Update #15 photos from Thurs afternoon

Update #14 Friday morning

We're back in Queensland after a long night on the bus.

Everyone appeared to enjoy Questacon, and time there seemed to go very quickly. After dinner of chicken kebabs with rice and salad we started the long journey north.

• Will: I liked the sensation of the fall in Free Fall at Questacon.
  
• Izaac: The roller-coaster simulator was fun
  
• Ellen: I liked the Free Fall, and it was interesting hearing the man at the Space Communication Centre
  
• Sammy G: The Free Fall was the best thing at Questacon
  
• Gemma H: The big pillars at Questacon – you could put your hand on it, and draw because it was infra-red
  

Special thanks to Pam and Noel from Educatours for making the trip so special, and thanks to our main drivers, Darrell and Jim. They are great blokes who looked after us and enjoyed the fun with us.

Thanks also to Mr Matthews, Mrs O'Shea, Mr Malone, Mrs Walton, Mrs Lockhart and Mrs Ebbage, who joined with Mr Ashley, Miss Carroll, Miss McEwan, Mrs Brennan and Mr Morgan to make this a memorable trip for us all.

Update #13 Thursday am photos

Update #12 Lunch, Thursday

After a visit to the Canberra Deep Space Communication Centre we are enjoying a pizza lunch in Weston Park, prior to our afternoon at Questacon.

Our guide at CDSCC might be the person most enthusiastic about their job in the whole world. He was fun, very knowledgeable, and, especially for kids of a scientific bent, inspirational. According to him, we could have the first person to walk on Mars in our midst!

This afternoon's visit to Questacon is probably the most looked-forward to part of the tour, so hopefully we have kept the best til last.

After dinner there this evening, we begin the journey back to Dalby, after an enjoyable and educational, if exhausting, visit to the National Capital.

Update #11 Thursday morning

It's 6:45am and the kids are rising, showering, packing and so on. Breakfast at 7:30, but before then the buses have to be packed. Last night was our last at Eaglehawk, and tonight will be on the bus. (Looking forward to that!!)

Updates might be tricky today, but I will try to post something this afternoon before we leave Canberra.

A little rain overnight, and it's nice and fresh this morning.
See you all tomorrow!

Update #10 Wednesday photos

Update #9 Wednesday evening

The day started with French toast for breakfast – that was a hit!

Bus 2 left first to visit the War Memorial and Government House. Bus 1 departed a little later to visit the museum first, then Old Parliament House and the Electoral Education Centre after lunch in teh Senate rose garden.

K-Space at the National Museum was a hit with those kids fortunate enough to get a turn – the queue was very long at times. We also saw Phar Lap's heart (gross or cool??)

Old Parliament House, now known as Museum of Australian Democracy, was interesting. The students completed tasks about various Prime Ministers, and then learnt something of the history of the Senate.

The Electoral Education Centre taught us about the development of democracy in Australia, and ended with a mock election, complete with clerks, scrutineers and a guard.

Some students' thoughts on the day...

Rebekah: touring through the Governor-General's house and garden was really interesting.

Shannon: the view from Black Mountain Tower was fantastic!

Ryan T: The wreath-laying was very very moving.

Mitchell C: the presentation at the Electoral Centre was amazing!

Mini-golf tonight for Bus 2. Last night's (Bus 1) winner was Mitchell C, while the Bradman award went to April. Mrs Ebbage showed a competitive streak of which many of us we unaware. Two 'holes-in-on' brought out a very serious side to her play. Mr Matthews would like it known, however, that they tied for first place in the teacher's comp.