Education Programs
Let your students experience authentic, tangible heritage up close!
Our education programs give students the opportunity to explore the people, places and stories that shaped Beechworth and the wider region. Delivered across historic buildings and museum spaces, each program combines hands-on learning with authentic local history to encourage curiosity, critical thinking and meaningful connections to the past.
Programs are led by experienced educators and guides and support a range of Australian Curriculum outcomes across primary and secondary year levels.
Step back in history with a Precinct Pass
Our Precinct Pass offers excellent value and flexibility for school groups.
$20 per student
Teachers and support staff attend free of charge.
The Precinct Pass includes your choice of three of the following experiences:
- Kelly Trials Experience (45 minutes)
- Facilitated Burke Museum Program (45 minutes)
- Gold, Fortune and Felony Walking Tour (45 minutes)
- Facilitated Telegraph Station Program (45 minutes)
A self-guided History Hunt activity can also be provided at no additional cost as part of your Precinct Pass package.
Programs can also be booked individually. Please download the Education Programs Brochure for individual program pricing and curriculum information.
Bookings and enquiries
For further information, please contact our Education Officer:
T: (03) 5728 8067 or 0447 765 850
E: [email protected]
Education programs for all levels
How Granny Lived
Burke Museum
Foundation to Year 4 | 45 minutes
How different was life for your grandparents and great-grandparents? Students explore a selection of fascinating objects from the Burke Museum collection and use observation, discussion and critical thinking to uncover their purpose. Along the way, they discover how everyday life has changed over time and compare the experiences of past generations with their own.
Cultural Crossroads
Burke Museum
Years 3-6 | 45 minutes
Explore the stories of the people who called Beechworth home before and during the Gold Rush. Through interactive activities and museum objects, students investigate the experiences of First Nations Peoples, Chinese migrants and European settlers. The program encourages students to consider themes of identity, culture, migration and respect, while discovering how diverse communities helped shape Beechworth's history.
Fools, Fortune and Folklore
Burke Museum
Years 5-10 | 45 minutes
Discover the surprising, unusual and sometimes unbelievable stories of people who travelled to Australia during the Gold Rush and settled in Beechworth. Through engaging games and activities, students explore the push and pull factors of migration, the challenges of life on the goldfields and the vastly different experiences of those seeking a new life in colonial Australia.
Students work in groups to piece together Choose Your Own Life stories of 3 different migrants using pure chance; before playing a Three Truths & a Lie gameshow-style activity where they must find the sometimes-absurd truths in stories about Beechworth identities.
Evolving Ethics: Repatriation Matters
Burke Museum
Years 7-9 | 45 minutes
Explore the changing role of museums and the ethical responsibilities that guide their work today. Using objects and stories connected to the Burke Museum collection, students examine how collecting practices have evolved and why the respectful care of cultural material matters.
Working as Collection Managers, students analyse primary and secondary sources, evaluate different perspectives and debate the future of a collection of objects. Along the way, they gain insight into the repatriation of First Nations cultural materials and the importance of building respectful relationships with Traditional Owners.
History Mystery
Burke Museum
Years 7-10 | 45 minutes
Put your investigation skills to the test in this hands-on historical mystery. Working as forensic archaeologists, students examine clues and evidence to try and uncover the identity of a fictional goldfields skeleton.
Along the way, they learn about life on the goldfields, health and disease, mining dangers and medical treatments in 19th century Victoria. Critical thinking, teamwork and historical inquiry are all essential to solving the case.
Walking Tours: Gold Rush or Ned Kelly
Beechworth Historic Precinct
All Year Levels | 45 minutes
Step beyond the museum walls and discover the stories hidden within Beechworth's historic streets. Led by experienced guides, these outdoor walking tours connect students with the places where local history unfolded.
Students can choose between two themed experiences. The Gold Rush Tour explores migration, life on the goldfields, environmental change, miners' rights and colonial law and order. The Ned Kelly Tour follows key locations connected to the Kelly story, encouraging students to consider the events, people and differing perspectives that continue to shape one of Australia's most famous historical narratives.
Kelly Trials Experience
Historic Courthouse
All Year Levels | 45 minutes
Stand inside the historic Beechworth Courthouse and experience one of Australia's most compelling stories in the very place history happened. This immersive 270-degree cinema experience brings to life themes of crime and punishment, justice, governance and the story of Ned Kelly.
Following the presentation, students take part in a facilitated discussion exploring a key issue connected to the Kelly story. By considering evidence, weighing different viewpoints and participating in a jury-style vote, students are encouraged to think critically about historical events and their ongoing significance. Time is then provided to explore the courthouse exhibitions and uncover more stories from its remarkable past.
Gold Fever
Beechworth Historic Precinct
Years 3-9 | 45 minutes
Could you strike it rich during the Victorian Gold Rush? In this hands-on program, students step into the shoes of people who travelled to Beechworth in search of opportunity and adventure.
After trying their luck panning for gold, students explore the motivations, hopes and challenges experienced by migrants who arrived in Beechworth during the 1850s.
Through historical role-play, they compare occupations, earnings and life choices to decide whether to stay on the goldfields or seek their fortune elsewhere.
The Mystery of Morse
Beechworth Telegraph Station
Years 5-10 | 45 minutes
Before mobile phones, emails and social media, messages travelled by wire. Discover how Morse Code revolutionised communication and transformed the way people connected across vast distances.
Students explore the historic Beechworth Telegraph Station, investigate communication technologies from the past and compare them with the tools we use today. Through hands-on activities, they learn the basics of Morse Code and put their new skills to the test while uncovering the story of one of Beechworth's most fascinating historic buildings.
Ready to book your visit?
Bring history to life for your students with an engaging learning experience at the Beechworth Historic Precinct. Whether you're planning a curriculum-aligned excursion, a single program or a full Precinct Pass experience, our team can help you create a visit that suits your students' learning goals and interests.
Prefer a printed copy?
Download the current education program as a PDF.
Explore the collection online
Continue your historical investigations with access to objects, photographs and artefacts from the Burke Museum collection through Victorian Collections. Discover stories of Beechworth's people, places and events while exploring primary sources that support classroom learning and research.