How to use this resource


Bound for South Australia 1836: A digital re-enactment provides a highly interactive platform for students to engage with South Australian history.  A range of rich resources are used to explore the voyages of the nine ships that sailed from England in 1836 to establish the Province of South Australia.

This website provides an ideal environment for students to engage with primary and secondary historical sources and to develop historical skills and understandings.

This document aims to support teachers in integrating this resource with their teaching of history.


Bound for South Australia is a joint initiative between History Trust of South Australia and DECS. History Trust of South Australia historians have thoroughly researched and transcribed primary sources from the nine ships, including diaries, journals, captain’s logs, maps and images.  Experts in various fields have been consulted in the course of interpreting these primary sources. A range of materials including narratives, glossaries, education pages and multi-media tools have been developed to create a rich and engaging historical resource.


Bound for South Australia recounts the voyages of nine ships in real time. The website consists of 45 weekly installments, with each new installment being uploaded every Sunday from February 22nd 2011.

The website has two main sections:-

  1. The body of the resource which includes the primary sources and secondary sources.
  2. An education section with additional resources to support teachers in using the website with their students.

Links to the Australian Curriculum: History

The education section of the Bound for South Australia website has been written by the DECS Curriculum Manager history and aligned to the new Australian Curriculum: history.

The content in this website sits within the year 4 and 5 history curriculum and has therefore been written explicitly with this year level in mind.

The website is, however, suitable for use by students in years R-12, with a focus on using historical skills.

For more information on the Australian Curriculum: history, visit:

Weekly Education Pages

Each weekly instalment comprises a number of consistent elements that are suitable for use on an interactive whiteboard.  The following section of this document makes suggestions on using these elements in the classroom.

Inquiry questions

This section features suggested inquiry questions which are specifically related to the primary source extracts featured each week.

They are intended to give a focus for using the web based content provided each week.

These inquiry questions can be used as the basis for assessing prior knowledge, generating class discussions and response activities.

Each weekly instalment complements the key inquiry questions identified in the year 4 and 5 Australian Curriculum: history.

Year 4:

  1. Why did the great journeys of exploration occur?
  2. What was life like for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples before the arrival of the Europeans?
  3. Why did the Europeans settle in Australia?
  4. What was the nature and consequence of contact between Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples and early traders, explorers and settlers?

Year 5:

  1. What do we know about the lives of people in Australia’s colonial past and how do we know?
  2. How did an Australian colony develop over time and why?
  3. How did colonial settlement change the environment?
  4. What were the significant events and who were the significant people that shaped Australian colonies?

Research questions

This section is designed to build on the initial inquiry using the primary sources.

These research suggestions place the events and themes of each weekly installment in a broader historical context.

Historical skills

Each weekly education page provides links to specific historical skills aligned with the Australian Curriculum: history. This section identifies explicit examples of where students can develop and apply historical skills.

Activity suggestions

This section includes suggestions for classroom learning experiences based on the website content and overarching themes of each weekly installment.

Using an integrated model, the suggested activities encourage students to work in and across learning areas, developing deep and enduring understandings.

This section is not designed as an exhaustive list, but as a starting point for teachers.

What do you think?

Each week a statement or premise is provided as a basis for students to consider and form opinions, justify, share, question and explore their own opinions and those of others.

These statements may be used as the basis of classroom debates, trials, reports, blogs, polls, etc.

An opinion continuum is an ideal technique for students to consider and express their opinions, listen to others’ opinions, and begin discussing  issues.  Designate different corners of the room to represent “strongly agree,” “strongly disagree,” and “not sure, don’t know or no opinion.” or use an area where students can form a continuous line. Read the statement and ask each student to react to the statement by moving to the appropriate part of the room or line.

Ask students representing each point of view to state several reasons why they hold their view. Make sure to get a wide range of opinions. It is helpful to summarise what students say to make sure all students understand each perspective. It is also helpful to ask open, probing questions to get more information or clarifying questions to help students think more deeply about their own perspective. A variation is to have each speaker summarise the opinion of the previous speaker before expressing his/her own views.

After several students with different opinions have shared their thoughts, ask if anyone would like to change their opinion based on new information. It is important to acknowledge the value of remaining open to new information and being able to change one’s mind when presented with new information.

What if?

This section presents a scenario for students to think about and explore the historical concept of cause and effect.  How did actions, events and values impact on South Australian history and what if things happened differently?

The ‘what if’ section can be used to write alternative journal entries, new story endings, role plays, movies etc.

Next week

A brief overview of the following week’s installment provides anticipation and a link to the continuing story of the journeys.

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