simply fill in our online booking form with your details to make a booking request

Booking form

Primary Excursions

McCrae Cross-Cultural Experience

Students experience life in the 1840’s for the Bunurong people and the McCrae family from a youth’s perspective on the Mornington Peninsula pioneer property.

Polly Woodside - Primary Program

Try your hand as a real Able Seaman from the 19th Century and learn the ropes. Learn about the hardship for early settlers aboard a ship.

Como House - Primary Program

With four activities over a full day, students will really get an idea of Now and Then in the context of an early local Melbourne family and their celebrations in the distant past.

Rippon Lea Mansion - If these walls could talk.

Learn about life in the Grand Mansion for those that lived there and those that worked there over the last 150 years.

Old Melbourne Gaol - Guided Tours

Examine Melbourne's early history, the story of the goldfields and come face-to-face with Ned Kelly.

Old Melbourne Gaol - Court Room Dramas

Re-enact a Court Room trial of the Ned Kelly or Elizabeth Scott historic crime cases

Mrs Sargood - Incursion

Let the past come to your classroom and give your students a real experience with Mrs Sargood who can explain what past life was like first hand and give lessons in copper plate hand writing.

Old Melbourne Gaol - Court Room Dramas

Choose from 5 trials including contemporary trials like Respect Me and Culpable Driving

Old Melbourne - Guided Gaol Tours

You can now select from four tours that explore Melbourne's social history from a variety of perspectives.

Old Melbourne Gaol - Watch House Experience

Experience the legal process first hand with our Charge Sergeants.

Polly Woodside - Maths@Sea

Problem solve your way through the life of an Able Bodied Seaman. An ability to manage maths was essential to survival at sea.

VCE Geography - Rippon Lea Virtual Fieldwork

Rippon Lea is an ideal place for students to undertake a fieldwork for VCE Geography Unit 2 - Tourism. The fieldwork is now available as a virtual resource for teachers and students.

Guided House Tours for Tertiary/ESL groups

Visit one of our historic properties for a guided house tour and to learn more about local stories, families and how Melbourne used to be - great for adult learning and ESL groups.

Old Melbourne Gaol - Court Room Dramas

Re-enact a court trial to learn more about the legal system during the time of Ned Kelly or Elizabeth Scott

Old Melbourne Gaol - Guided Gaol Tours

Let one of our experienced guides teach your students more about this historic site and the inmates who once stayed here.

Old Melbourne Gaol - Watch house Experience

Allow our police sergeant to show your students what it was like to be processed for a crime before being sent to court

Book your school visit today

Simply fill in our online booking form with your details to make a booking request

Booking form

Students gained an insight into Melbourne's criminal past and what it would have been like to be a convicted criminal and the conditions that they faced. The court room drama gave students a real-life experience about what it would be like if that situation occurred.

Teacher feedback from Steve, August 2016