Civic discovery walk: East Melbourne

Make the most of your visit to Parliament House and take your class beyond Spring Street.

Open the Civic discovery walk map
 

There are many monuments and statues in the area around Parliament House that commemorate events and people significant to the people of Victoria. The Civic discovery walk explores how and what we commemorate, as well as opportunities to expand, revise and change who and what we commemorate.

The locations have been selected for their relevance to Parliament of Victoria and/or their connection to civics and citizenship. The walk starts at Parliament House, makes a loop around the back of parliament to the Treasury Gardens, before finishing back at Parliament House.

  • Connections to the classroom and curriculum

    As well as explaining historic points of civic interest, both of the walking tours and accompanying activities help students explore a range of concepts from the Victorian curriculum: Civics and citizenship from Grade 3 to Year 10. These include concepts such as

    • At Grade 3 & 4, investigating why and how people participate within communities and cultural and social groups (VCCCC006) through exploring how people might commemorate different events or people

    • At Grade 5 & 6, how people with shared beliefs and values work together to achieve their goals and plan for action (VCCCC016) through exploring significant protests, social movements and events that have occurred on the steps of Parliament House.

    • At Years 7 & 8, discuss the freedoms that enable active participation in Australia’s democracy within the bounds of law, including freedom of speech, association, assembly, religion and movement (VCCCG019) through exploring how people exercise their democratic right to protest outside Parliament House, and how some of these historic movements and important people have been commemorated.

    • At Years 9 & 10, discuss challenges to and ways of sustaining a resilient democracy and cohesive society (VCCCC036) through exploring issues with how and why particular moments in history are commemorated.