Devoted Service (Stage 5)
Duration: 2 hours | Times: 9:30-11:30am; 12:00-2:00pm
Cost: $480 for up to 40 students / $720 for 40-60 students / $960 for 60-80 students / $1200 for 80-100 students / $1440 for 100-120 students
In this workshop, students will witness primary sources brought to life in a live performance focusing on the role of women in the First World War. Created entirely from letters and diary entries, this performance explores different perspectives from nurses and matrons who were numbered among the first Anzacs.
Offering a female perspective of the Anzac legend, this workshop explores the impact the First World War had on different groups in Australia through the lens of women who were on the frontline of Australia’s humanitarian response during the First World War. Through the accounts of brave nurses serving on the hospital ships at the Anzac Landing, we will explore the Australian response to the First World War, including the Gallipoli Campaign, as a catalyst for the development of a national identity.
On a visit to our Centenary Exhibition, students will discover true stories of Anzac women and the battles in which they served, including Gallipoli, the Western Front, and the sinking of the HMHS Gloucester Castle. By exploring the Anzac Memorial’s commemorative spaces, students will gain an insight into the nature, commemoration and perspectives of the Anzac legend.
Students will engage in historical enquiry in a source-based activity using primary sources as evidence for their own written text in response to their learning.
Current NSW Curriculum links (until 2026)
Anzac War Horses (Stage 5)
Duration: 2 hours | Times: 9:30-11:30am; 12:00-2:00pm
Cost: $480 for up to 40 students / $720 for 40-60 students / $960 for 60-80 students / $1200 for 80-100 students / $1440 for 100-120 students
In this exciting, inspiring, and moving workshop, we explore the First World War as a catalyst for the development of a national identity through the lens of the Australian Light Horse.
In a compelling live performance, an actor brings to life Loyal Creatures by acclaimed author, Morris Gleitzman. This Australian war horse story will open a window to the reasons for Australian involvement in the First World War and how the Australian response to the First World War helped develop Australia as a nation.
On a visit to our Centenary Exhibition, students will discover true stories of the Anzacs and the battles in which Australians fought, including the Battle of Beersheba and the Battle of Lone Pine. By exploring the Anzac Memorial’s commemorative spaces, students will gain an insight into the nature, commemoration and perspectives of the Anzac legend.
Students will create a written text in a guided workshop in response to their learning.
"The mix between history and creativity made for a compelling performance piece which left a significant emotional impact on me."
– Stage 5 Student
Current NSW Curriculum links (until 2026)
20 Lives Through 20 Objects (Stages 5 & 6)
Duration: 2 hours | Times: 9:30-11:30am; 12:00-2:00pm
Cost: $240 for up to 20 students / $480 for 20-40 students / $720 for 40-60 students
How do 20 seemingly innocuous objects reveal the intimate and personal experiences of our servicemen and women in the First World War? In this hands-on, practical workshop, students will learn more about the First World War through the lives of 20 people whose stories are interwoven into the Anzac Memorial’s extraordinary collection.
Students will step beyond the black letter of history to discover its human side by focusing on individual Anzac stories, and in so doing will discover a range of battles in which Australians fought. Engaging in historical enquiry through primary sources in our Centenary Exhibition, students will discover the varying experiences of soldiers, sailors, airmen and nurses, and how those experiences became the catalyst for the development of a national identity.
Collating their research in the form of a postcard home from the front, these stories will reveal the changing nature of warfare, including developments in weaponry, medicine and communications, and the impact of total war on the changing role of women. Through an exploration of the Memorial site, students will discover ways in which history is preserved, including personal history, and gain an insight into the nature, commemoration and perspectives of the Anzac legend.
Current NSW Curriculum links (until 2026)
War at our Door: How the Second World War came to Australia (Stage 5)
Duration: 2 hours | Times: 9:30-11:30am; 12:00-2:00pm
Cost: $240 for up to 20 students / $480 for 20-40 students / $720 for 40-60 students
The Second World War came perilously close to Australian shores in 1942. Darwin was bombed and midget Japanese submarines attacked Sydney Harbour, causing panic that Australia itself might be invaded while Australian soldiers were fighting overseas. This workshop brings to life the events surrounding the year of 1942 using the Anzac Memorial’s unique collection and Fiona Hall’s ‘100 significant sites’ artwork.
In a tour of the Memorial focusing on the Second World War, students will learn about Australia’s involvement in the Second World War, the Battle for Australia and the War in Pacific, as well as the effect of the war on the home front. Students will hear true stories from the Memorial’s collection in a visit to our Centenary Exhibition, including places where Australians fought such as Singapore.
In a live reading of a prisoner of war diary from the Anzac Memorial’s collection, students will learn about the experiences of Australian prisoners held in Japanese prison camps and will create their own POW Camp poster based on the posters of Major John Chauncy Champion de Crespigny, housed in the Memorial’s collection.
"The Anzac Memorial was an eye-opener for me as I got to understand what the soldiers and families went through. It was heart-breaking to see and hear about the hardships they had to deal with".
– Stage 5 Student
Current NSW Curriculum links (until 2026)
The Anzac Memorial - The Past is Present (Stage 6)
Duration: 2 hours | Times: 9:30-11:30am; 12:00-2:00pm
Cost: $240 for up to 20 students / $480 for 20-40 students / $720 for 40-60 students / $960 for 60-80 students / $1200 for 80-100 students
In this engaging workshop and exploratory tour, students discover how Australia's past has been represented and commemorated at the Anzac Memorial since its original opening in 1934. Students will trace the experience of servicemen and women who participated in the First World War to understand the significance and impact this had on Australia - particularly for women and families.
In a Q&A with a contemporary veteran, students will discover the changing cultural significance of the Anzac Memorial as a historical site. A live performance based on a primary source will reveal ways in which history is preserved and uncover true experiences of Australians who served and the changing role of women in the Great War. An exploration of the Memorial’s commemorative spaces will provide a springboard for discussion about the social impact of the First World War in Australia.
Current NSW Curriculum links (until 2026)
Joint Excursions With The State Library of NSW
Make the most of your excursion with a joint visit to the Anzac Memorial and the State Library.
Your visit to the Anzac Memorial includes your choice between the Anzac War Horses or Devoted Service programs. Both workshops feature a moving piece of live theatre, a tour of the Anzac Memorial building, and an opportunity to discover the stories of Australians who served throughout the First World War in the Memorial’s Centenary Exhibition. At the State Library, your students will have the chance to handle, analyse and care for authentic artefacts and manuscripts from the First World War in the Hands On World War I workshop. Simply get in touch with either the Anzac Memorial or State Library teams, and we’ll organise both parts of your excursion for you.
This double program can accommodate a maximum of 120 students in one day. For more information about the State Library’s Hands On World War I program, please visit: https://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/learning/hands-world-war-i
