• This excursion takes place on board the James Craig, one of the world’s last fully operational nineteenth-century sailing ships, as it remains safely moored at Wharf 7.
• Students get the once-in-a-lifetime chance to try out their sailor skills by climbing the rigging of the James Craig’s jibboom*
• Students get a hands-on experience of sailor life on a working sailing ship, taking part in authentic historical activities like swabbing the deck, raising a sail, tying knots, loading the ship with cargo, and more**.
• Students are guided through a behind-the-scenes tour of the James Craig with our expert crew, learning all about the ship and the life of a sailor on board.
• Students explore the words of the sea, examining sea shanties and sailors’ yarns to learn the techniques and vernacular employed in traditional sea writing.
• Students navigate creative writing challenges and activities throughout, with opportunities to work individually and in groups to nurture creativity and imagination in their writing.

*Climbing is only available for groups in which all participants are 14 or older and may be
weather- and crew-dependent.

Stage 3

• A student composes, edits and presents well-structured and coherent texts (EN3-2A)
• A student thinks imaginatively, creatively, interpretively and critically about information and ideas and identifies connections between texts when responding to and composing texts (EN3-7C)

Stage 4

• A student responds to and composes texts for understanding, interpretation, critical analysis, imaginative expression and pleasure (EN4-1A)
• A student makes effective language choices to creatively shape meaning with accuracy, clarity and coherence (EN4-4B)
• A student thinks imaginatively, creatively, interpretively and critically about information, ideas and arguments to respond to and compose texts (EN4-5C)

Stage 5

• A student responds to and composes increasingly sophisticated and sustained texts for understanding, interpretation, critical analysis, imaginative expression and pleasure (EN5- 1A)
• A student selects and uses language forms, features and structures of texts appropriate to a range of purposes, audiences and contexts, describing and explaining their effects on meaning
• A student effectively transfers knowledge, skills and understanding of language concepts into new and different contexts (EN5-4B)
• A student thinks imaginatively, creatively, interpretively and critically about information and increasingly complex ideas and arguments to respond to and compose texts in a range of contexts (EN5-5C)

The James Craig was rescued and restored by Sydney Heritage Fleet volunteers over nearly forty years. She now stands proud as one of the world’s only restored nineteenth-century vessels that still regularly goes to sea.

James Craig youth and education programs allow kids a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sail into the past and learn and explore Australia’s maritime history on board an extraordinary authentic, working sailing ship.

Sydney Heritage Fleet is a community-based non-profit organisation comprising of ten historic vessels, 450 dedicated volunteers, and a mission: to build and maintain an internationally recognised centre of excellence in maritime heritage for the benefit of all Australians, and to present our continuing maritime history through research, acquisition, conservation, restoration, education and operation.