Curious kids to walk in migrants footsteps
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Children will get a taste of the migrant experiences that helped to shape modern Australia when families attend Children’s Day at the Bonegilla Migrant Experience (BME) on April 20.
The activities will include craft and food creation, with children making light catchers and clay pinch pots during morning activities and learning how to churn their own butter in the afternoon.
Lunch will be a BYO picnic in the grounds.
Team Leader Bonegilla Migrant Experience, Shelley Knight, said the children would also take part in stories to help them understand the way in which migrants helped to create our cultural heritage.
“Children are naturally the most curious of our visitors so we can’t wait to welcome them to this day of learning and fun, where they’ll gain first-hand knowledge of migrant journeys through Bonegilla and beyond,” she said.
As part of the National Trust’s 2023 Australian Heritage Festival, Children’s Day at BME will also include guided tours of the site.
“By joining our tours, children and their families will be able to walk in the footsteps of the 300,000-plus migrants who arrived at Bonegilla before going on to build new lives and families of their own in all corners of our nation,” Mrs Knight said.
The craft and food activities will be held between 10am and 3.30pm on April 20, with all children to be accompanied by an adult.
With a maximum of 12 children for each of the four workshops, bookings are essential. Phone Bonegilla Migrant Experience on (02) 6020 6912 or email [email protected]. Payment can be made over the phone or on the day.
The costs are:
Entry to site - adults $5, concession $4, children 16 years and under free Workshops- $9 per child Guided tours – adults $12, concession $10, children $9.“Children taking part in the workshops will be encouraged to incorporate their own family histories into their artworks, helping them to enjoy and celebrate not only their own stories but also those of the migrants who began their lives in Australia here at Bonegilla,” Mrs Knight said.
“And anyone feeling adventurous is invited to collect an explorer’s pack from the Welcome Centre to find even more stories.”