Swan Hill School Tours – Living History on the Murray

Pioneer Settlement is the perfect place for your next school camp or excursion. For more than fifty years, they have delivered unforgettable educational experiences—so memorable that many former students now return with their own families.

Students can immerse themselves with a range of hands-on activities that enable them to live and learn like a pioneer in the Mallee region. A variety of activities are available that target History and Cross-curriculum priorities across all year levels.

Day Activities

Set on three hectares of land on the banks of the Little Murray River, Pioneer Settlement is a recreation of a historic Mallee township. Students can explore a range of historic buildings from Australia’s pioneering past – including early settler’s cottages, a working blacksmith, schools,  hotel, various shops, and our extensive collection of working tractors and machinery.

Students can further connect with Australia’s pioneering history through a variety of activities covering a range of topics, including domestic life, pioneer technology and change, agricultural machinery, the natural environment, Aboriginal culture, and more. Many activities also include a
hands-on, or practical component, to fully engage students.  A program of activities can be structured to suit all students,
and by contextualising a specific topic can enhance classroom teaching.

Guided Activities

Aboriginal Culture (Standard): 45 minutes

Conducted by an Aboriginal Educator, students develop an awareness and appreciation of daily life for Mallee’s Aboriginal people and their  connection to the land.

Aboriginal Culture (Deluxe):  60 minutes

Conducted by an Aboriginal Educator, students develop an awareness and appreciation of daily life for Mallee’s Aboriginal people and their connection to the land.  Includes a bush tucker tasting plate of river fish (Murray Cod/Yellow Belly), kangaroo, yam, and mushrooms.

Blacksmithing: 30 minutes

Students learn about the role of the blacksmith in pioneering society, their tools, and each make a nail.  This activity is suited to Year 3 and above.

Lamington Making: 30 minutes

Students are shown how to, and make, one of Australia’s most iconic cakes, with rolled sponge cake, chocolate, and desiccated coconut – delicious but messy.

Morse Code: 30 minutes   Suitable for:  Year 3 and above

Students learn about early communication, the electrical telegraph and Morse code, through a demonstration of a Morse code machine.

Music Shop Tour: 30 minutes

Students see and hear, through demonstrations, various early musical instruments on displaying, including a 19th century pianola player piano.

Peg Dolls: 30 minutes

Students create a peg doll, once treasured by children.

Pioneer Building:  30 minutes

A hands-on practical experience for students, with the making of a drop log pen, Mallee root fence, sawing logs of wood, and learning how the pioneers built.

Pioneer Laundry: 30 minutes

Students learn and experience the manual labour and work required to do laundry in the pioneering days.

Self-guided Activities

Discovery Workbook:  30–60 minutes

Students can find answers to their workbook’s questions on the many plaques throughout our Mallee township.

Pioneer Toys & Games:  30 minutes

Students play with traditional children’s toys (yo-yos, egg in a cup, spinners, skipping ropes, and quoits) and take part in classic games (wooden hula hoops, hessian sacks, stilts, hopscotch, and egg and spoon races).

Photo Scavenger Hunt: 30 minutes

Students are challenged to match photos from their worksheet to the matching locations and map numbers.

Site Explore: 30–120 minutes

Students can explore our Mallee township, the various buildings and items on display, at their own pace.

River Activities

Pyap river cruise 

A one hour cruises aboard the Pyap departs from the Horseshoe Bend Wharf. Your journey along the Murray River is narrated, and includes the riverboat history, the influence of this form of transport on early settlement along the river, and the natural environment. The Pyap, originally built in 1896 Mannum (SA), connects students with the reality of navigating the physical environment of the Murray River.

Night Activities

Heartbeat of the Murray or Legends of the Mallee laser light shows

Showing on alternate nights, the Heartbeat of the Murray or the new Legends of the Mallee laser light shows are visually engaging, with brilliant colours, water, light, lasers, special effects, and booming sound! A captivating display, students learn about the history of the Murray River from thirty million years ago to today, or the history and legends of the Mallee region. Heartbeat of the Murray and Legends of the Mallee also
provide many topics for further discussion and exploration – including the natural environment, Aboriginal culture, European settlement, early explorers and pioneers, the importance of river trade, and the Second World War with the top-secret Catalina base at Lake Boga and the contribution of the Women’s Auxiliary Australian Air Force (WAAAF).

Accommodation & Meals at the Pioneer Settlement

The Pioneer Settlement offers Lodge style accommodation, located right next to the Settlement itself.   With capacity to sleep 125 students & staff  (combined) over three lodges and close to the main shopping area of Swan Hill, this accommodation is great for school groups:-

• Burke Lodge:      48 beds
• Wills Lodge:        48 beds
• Mitchell Lodge:   29 beds (four separate rooms)

Their fully quality Chef can prepare home style meals, as well as cater for any dietary needs.

The museum holds more than 500 artefacts relating to Lake Boga’s proud history associated with WWII, including the historic Catalina Flying Boat and a range of wartime treasures that have been preserved for future generations.

Their collection includes some of the rarest memorabilia associated with World War II.   They have an assembled Catalina PBY5 Flying Boat on display along with a range of elements of other aircraft, machinery, vehicles, components and photographs.

With over 500 items on display, They have captured a true glimpse of life during World War II.   Their collection includes machinery, weapons, armoury, photographs, newspaper clippings, uniforms, engines, components and artefacts from the region.

They also have interactive displays and audio presentations which tell the stories of Australia’s historical military history.  It also includes video accounts from the men who flew Catalinas in WW II, words from their collection donors, the museum’s founding members and Patrick Dillon who diligently recreated many of the items on display back to their original glory.

Situated near the edge of Lake Boga, it’s a great place to enjoy your packed lunches and if the weather is nice, go for paddle along the shores of the lake.

It’s all about the ride!   Not built to cart large coaches, your ride on the Speewa Ferry will be on foot.

Located just 20 kilometres north of Swan Hill, the Speewa Ferry first started operating in 1904. Locals from the area still talk about how the ferry was originally operated by hand winch! Now, in modern-day, the ferry is controlled by a diesel engine and can take up to two cars per ride.  The Ferry is controlled by NSW Roads and Maritime and is one of only two ferries to cross the Murray River on the NSW and Victoria borders, the other being the Wymah Ferry.

With its beautiful setting along the tranquil Murray River, Swan Hill Riverside Park is the ultimate destination to eat your packed lunches and outdoor fun.

This park features expansive grassy areas perfect for picnics, sports, and leisurely activities. At the heart of the park is a fantastic playground with a huge slide, sure to delight children of all ages.

To break-up your travels to and from Swan Hill, you could add an attraction in Bendigo or Echuca to your Itinerary (depending on your school location).