Local students’ work on display at Moonta Mines

STUDENTS across the Copper Coast have participated in the recent Moonta Mines challenge.

The Moonta Mines: The Magic and Mystery of Life on the Mines project — delivered in partnership with Makers Empire and the National Trust of South Australia — was a school-based program which encouraged students to imagine the life of children working at the Moonta Mines in the 1860s.

Students from Moonta Area, Wallaroo Primary, St Mary MacKillop (Wallaroo) and  Central Yorke (Maitland) Schools and Harvest Christian College (Kadina) spent five weeks working through a series of learning activities before creating objects of their own which would help a family living and working on the mines.

The creations were displayed at a special exhibition at the Moonta Mines Museum throughout September. 

Moonta teacher Bella Congdon said her students demonstrated a lot of interest in the history of their local area.

“It was an engaging challenge which provided lots of information and opportunities to build on students’ prior knowledge,” Ms Congdon said.

“It was great to see the students get creative and try to help old-time mining families based on their new understandings of the mines and needs of families during the time period.”

Moonta teacher Rachael Clarke said the challenge integrated well into their current curriculum.

“The students followed the design thinking process to develop deep understanding, brainstorm ideas and create and improve their objects — they have also learned how to use Makers Empire (3D modelling software) effectively,” she said.

Makers Empire director learning Mandi Dimitriadis said she was impressed with the innovative ideas students had for display at the museum and the empathy shown towards families living and working on the mines.

“It has been exciting to work with the wonderful team at the Moonta branch of the National Trust to help bring the stories of the past to life for young people across the Copper Coast,” Ms Dimitriadis said.

“New technologies such as 3D design and 3D printing are great tools to help school students engage and respond to significant stories and objects from the region’s rich mining and social history.”