Sovereign Hill’s newest costume school is officially open thanks to the Andrews Labor Government’s $8 million investment to upgrade the popular attraction.
Minister for Education James Merlino today opened the Wesleyan Day School which is Sovereign Hill’s fifth costumed school and has been developed to meet the growing demand from schools, so more students can enjoy learning about the Gold Rush while dressed in 1850’s attire.
Sovereign Hill currently hosts more than 100,000 school students per year, which makes up 20 per cent of its overall number of visitors.
While touring the new school, Mr Merlino announced $700,000 for Sovereign Hill Museums Association for two education programs that will enrich the learning experience for students in a unique environment.
The programs received the funding under the Labor Government’s Strategic Partnerships Program which will provide $18.3 million from 2018 to 2020 to support not-for-profit organisations to give students and teachers learning experiences outside mainstream settings.
Students will benefit from a $650,000 injection for the Sovereign Hill and Narmbool Education Program which uses the unique resources of the Sovereign Hill outdoor museum in Ballarat and the Narmbool Estate in Elaine.
The Labor Government is providing a further $50,000 for the Gold Museum Education Program for a professional education program to add value to students’ visits to the museum.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Education James Merlino
“We want our students to have many different experiences to contribute to their learning and that’s why programs like this are so important.”
“Each year, thousands of students enjoy dressing up in this school and learning about the Gold Rush and the new Wesleyan School will bring the past to life for even more students.”
Quotes attributable to Minister for Regional Development Jaala Pulford
“Kids from all over the country come to Ballarat to visit Sovereign Hill and learn about the city’s history.”
“Our $8 million investment in the By Day and Night project ensures that more people get a chance to enjoy what the city and Sovereign Hill has to offer.”
Quote attributable to Member for Buninyong Geoff Howard
“Sovereign Hill is a terrific tourist attraction that brings thousands of visitors to our region. It also plays an important role in teaching people about Ballarat’s history during the gold rush era.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020