Echuca School Tours – Australia’s Greatest River Port Adventure

The bustling Port of Echuca is recognised as one of Australia’s finest heritage icons.

Built in 1865 by the Victorian Railways, the Port of Echuca Wharf was crucial to Echuca’s development. For many years, Echuca was the main shipbuilding centre for the river transport industry. Some of the boats built in Echuca, such as the PS Adelaide, still operate on the Murray River today. At its peak, Echuca supported 8 sawmills and turned over up to 240 paddlesteamers a year.

Today, the Port represents the pageantry of the river trade’s heyday and offers an extraordinary insight into our pioneering days. The Echuca Wharf is a surviving part of the great red gum wharf, which once stretched more than a quarter of a mile.

Learn about the bustling river trade of the 1800s, discover the Star Hotel with its underground bar and hear fantastic but true tales of the Murray River on your next visit to the Port of Echuca.

Discovery Centre Admission & General Tour

The Discovery Centre at the Port of Echuca Discovery Centre is the starting point for a voyage of discovery. Several audio visuals, models and displays interpret the story of Australia’s inland river system, the history of Paddlesteamers, and how they connected a fledging colony to its growing cities and outside world.

School experiences at the Port of Echuca, allow students & teachers to explore the legend of Australia’s pioneering spirit and learn how our inland river system connected a fledgling colony to its growing cities and outside world. Be captivated by the Nationally Heritage Listed Echuca Wharf.

You will have access to :

–          Nationally Heritage Listed Echuca Wharf

–          Daily Guided Tours

–          Indoors Interpretive Centre

–          Interactive Displays

–          Evan Bros Sawmill Display

–          Working Steam Exhibits

–          Paddlesteamers moored at the Echuca Wharf (this is not a ride on a Paddlesteamer)

–          Cargo Shed Kids Space

–          Kids Games & Activities

–          Strathmerton Railway Station and Rolling Stock

–          PS Success Skeleton

The Interpretative Centre

The Discovery Centre at the Port of Echuca Discovery Centre is the starting point for a voyage of discovery. Several audiovisual models and displays interpret the story of Australia’s inland river system, the history of Paddlesteamers, and how they connected a fledgling colony to its growing cities and the outside world.

Evan’s Bros Sawmill

The Evans Brothers’ sawmill is a working exhibit, restored during major refurbishments in 2014. The original 1900s mill interprets how red gum timber was used for ship building, railway sleepers and building in general.

Steam Display

See original working steam engines and pumps, and meet the engineers who operate them. The Steam Display allows visitors to learn about the important role steam played in the development of the Port of Echuca. Kids can also get involved by completing tasks set by the engineers and being rewarded with an ‘Outstanding Performance’ certificate!

Echuca Wharf

Magnificent red gum walkways weave visitors along the riverbank to the meticulously restored Wharf. The Nationally heritage listed Echuca Wharf is the heart of the facility, and gives visitors the opportunity to discover a true Australian icon. Explore above and below the Wharf, and experience the best views along the Murray River.

Cargo Shed Kids Space

A space for the whole family to enjoy, the Cargo Shed has been transformed into an educational, engaging and entertaining space for kids of all ages. With a specific focus on the history of Echuca, the shed is filled with costumes, games, instruments, murals and more.

Rail Siding & Vans

Listen to the stories of the Echuca Wharf’s links with rail, and explore the inside of an original Breakdown and Guard’s van.

P.S. Adelaide

The P.S. Adelaide is the oldest wooden-hulled paddlesteamer still operating anywhere in the world. She was built in Echuca in 1866 for J.C. Grassey and Partners. She is now moored at the Echuca Wharf and used for special occasions.

P.S. Success Skeleton

The P.S. Success was built in Moama in June 1877 by G.B. Air for Westwood & Air. Her preserved remains now reside in what is known at ‘The Success Yard’ at the Port of Echuca Discovery Centre.

Paddlesteamer Cruises

A must to be included whilst visiting Echuca Wharf, is a cruise onboard one of their paddlesteamers, the  PS Pevensey or the PS Alexander Arbuthnot.

Education Programs

Created by a qualified teacher, this unique classroom experience aims to engage students and provide a more hands-on experience. Focused on presenting how school life would have been like for children in the 1850s-1900s, we explore the life of Echuca’s founder – Henry Hopwood. The program includes:

• Replica 1850s-1900s classroom experience
• Old-fashioned costumes (provided)
• Big Picture Book
• Act in a short play
• A variety of old-fashioned games
• Handwriting lessons
• All day access to the Port of Echuca Discovery Centre
• Self-directed learning opportunities

At TwistED Science they thrive on curiosity, how things work, how they move and feel. Through interaction with their all-ages science centres, hands-on parties, and curriculum-based workshops, everyone can explore all the fun of science through play.

Curriculum Based Workshops

All of their workshops are carefully designed to give students maximum hands-on time while reinforcing teamwork and co-operative skills. Each child gains experience with scientific equipment, language, and scientific principles.

They believe that getting hands-on is the best way to learn and they make sure all of their workshops are packed full of science equipment for the students to use.  They also emphasise safe laboratory practices, so children get a true taste of life in a real science laboratory.  All of their workshops are matched with Australian and Victorian curriculum codes to make choosing the appropriate workshop easy.

Billabong Ranch, located near Echuca can accommodate up to 160 people at any one time in bunkhouse/cabin style accommodation.   Their onsite chefs & kitchen staff can cater all meals as required including most dietary needs.

They offer a huge range of onsite activities for both Primary & Secondary school students, with most activities facilitated by Billabong Ranch staff, allowing teachers & school staff to interact during the activity or take the opportunity to sit back, relax and observe.

Demonstrations   Suitable for:  Primary & Secondary Students

Working Horse Demonstration

Witness some true blue cattle work first hand. The working horse demonstration is an introduction to the fundamentals of stock work. Students will witness some steady precision work in the working horse arena as well as high speed stock work in the main arena.

Working Dog Demonstration

Be awe struck by the closeness of dog and owner. Students will have the complex rules of sheep dog trials explained followed by a brief DVD. Then head to the paddock & watch as the border collies demonstrate their ability to work sheep. Ask questions and discuss the basics in training and maintaining working dogs with the owner.

Evening Activities  Suitable for:  Primary & Secondary Students  (need to check with Billabong staff for suitability levels)

Night Walk

Hate being cooped up after dark? Why not take a stroll. The night walk is a great way to view the sights and sounds of the Ranch, surrounding farmland and bushland at night. There is also the possibility of viewing some nocturnal creatures in their natural habitats. The students also get the chance to take one or two of our Farmyard critters along for the walk. A clear night will also reveal stars that city students may not be able to view at home. The night walk is the perfect energy burning activity prior to bed time. Campfire Evening

Relax and enjoy the warmth of a campfire evening. The campfire evening is a great opportunity for groups to sit together and have a chat, a sing along, recall the events of the day or just relax! It can encourage students to socialise outside of their normal peer groups. So if your students or staff are musically talented please feel free to bring along your instruments. There is an optional Whip Cracking or Fire Twirling display available and toasting Marshmallows is always a favourite.

Red Faces

Conduct your own talent night in the hall. Red faces is a talent night that can be held on one of your camp evenings. You can conduct the night as you prefer with students performing in groups or individually. Practise time can be added into the itinerary to allow students to really get creative with their ideas.

Movie Night

Watch your favorite movie on the big screen. Teachers can choose to use the projector to watch a movie one night or even as an additional activity after the night walk or campfire evening.

Day Activities   Suitable for:  Primary & Secondary Students

Supervised by Billabong Staff

Equine Empowerment & Animal Handling

Choose one or more of their horse based activities to empower your students with self-confidence.  Their horse grooming and horse riding activities are a great way to bestow confidence, self-worth and new skills on your students. Naturally intimidating to many, horses are large & powerful. This creates a natural opportunity for some to overcome fear & develop confidence. Working alongside a horse, in spite of those fears, create confidence and provides wonderful insight when dealing with other intimidating & challenging situations in life. By participating in a safe and effective environment, students learn new skills, overcome fears or phobias and break down peer group barriers. Children thrive off the human-animal bond that forms, discovering that horses are friendly, gentle and accepting. A great activity to get the majority of students to step outside their comfort zone, even those who are uncomfortable around horses can have a meaningful experience.

Horse Grooming

A fantastic activity for all ages. Prior to handling the horses students will be given a demonstration on how to safely lead and manage their horse, where to groom, parts of the horse etc. Students will then be allocated a horse between two people to work with for the lesson.

Horse Trail Ride

This activity is a great one for taking students out of their comfort zones and for many of them encouraging them to face fears & try something new. Students will be instructed & assisted in mounting & dismounting from a horse safely, how to ride a horse including correct position for sitting on a horse, how to steer & stop a horse. The trail will follow the tracks around the bush & farmland with longer rides following the Goulburn & Murray Rivers. The trail ride will be conducted at a level suitable to all participants. Horse Riding Lesson Students will be instructed & assisted in mounting & dismounting from a horse safely, how to ride a horse including correct position for sitting on a horse, how to steer & stop a horse.  This is a more intense instructive environment conducted in one of their enclosed arenas.

Low Ropes

Improve interpersonal development, communication, co-operation & team work skills as students navigate the 21 obstacles. The Low Ropes Course provides an opportunity for individual and group challenges, requiring the application of both individual and team skills. They can be mentally challenging and promote group support, increased physical strength, co-ordination and agility. Trust, encouragement and support are promoted throughout this activity. Students work towards achieving goals within a set time frame.

Commando Course

Coordination & use of locomotor skills are essential for students to make their way through a series of challenging obstacles. The Commando Course is set up so that a number of students can participate at one time. The 2 identical parallel lanes, each with a number of different obstacles, allowing students to begin their turn while others are still on the course. Races can be organised after a few individual practices on the course, taking the challenges of the course to a whole new level. Our extended course requires students to work as a team to conquer some of the obstacles. Communication and co-operation will definitely enhance this activity.

Archery

Students use hand eye co-ordination to hit a target or pop a balloon! Archery is a specialised activity that allows students to shoot an arrow from a bow into a target on a wall or hay bale. It aims to provide participants with a new recreational experience that will develop psychomotor skills and increase self-confidence. Billabong offers either an indoor or outdoor archery range with a variety of targets to aim at. A billabong staff member will give students a safety demonstration including how to load, aim and release your arrow from the bow correctly. Then see how the children thrive on the excitement of having their own turn. Games and competitions can be organised with a number of scoring systems possible with the targets used. This activity is great for self esteem as even the least athletic can be the champion archer.

Pedal Boats

Enjoy a peaceful paddle or race your friends across the dam. The Pedal Boats are one of our most popular and fun activities. It caters for both sporting and non-sporting students, as they can make the activity as physical and challenging as they prefer. It is a great way to promote team work and for the students to learn a little about boat and water safety. The construction of the pedal boats promotes stability in the water. Life jackets are provided and must be worn by all participants. Students also discover that not all modes of transport react immediately to direct steering. Wind, pedal power & even weight distribution will have different effects.

Initiative Games

Watch as students think outside the box and use team strategies to create optimum outcomes. Initiative games offer a series of fun & clearly defined tasks for students to carry out in groups. Each situation is designed so the group must use co-operation and some physical or mental effort to gain the optimum outcome. Participants engage in the problem and take advantage of the combined mental and physical strengths of the team. Students will feel rewarded by their innovative thinking and cooperation.

Aussie Frisbee Golf

Think it’s easy? Think again! This challenging course takes you on a trip around Australia. Ultimate Frisbee Golf is a fun and educational activity that moves children through different towns and cities of Australia on their journey to get the best score possible. The aim is to hit each post with the Frisbee in the least number of throws. A range of colourful cut outs makes for great photo opportunities along the way.

Bouldering

Test your student’s endurance as they climb along the longest bouldering wall in Australia. Bouldering is a specialised activity that is presented and supervised by a Billabong staff member. Billabong has the longest wall in Australia with 30 metres of climbing. The aim is for students to climb from one end to the other using one of 3 different routes. Routes are colour coded with beginner climbers using both coloured rocks, intermediate climbers using only yellow rocks and advanced climbers using only green rocks. Students will be given time at the beginning of the lesson to see how far they can get along the wall. After the free climb the supervising Billabong staff member will facilitate a number of games and races for the students. Students work in pairs and teams throughout this activity playing games such as Twister & tag team races. Team spirit, motivation & encouragement are a great part of the bouldering games.

Mini Golf

A fun and challenging small group activity. The Mini Golf course is located indoors in the main reception area. The students work together in teams to navigate the course, there are 18 holes, each with a different theme and some with sensor activated sounds. Mini Golf is designed to offer good fun and a little bit of a challenge. It can also assist to increase self confidence as little physical fitness is required to excel.

Trivia Walk

A wonderful introductory lesson & a great way to test your student’s observational skills. The Trivia Walk is an enjoyable activity which allows the students to get familiar with the Ranch and its staff, buildings and animals. There are set questions given to each group and prizes available for the winning team. When students get stuck on a question they really have to put their minds to work as our staff can only give an answer if the students come up with an alternate question to ask. Communication, co-operation & team work will reveal the winning combination.

Roping

Give students the opportunity to learn a real cowboy skill. Roping provides participants with a new and different recreation experience, which is challenging and can assist to increase hand-eye co-ordination & burn off excess energy. Participants will be instructed on the origin & fundamentals of roping. They will then participate in a hands on roping lesson, followed by a fun game of ‘Rancher’ which involves the whole group.

Introduction to Orienteering and Orienteering Courses

Test your student’s navigational skills. Introduction to orienteering gives students a chance to gain the skills needed to navigate their way through the orienteering courses. It covers compass work and allows students to really get their bearings on the ranch. Orienteering focuses on the use of set directions and compasses to navigate the designated courses. Students set out in teams to complete the different courses and gain great satisfaction from orienteering successfully in the bushland environment. This fun, energy burning activity can allow the students to learn some important life skills and a sense of responsibility with different team members having certain roles.

Bush First Aid

D.R.S.A.B.C.D what does it mean? Bush First Aid has been designed to give students some basic knowledge of the skills required in a First Aid situation. The activity touches on basics such as items required to survive in the bush through to the fundamentals of D.R.S.A.B.C.D and what to do in first aid situations such as snake and spider bites. They will learn where and how to correctly check for a pulse and how to correctly put a patient into the ‘Recovery Position’. Our Bush First Aid instructors are Qualified Level 2 First Aiders. Bungee Trampolines High Flying Fun The bungee trampolines are a favourite for students of all ages. Billabong staff will fit a harness to the student and connect them to the bungee. Students of all fitness levels can enjoy the excitement of flying high while being safely connected. It caters for both sporting and non-sporting students, as they can make the activity as physical and challenging as they prefer.+

Camel Rides

Ships of the Desert Take a ride on these beautiful animals. An experience not to be missed & you don’t have to travel to Central Australia to participate. These animals have a huge history with this country as explorers used them to traverse the sparse country in years gone by. They also share their Australian history with Echuca as they were beasts of burden carrying wool bales and supplies.

Bungee Trampolines   Suitable for:  Secondary students

High Flying Fun The bungee trampolines are a favorite for students of all ages. Billabong staff will fit a harness to the student and connect them to the bungee. Students of all fitness levels can enjoy the excitement of flying high while being safely connected. It caters for both sporting and non-sporting students, as they can make the activity as physical and challenging as they prefer.

Bikes & Trikes

A great way to burn off some excess energy Billabong offers a number of different bikes including push bikes, 2 and 3 seater bikes and 2 seater trikes. The 950m long track offers a range of different twists, turns and chicanes for students to navigate through. This activity can be as physical as each participant chooses to make it, catering for sporting and non-sporting students alike.

Indigenous Games   Suitable for:  Secondary students

Expand your student’s cultural understanding through a fun and educational activity. The Indigenous Games are a set of fun and educational games, which gives an insight into Aboriginal History and Culture. There are 3 games played Gorri, Wanna and Puldaji, each reflecting a different survival skill the Indigenous people would have practiced by playing these games.

Visit the Animal Nursery

Get to know the inhabitants of the Ranch. Visiting the Animal Nursery is a fantastic way for students to learn some basic aspects of animal husbandry and also some of the responsibilities of animal ownership. They will learn how to identify and handle a wide variety of animals (both domestic and native), which can assist in overcoming fears or phobias giving the student a great sense of accomplishment. Cover some aspects of biological science by learning what foods different animals eat both in captivity and in their natural environments. Our horse drawn display has many items from early Australia and farming that students may have never seen before.

Self-guided Activities

Swimming

Cool off after a big day or wake up with a dip in the pool. An undercover swimming pool is provided by Billabong Ranch. Swimming can be added into the itinerary as a way for students to relax and cool off. In summer some schools choose to substitute beach volleyball with a swim instead.

Beach Volleyball

Enjoy a small piece of the beach way out in the country. Billabong ranch has a beach volleyball court that is available for your use. Volleyball is a self guided activity and can be conducted in a number of ways depending on your preference. Teachers can also allow the students to use the outdoor ten pin bowling & slide area.

Add an Activity Stop along the way

Depending on what direction you are coming from, you might like to break-up your travel day by incorporating an activity or two in Bendigo (either on the way to Echuca or on the way back to school), such as:

• Central Deborah Gold Mine
  – Guided Mine Experience Tour
  – Guided Surface Tour
• The Golden Dragon Museum
  – 1 hour Guided Tour or Self-guided
• Bendigo Tramways
  – Vintage Talking Tram Tour
• Chinese Joss House Temple
• Discovery Science & Technology Centre
• The Great Stupa of Universal Compassion