On 27th to 29th of May 2015, the Grade 6s at Berwick Lodge went to school camp in the city! 3 teachers, 1 teachers aide, 4 parent helpers and 81 excited students travelled by bus to the city to stay at CYC City Camp on the corner of Collins Street and King Street.

Day 1
On the way to school camp, we had a very comfortable ride on the bus. Fortunately, there was hardly any traffic on the road, therefore we got to camp on time! I got to sit right at the front of the bus with Chloe M, where we could both see the road in front of us.
After we dropped of all of the luggage at CYC, we walked to Southbank to eat snack with our group leader. Then we made our way to our very first activity in the city; a visit to the Immigration Museum.

At the Immigration Museum, we participated in a program about Australian immigrants. We had to investigate the suitcases that we on the table and use the information in them to find out whose suitcase it was. Next we got our ‘Passports’ (activity books) and looked at around the museum. I learnt very much about some of the people who have immigrated to Australia.

After we visited the Immigration Museum we ate our lunch. Our next activity was the Yarra River Cruise. On the River Cruise, I sat next to Neha and Amber B. We got to see a various Melbourne landmarks such as Hisense Arena, (and other sporting grounds) Melbourne Arts Centre and Federation Square. The water was tranquil and the ride was very relaxing! After the River Cruise, we walked back to CYC to access our rooms.

When I walked inside the hotel-like camp, I was not expecting to see what I saw! Everything was so glamorous and new, but my room was even better! My room was on the Mezzanine; between the 3rd and 4th floor. The ensuites were very classy and the windows has a view of the streets! The staff at CYC were friendly and welcoming too! We got to choose our beds and shower before dinner.
After dinner, we all walked to Crown to play Ten-Pin Bowling. We all had a sensational time, and I was on a lane with Elly, Lexie, Simone, Leah H and Chloe M. I came second, with a final score of 54, and Simone won with 57 points! Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the night.
Day 2:
Our first activity fro day 2 was Captain Cook’s Cottage. At the cottage, we had alook around and observed the old building. We read some information about Captain Cook and life in those days. We even got to go upstairs and see the garden outside. All of us had an outstanding time at Captain Cook’s Cottage.

Afterwards, we went to Parliament House. My team (team 2) got to watch Question Time, which was an exceptional experience. Team 1 got a tour of Parliament House, but both teams got to have a little look around. Parliament House was an incredible place to visit on camp as we have been learning about Government this term.
For our next activity, we were lucky enough to have a tour of the Shrine of Remembrance. First we watched a short video about ANZAC and each of us was given a poppy to place in the Shrine. When we reached the top of the Shrine, I placed my poppy and remembered the soldiers who fought for our country. We walked back down the stairs and paid a final visit to the newly-built entrance area, which was where some kids placed their poppies. We all made our way back to CYC to have dinner and get ready for the night activity.

The night activity for day two was a ride on the Melbourne Star! Everyone was worked up with excitement as we travelled by tram to Harbor Town in Docklands. The Melbourne Star was such a breath-taking experience for us all! I was in a cabin with Mr Andrews and as our cabin rose into the sky, we were all mesmerised by the views! As it was night, we could see the gleaming city lights in the distance. Also, Miss Tan and Mr Kelly visited us after our ride, which was fun. The Melbourne Star was definitely a highlight for everyone!
Day 3:
On the morning of day 3, we all needed to pack up our bags and rooms. Afterwards, we collected our pre-ordered packed lunch and got ready to board the bus to the museum. Everyone was a bit sad about leaving the amazing hotel, but on the other hand, we were all eager to visit the museum.
Our visit to the Melbourne Museum was the final activity in the city. My group viewed the Forest exhibition first, and we learnt about forest flora. Next, we viewed the First Peoples exhibition, which was about the Australian Aboriginals. Elly and I worked together to find the answers to the questions on the worksheet. Before we left we quickly viewed the Melbourne Story exhibition.
On the way back to Berwick Lodge, we relaxed and talked to our friends about our experiences on camp. The bus ride was quick and we arrived back at school on time!
Overall, CYC City Camp was my favourite Primary School camp! I thoroughly enjoyed learning about all of the wonderful places we visited.
BY SARAH 6G