Transport Has Changed over Time – Harbour Cruise
Early Stage 1
HSIE Excursion
Students will hop aboard to discover Sydney Harbour as a real-life travel highway on the water!
With simple maps and sharp explorer eyes, they’ll spot land, water and standout coastal places, then share what they notice. They jump into how sea travel has changed over time, imagining trips by canoe or early ferry, then comparing them to the modern boat they’re riding today.
Along the way, they practise observing, describing and mapping!
10am to 2pm (4 hours)
10:00am – Arrival at Garrison Church- Meet your Rangers and get ready for a day of adventure!
10:00am – 10:30am – Walk to Circular Quay
A gentle stroll to the harbour, with morning tea and toilet breaks along the way.
10:30am – 10:55am – Exciting Introduction
A fun kickoff session before lining up to board your private harbour cruise. Students will then split into groups to rotate through the next two activities.
10:55am – 11:40am – Harbour Cruise Adventure
Cruise through Sydney Harbour, spotting iconic landmarks like the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge, learning about transport over time.
11:40am – 12:25pm – Historical walk
Students will stretch their legs and scramble over the rocks, exploring historic buildings and uncovering fascinating artefacts.
12:25pm – 12:45pm – Back on boat (all together)
Join the journey together and enjoy onboard trivia as we use maps to explore along the way.
12:45pm – 1:15pm – Cruise Back to Man O’ War Steps
Enjoy live trivia and fun commentary onboard as you sail back.
1:15pm – 1:45pm – Lunch at the Opera House Steps
1:45pm – 2:00pm – Wrap-Up & Departure
Say goodbye to your Rangers and hop back on the bus after a magical day by the sea.
HSE-ACH-01 identifies ways that Aboriginal Peoples connect with Country, Culture and Community;
HSE-GEO-01 identifies and locates places people connect with, using geographical information;
HSE-ACH-01 identifies ways that Aboriginal Peoples connect with Country, Culture and Community;
HSE-HIS-01 identifies information about daily life and transport in the past, using stories, images and objects.
Places can be located and described using geographical information
- Locate land, water and Australia using world maps, globes and images;
- Describe natural and human features of Australian coastal and inland places using Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary;
- Observe and record natural and human features of familiar places and present in data displays;
- Recognise that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples connect to the features of Country or Place in a variety of ways.
People are connected to places and each other
- Identify own connections to places and describe why some places are special;
- Describe own connections to groups;
- Collect and represent data about connections people have with places and groups;
- Identify and describe how people care for places.
The cost of this excursion varies depending on how many students you bring along — the more students attending, the lower the cost per person!
Our pricing framework for Captain Cook Cruise programs is based on the total number of primary school students booked for the day.
Please note: 1 teacher is free for every 10 students.
Choose Your Date
Step 1 of 3
Please note this is a tentative booking. After your booking request is submitted, we will be in touch via email to confirm the requested date and arrange the final details for the booking.
All prices are +GST. As this program is an educational service, all GST charged can be reimbursed in its entirety by the Government.
FAQS
How many students can we bring along?
Our pricing works on a “the more, the merrier (and cheaper per head)” basis.
Here are our two vessel sizes:
- Up to 90 students
- Up to 180 students
What equipment/ materials do we need to bring?
Students bring their essentials: food, water bottles, sports uniform, and any required medication. We take care of all of the materials and equipment on and off board.
What is the weat weather policy?
We cruise in the sheltered waters of Sydney Harbour, rain, shine, or under dramatic skies. Our boats offer comfortable indoor seating with large viewing windows, and if the weather turns, the program continues fully onboard.
If you need to change your scheduled date, please let us know at least 7 days in advance to avoid cancellation fees.
How many groups will my students be in?
We usually plan for one Ranger per 35-40 students. On the day, your students will be split into groups of that size, with a Ranger assigned to each group to guide them as they rotate through the activities.