On Tuesday, August 29th the level two and three Science classes set off on their overnight trip to Wellington. 

Initially the trip was planned around the need for some hands on experience for Biology students with skulls and skeletons to underpin our study of human evolution. It was expanded to give the students an experience of science outside the classroom, as well as a future career pathway.

The first stop - Te Papa Museum. The students explored the Museum in groups where the Gallipoli exhibit was a highlight for many students who were amazed at the realism and size of the characters in the exhibition.

After a lunch it was back to Te Papa for a tour of the outdoor lookout on level 6. This view extends from the cable car to the harbour. Many selfies!

Mount Victoria Lookout was the next stop where they enjoyed more views of the city and harbor and took photos. They then headed to the Carter Observatory to look around the interactive science displays and watch the animated movie 'The Astronaut'. The planetarium show followed and identified what we presently can see in the night sky.

Pizza was the choice for dinner and the group then set off for the Wellington Zoo where they were staying the night at the Archibald Centre which overlooks 'Monkey Island'.

After arranging their beds, they were taken for a private night tour of the Zoo by Toni, their Zoo Ranger. The highlight of the tour was the visit to the Zoo's 'hospital' for sick and injured animals. They were shown where and how they store the animals’ food and how they monitor their diets through computer programmes. It also involved some sightings of the porcupine, meerkats, wallabies, tasmanian devils, and giraffes. Did you know that all neck vertebrae in a giraffe are ball and socket joints? The tour finished at 9pm and the group set off for bed so they were ready for a big day of science activities the next day.

It was an early wake up call at 6.30 the next morning by the gibbons who had been active all night! The group had breakfast of cereal, toast and fruit at the Zoo before heading off through the Zoo again, this time for a day tour. They were lucky that at Te Kohanga, the wild animal hospital on site, there was a team of vets and nurses carrying out a very thorough health check on an anaesthetised baboon which they were able to observe through the observation windows.

After that they went to a classroom session on 'Primate Evolution' before going off in groups to see the animals in their daytime environments at the Zoo.

The group then headed to Victoria University for a tour of their Science labs and programmes. They had lunch in Paremata before setting off for home.

It was a great trip and the students had a wonderful time.  hank you to Mrs Allan and Miss Park for ensuring the trip was a success!