Year 9 City Experience 2026
Details for the Year 9 City Experience week, Monday 31 August – Friday 4 September 2026: daily departure from the Senior gate at 8:15am, return at 3:15pm, Myki requirements, the daily itinerary, what to wear and bring, and contact details for Mr Will Turner.
The Year 9 City Experience is a five-day program in which all Year 9 students travel by train into Melbourne each day, working in small groups with their teachers to explore the city's history, civic institutions, culture and communities. It is a highlight of Year 9 and a deliberate step towards independence: students navigate public transport, manage a budget for lunch and complete a group inquiry project that is assessed in Humanities and Religious Education. The program runs from Monday 31 August to Friday 4 September 2026 and is coordinated by Year 9 Coordinator Mr Will Turner.
Daily arrangements
| Meet | 8:15am at the Senior gate, Chapel Road, every day — roll call at 8:20am |
| Travel | Walk to Wattle Creek station (10 minutes) with staff; train to the city |
| Return | Train back to Wattle Creek station; dismissed at the Senior gate at 3:15pm (around 3:30pm on Wednesday if trains are delayed) |
| Groups | Homeroom groups of about 24 with two staff per group; each group follows the itinerary in a different order |
| Staff | Mr Turner, the six Year 9 Homeroom teachers, Mr Sam Devlin and Sr Bernadette Long rsj |
Students arriving after 8:20am who have missed the group must report to the Senior Office; they will not travel unaccompanied. Students who are unable to attend a day must be marked absent through the Parent Portal or absentee line before 9:00am as usual. Students may not be collected in the city or make their own way home unless a parent has written to Mr Turner beforehand.
Myki — required every day
Every student needs their own Myki card loaded with at least $30 of Myki Money before Monday 31 August. A student concession card (available free through the Parent Portal → Forms → PTV Student Concession) gives child/concession fares; five days of concession travel from Wattle Creek costs a little under $30. Please:
- Top up before the week — the Wattle Creek station machines are slow at 8:20am with 140 students.
- Check the card is not expired and that the balance shows on the PTV app.
- Do not rely on a Myki Pass or someone else's card; students must touch on and off individually.
A student without a valid Myki cannot travel and will spend the day in supervised study at school.
Daily itinerary
| Day | Morning | Afternoon | Theme |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday 31 August | Melbourne Museum and Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre | Carlton Gardens and Royal Exhibition Building; group project briefing | First peoples and the story of Melbourne |
| Tuesday 1 September | Parliament House of Victoria (tour and role-play sitting) | Old Treasury Building; Immigration Museum | Democracy and migration |
| Wednesday 2 September | Shrine of Remembrance (guided education program) | National Gallery of Victoria (international collection); Southbank walk | Memory and the arts |
| Thursday 3 September | St Patrick's Cathedral and the Mary MacKillop Heritage Centre, East Melbourne | Vinnies Soup Van briefing; service in the city with St Vincent de Paul volunteers | Faith and service |
| Friday 4 September | CBD Amazing Race in teams (Queen Victoria Market, State Library, laneways) | ACMI at Federation Square; project presentations and reflection | Bringing it together |
All entry fees and guided programs are covered by the camp/excursion levy included in fees. There is no additional cost for the week other than Myki credit and lunch money.
What to wear and bring
City Experience is a casual clothes week, with the following requirements:
- Neat, weather-appropriate casual clothes suitable for a lot of walking (Term 3 is cold and often wet — a warm waterproof jacket is essential). No singlets, midriff tops, offensive slogans or thongs.
- The navy College cap ($15 from the Uniform Shop) must be worn or carried each day so groups can be identified; students without a cap will be given a loan cap and charged if it is not returned.
- Comfortable, closed-toe walking shoes.
- Small backpack with drink bottle, snacks, a pen and the City Experience booklet (issued Friday 28 August).
- Myki card, student ID card and lunch money — around $10 to $15 per day. Groups eat at food courts, Queen Victoria Market or Federation Square. Students may bring lunch from home instead. Please keep in mind that we are a nut-aware school.
- Any medication (for example asthma puffers or EpiPens) carried by the student, with the Homeroom teacher aware. Update medical details on the Parent Portal before Friday 28 August — see Medical Forms and Health.
Mobile phones may be carried for safety and used to navigate and photograph project evidence, but must be on silent and remain with the student. The usual Mobile Phones Policy resumes on Monday 7 September. Laptops stay at home.
Behaviour and safety
Students represent the College in public and are expected to behave with courtesy on trains, at venues and towards members of the public. Each group operates a buddy system and no student is ever alone. Teachers carry first-aid kits and the Senior Office holds the day's itinerary and group lists. Any student who does not follow instructions may be withdrawn from the program and complete the week in supervised study. All students and a parent signed the Excursion Consent Form on the Parent Portal in Term 2; if you have not done so, please complete it by Thursday 27 August 2026 or contact the Senior Office. See the Excursions and Camps Policy.
In case of disruption
If Metro Trains are disrupted, the College will send an SMS to Year 9 parents and groups will use replacement buses or, if necessary, return to school. Wet weather does not cancel the program; students should dress for it. In an emergency during the day, phone the Senior Office on (03) 9555 0100; staff carry College mobiles and the office will relay messages.
Questions may be directed to Mr Will Turner through the Senior Office or by message on the Learning Hub. A recording of the City Experience Information Session held on Monday 3 August 2026 is available on the Year 9 Learning Hub page.