Student reflections:

"Our experience of the ANZAC Memorial was nothing short of incredible. The program's insightful and informative nature, alongside the knowledgeable and friendly staff, allowed us to truly commemorate the selfless sacrifice the ANZACs made in World War One. Through the exploration of the ordinary lives lost at war, we developed an enriched understanding of the horrors of the First World War. If given the chance to visit again, we would accept with an enthusiastic yes!" - Stephanie E and Jacquie C 

"The Anzac Memorial's designs, artworks, and educational spaces provided our modern history class with a comprehensive understanding of Australia's military history. The memorial stands as a testament to the courage and sacrifice of those who fought for their countries. We thoroughly enjoyed the inside of the Hall of Memory, where there is a bronze sculpture known as Sacrifice. This sculpture depicts a young dying soldier held up by the three important women in his life, symbolizing the sacrifice made by the ANZACs. Surrounding this central sculpture are several other artworks and memorials dedicated to different aspects of war and remembrance, where we dropped gold stars in remembrance of a soldier in our thoughts." - Mirae Q

"We had the most enjoyable day visiting the Hyde Park Memorial and exploring the lives and experiences of Australian World War I soldiers. We found the ‘20 lives through 20 objects’ workshops, the writing of postcards and the well of sacrifice to be profoundly interesting and touching activities which enabled us to garner the more emotional aspect of the effects of the war." - Ava C and Gabrielle V 

"We thought that the day itself was absolutely amazing, it was very insightful and informative in which we learnt a lot of facts and stories from WWI. Our favourite part would have to be going on the scavenger hunt to find our person e.g soldier or nurse and learn about them and their experiences in the war. This is because it helped uncover so many stories and personal experiences that we were able to connect to. Another favourite moment was in the Hall of Memory, where we thought of someone and dropped a gold star in remembrance of them. We thought this was really deep and meaningful and felt very peaceful. Overall, we heavily enjoyed the whole experience and want to thank everybody there for their warm hospitality." - Hein J and Romina A 

"The most enjoyable part of the day was probably learning from the museum guides and workers. They had so much knowledge that it was nice to listen to them. They also told stories of these soldiers from a personal view not just how what happened and that it was bad but what the soldiers went through all their different personal journeys." - Lauren H, Layla B and Alissa P 

"The part we enjoyed most was the opportunity to share the 20 stories of individuals that played a role in World War I. We appreciate the emphasis that the Memorial placed on the stories of the people as opposed to a focus on the events and the tragedy. We also enjoyed learning about the detail and heavy thought that went into the designing of the Memorial, as it was simultaneously designed in conjunction with an architect and an artist. It was clear that there was a lot of effort placed into making it a special place to remember those who have fallen." - Meghan W, Olivia M and Abbey R

"While there were many enjoyable aspects of the day, we all really enjoyed getting to know the soldiers’ stories and learning about the amazing people and experiences that made up the Anzac legend" - Emily M, Isabelle S. and Bronwyn Z.

"An interactive and historical excursion that was engaging and allowed new knowledge to be taught and learned." - Alana G 

Thank you to Mrs Fetterplace who also came along.

Fran Musico Rullo - HSIE Teacher