To mark the 25th anniversary of the launch of the Duyfken replica, the Australian National Maritime Museum has announced a new curriculum aligned education program for primary school children. The program includes online resources and onsite excursion activities, detailing the Duyfken’s historic landing at Cape Keerweer in 1606, it will be released in early February to coincide with the start of the school year.
This exciting new resource tells the story of the first known European contact between traders aboard the Duyfken from the Dutch East India Company and the Wik people of Northern Australia. It approaches the story from both the ship and the shore perspective, ensuring that a balanced view of the contact, and eventual repulsion of the Dutch, is available in every Australian classroom.
Directly linked to the year 4 History content in the Australian Curriculum and the First Contacts unit in the NSW History Syllabus, this interactive resource details the little-known history of the first recorded encounter between Europeans and the First Nations people of Australia, providing young students with important context of the contact with Australia by multiple European powers preceding the invasion of Captain Cook on the HMB Endeavour.
The Museum has commissioned Tasmanian-based film company, Roar Film, to create a series of education audio and visual storytelling resources, ideal for the classroom, which make up a unit of work designed to aid students in understanding the impact of this first encounter to Australian History.
Daryl Karp, Director and CEO of the Museum said, ‘What transpired in 1606 in the Cape York Peninsula between the Wik people and the crew of the Duyfken is a largely unknown moment in this continent’s history. The creation of this curriculum resource will enable future generations of Australian children to learn more about our shared history. The 25th anniversary of the launch of the Duyfken replica seemed a fitting opportunity to announce this next phase of the history of that 1606 meeting.’
This online unit of work will also feature an in-depth virtual tour of the Duyfken with facts about the ship’s features, crew, and voyages, as well as information and resources about the Wik peoples and other First Nations traditions, cultures, and experiences with the Dutch.
On site at the Australian National Maritime Museum, the new primary school excursion program will include an in-person tour of the Duyfken vessel and an object-based learning workshop to provide students with a hands-on experience to further their understanding of this important part of Australian history.
Teachers and students will be able to access this resource and book Duyfken excursions on the Australian National Maritime Museum website from February, and will be an ongoing program that can be enjoyed for years to come.
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