Schools Page

Welcome to
Christian History Research
for Schools. This page has interactive applications and links to help you learn about Australia's great Christian history. New content will be added to this page regularly. So keep checking back.

The Changes to Australia’s History, Civics and Citizenship Curriculum Better Reflect the Role of Religion in our National Life.

David Hastie, May 2022

Also another assessment in Eternity News by David Hastie

New National Australian Education Curriculum Website

The new 2022 Australian Curriculum Version 9.0 website, which houses the updated curriculum, has now gone live.

The new website is one of the few digitalised curriculums in the world and has a range of features to help teachers view, explore and plan.

The new website has been designed with teachers for teachers, and teachers from across Australia have been involved in user experience testing.

One deputy principal from Toowoomba, Qld told us:

“Well done on the new website. It presents really simply and is easy to navigate. The functionality in it is also great. 

I’m loving having the Achievement Standard directly linked to content descriptions, related content linked, being able to have multiple Learning Areas visible and the filters available on them.” 

Read more about the website

Visit the new website   including F-10 Curriculum overview | V9 Australian Curriculum  and Senior Secondary Modern History

Watch our web tour

School Teaching Resources for Beersheba Centenary 31st October  2017

Beersheba Centenary Homepage http://beersheba100.com.au/

Teacher's Guide to the Christian History Research Website

This document has topics with school curriculum references. Links are provided to take you straight to the related information on the website.

DIDUNO

Our History, Heritage and Culture

Curriculum

Schedule

Fifteen areas of Interest in the National Curriculum

https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Search/?q=Christianity


Mary Reiby is referred to in the national curriculum. Her image is printed on the Australian $20 note. She started as a convict and became a hero.

Significant Christian Sites in Sydney

Dr Graham McLennan, February 2020
Use this document to view several significant Christian sites in Sydney

How Australia's First Sunday Schools Commenced in 1813

Video: Commonwealth Soldiers in Palestine;

Discover the diverse range of soldiers who contributed to the British First World War effort in Palestine

One People One Destiny

A Christian History of Australia with the Australian Curriculum Ver 8.2

$25, available from www.mikespencer.com.au

Humanities and Social Sciences


Year 9 - Depth Studies

  • Movement of peoples (1750 - 1901): pp. 44-105, 131-158
  • Making a Nation: pp. 1-15, 142-144, 159-178, 183-203, 293-310, 328-330
  • World War I: pp. 209-232

Year 10 - Depth Studies

  • World War II: pp. 253-267
  • Rights and Freedoms (1945-present): pp. 311-325
  • The Globalising World / Migration Experiences (1945-present): pp. 267-292

Senior Secondary Curriculum - Modern History


Unit 2 - Movements for Change in the 20th Century

  • Recognition and Rights of Indigenous Peoples: pp. 293-325

Unit 3 - Modern Nations in the 20th Century

  • Australia 1918-1949: pp. 233-276

Unit 4 - The Modern World since 1945

  • Engagement with Asia 1945-2010: pp. 267-292

Material from this book may also be used for Year 6 Humanities and Social Sciences - History and Civics and Citizenship

Travelling On

108 pages, 30 mb

This book, by the NSW Department of Education, was in use in the 1950s and includes several Christian entries such as the Lord’s Prayer and the Story of Jesus.

Christian Heroes Then & Now

YWAM Publishing

Over fifty books including several Australians.

The Hand of God Interactive

Through this interactive presentation you will be able to explore the lives of many people from Australia's history. You will also explore some of the key events that have shaped this nation.

Emerging from the many sections of this presentation is a picture of the very clear influence of God in the discovery and foundation of Australia.

The application features:

  • the early explorers of Australia
  • many important leaders of Australia
  • interactive timeline from 1500 to 2000
  • law and government, ANZACs, currency
  • education, prayer
  • and plenty more...

You can also download a powerpoint presentation of the same:

John Flynn

John Flynn was a Christian Missionary who created the Royal Flying Doctor Service. In this application you will learn how Flynn, by trusting God, would become one of Australia's greatest leaders.


The application features:

  • Flynn's biography
  • a timeline
  • a twenty dollar note
  • audio re-enactment of some of Flynn's statements
  • and plenty more...

This application will take about 20 minutes to complete.

Our Australian Christian Constitutional Monarchy

   

Queen Elizabeth’s image on the $5 note as well as on our six coins representing our Australian Christian Constitutional Monarchy.

 

Crowning of Queen Elizabeth II

(4:27 minutes)

 

The Presentation of the Bible to Her Majesty the Queen at her Coronation June 1953 by the moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland

'The most valuable thing that this world affords.
Here is wisdom;
This is the royal law;
These are the oracles of God'.

The full story of the Coronation Service

including links to videos and the full text of the Coronation Service is found on the Christian Heritage Website:

Service to Commemorate Opening of Parliamentary Year 2020

Rt Rev’d Professor Stephen Pickard Ecumenical Service to mark the beginning on a new session of Parliament 2020, St Andrews Presbyterian Church, Canberra 4 February 2020



Making note of our Historic Flying Doctor Service

Read this article on John Flynn and the $20 dollar note.

A series of audio segments on influential Christians.

William Arnott of Arnotts Biscuits

Listen

David Bassau  who pioneered small businesses in poverty stricken countries

Listen

First Christmas in Australia

Listen

Royston Siddons, the founder of the Sidchrome brand in Australia.


Listen

Henry Holden and the founding of the Holden car making company. Henry Holden was a Christian who made a difference.

Listen

The head of the largest church in the world, Yonggi Cho, thanks a Melbourne church for sending missionaries to Korea.

View

Audio and video by Rodney Carr "Songs of Hope" radio program

Gladys Staines

Read this article on Gladys Staines and her missionary service to the Indian community.

William Bligh

The Life of William Bligh is a an amazing story of an accomplished man who played a part in the founding years of Australia. His journey led him to travel to remote places in the South Pacific Islands. If you have ever heard the story of "Mutiny on the Bounty" we remember a tough & hard man, but for his day he was very lenient. Many today don't realise the full story and his dependence on the sovereignty of God in his life, and that he was a man guided in his thoughts by the hand of God.


William Bligh was born in England on September 9th 1754. He is known for the Rum Rebellion and the Mutiny on the Bounty with Fletcher Christian.


Bligh remarks in his journal, which in this time hides nothing, reveals a man not so self-confident as we usually see.  (15 mins. duration)




Explorers

Click here for the following Explorers



Matthew Flinders 

Blaxland,Wentworth and Lawson 

Charles Sturt

Edward John Eyre

Sir George Grey

Ludwig Leichardt 

John McDoull Stuart

Peter Egerton Warburton

Sir John Forrest

Pioneers

Click here for the following Pioneers



John Flynn

Caroline Chisholm

Elizabeth Macarthur

Georgiana Molloy

Mary McConnel

John Ridley


Hugh Victor McKay  

Governors

Click here for the following Governors



Arthur Phillip

John Hunter

Lachlan Macquarie

Sir Thomas Brisbane

Richard Bourke

Sir George Gipps

Missionaries

Click here for the following Missionaries



Richard Johnson

Samuel Marsden

Rowland Hassall

John Watsford

Lancelot Threlkeld

General Christian History For School Children

Church History for Kids

Church History

Fred Nile’s tribute to June Dally-Watkins

A Tribute to Influential Australian Christians

Over 340 Australians listed

Margaret Court

Margaret Court is Australia's most successful and celebrated tennis player of all time. No player in tennis history has ever surpassed her incredible record of 62 grand slam titles, in both singles and doubles. Margaret became a Christian while she was still the world's best, and when she finally retired from the game in 1976, she settled down to a life as a wife and mother, but could not resist the call of God that was on her life.


Betty Cuthbert won four Olympic gold medals and remains the only athlete to have triumphed at the Games in the 100, 200 and 400 metres.


Across her career she set 16 world records in individual and relay events, having burst to prominence at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics as a shy 18-year-old from the north-west Sydney suburb of Ermington.


The image of her running with her mouth gaped wide open became synonymous with her victories in the 100 and 200m, and 4x100m relay, which earned her the title of 'Golden Girl'.


Perhaps Cuthbert's greatest achievement on the track, however, came eight years later at the Tokyo Olympics when she won her fourth gold in what was the debut of the women's 400m.


An interview by Gary Bates called Still running for God is quoted here: 


Australian’s coined the nickname ‘The Golden Girl’ for Betty Cuthbert after her three gold-medal performances in the 100, 200 and 4 x 100 metre sprints, at the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games.  Just 18 years old at the time, her enthusiastic personality, engaging smile and unique running style would ensure that she remained well known and loved by a ‘sports mad’ Australia for generations to come...


‘I was encouraged to go to a particular church where someone said, “they’ll heal you”.  Well, I wasn’t healed but I met the Healer.’  At age 47, Betty was ‘born again’ by receiving Jesus Christ as her Lord and Saviour.  She says, ‘My life has never been the same since.  My salvation was a free gift.  I didn’t have to work for it and it’s better than any gold medal that I’ve ever won.  Before then, I’m ashamed to say, I was frightened to tell people of my belief in God.’


More...

Brian Booth: Test Cricketer

by Graham McLennan*

Brian Booth represented Australia in two codes of sports, in 29 tests in cricket and at the 1956 Olympics in hockey. During his cricket career he captained the Australian Cricket team several times as well as being vice captain.

Read more about this amazing Australian sportsman.

Cricket, Christians and the Ashes Urn

by Graham McLennan

The earliest published photo of the Ashes urn, from the Illustrated London News, 1921.

Read this article about CT Studd, a famous Cricketer who served Christ.

Dr Fred Schwarz:

Little Known Australian Who Helped Change World History

by Graham McLennan

Read more about this little Australian who play a big part in changing world history.

The Boy from Leongatha

Read this story of hard work and reward

Watch a short video clip

George Fife Angas

(1 May 1789 – 15 May 1879)

George Fife Angas was an English businessman and banker who, from England, played a significant part in the formation and establishment of the Colony of South Australia.

He established the South Australian Company and was its founding chairman of the board of directors. In later life he migrated to the colony and served as a member of the first South Australian Legislative Council.

For further reading please see George Fife Angas Father and Founder of South Australia link and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Fife_Angas

George Fife Angas

by Edwin Hodder

Father and Founder of South Australia

Charles La Trobe

Superintendent later Lieutenant-Governor of Victoria

Senator Scott Ryan

set the record for the biggest Bible at the swearing in of the Abbott Ministry. It’s actually a family Bible from the 1880s, carried at the request of his 94-year-old grandmother.

Australia's first church was built in 1793 and was used as a school. Download this article to learn more.

Australia's First Church Written in 2014 by Dr Graham McLennan

Southland of the Holy Spirit

Download this article to learn more about the naming of the Southland of the Holy Spirit.

AB (Banjo) Paterson

‘Banjo’ Paterson, one of Australia’s and the English-speaking world’s most famous poets is immortalised on our ‘new’ ten dollar note. His role with the Anzac battalions in the Middle East 100 years ago is one of the lesser known parts of his life. His horses became the real heroes of the famous Light Horse charge at Beersheba during the liberation of the Holy Land.


Want to know more about how AB Paterson contributed to Australian History? (use this link)

You can be another great Australian

by Margot Ogilvie, 2008, ISBN 978-0-646-50231-1, paperback, 106pp, $20

You can be another great Australian Student Workbook by Margot Ogilvie, 2011, ISBN 978-0-646-55485-3, spiral, 90pp, $15


Orders:

Contact Margot Ogilvie on

anothergreataustralian@gmail.com or

PO Box 120, Victor Harbour SA 5211, Australia

Australia's National Flag

Visit this website to learn more about Australia's National flag.


"Under this flag we have found unity in our diversity and respect in our differences. Together, we have built a modern nation on the idea that all of us can get ahead provided we are prepared to have a go".

Read more

What's the Union Jack doing in our national flag?

Download this article to find out.

General Church History for Children

The real Monty and World War Two:

Field-Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery and the ANZACs

The Evangelical Sisters of Mary have placed this Nativity scene titled "O Come let us Adore Him" in November in the foyer of the NSW Parliament each year since 2012.

What was she like ?

Have you ever wondered about the woman on the old five dollar note? For 30 years she helped Australian immigrants. Her name - Caroline Chisholm and she was known as the immigrants' friend.

Who made the first full length movies?

Soldiers of the Cross - the first feature length film ever produced. But who made it?

Australian stories by Kerry Medway

Is Ned Kelly in Heaven?

The parallel stories of Ned Kelly and John Singleton. One a bushranger, the other a doctor evangelist. One a sinner, the other a saint. One possibly Australia’s most well known outlaw, the other, almost unknown. These are the true stories of two men and their meeting in Melbourne Gaol in the 1880’s. One man’s life was possibly changed for eternity.

Bush Preacher hits the Dust

Stories from the Coober Pedy opal fields and outback Australia. A preacher facing a shotgun, falling in a sheep-dip and helping troubled men find peace with God. Commended as Australian Christian Book of the Year. One man commented.. “It’s the funniest & challenging book I have read whilst sitting on the toilet in years ! I read it in one sitting !!!”

Order books at: http://www.kerrymedway.org/resources

HATS PRODUCTIONS

THE AMAZING STORIES OF INSPIRATIONAL PEOPLE PORTRAYED THROUGH STORY TELLING, ROLE PLAY AND STUDENT INTERACTION

HATS Productions is an educational enterprise teaching children about inspirational people who have made a positive contribution to history and whose attributes make them worthy role models for today’s students.

The presentations are suitable for middle primary to junior secondary students: they are a blend of storytelling, role play, and students acting the story as it is narrated. HATS Productions has been developed by John Arbuckle in Victoria who is a Secondary History and Religious Education teacher with 20 years' experience. The current presentation available is for John Flynn. It describes how and why Rev. John Flynn contributed so much to the development of outback Australia in relation to ministry, communication, transport, education as well as his most famous contribution to medical services through the Flying Doctor Service.

Stories being developed for:

Mary MacKillop: Australian educator and charity worker
Douglas Nicholls: Australian Aboriginal sportsman, justice campaigner and church minister
Caroline Chisholm: Humanitarian and welfare worker
Charles Sturt: English explorer of the Interior of Australia

Educational and Entertaining

  • Relevant for the Middle Primary to Junior Secondary Year levels.
  • One performance fee for as many students as you want.

Contact mailto:info@hatsproductions.com.au website http://www.hatsproductions.com.au/index.php
Mobile 0402 003 664

Anniversary of First Christian Service 3rd Feb 1788 and Australia's First Church 25th August 1793

On the 25th August it will be 220 years since Australia's first church opened.

Read More

Tom Roberts' painting of first Australian parliament.

This is from the Parliamentary Education Office and describes Tom Roberts' painting of the opening of parliament in 1901 with a list of the who's who in the picture.


Great short stories of the South Pacific suitable for all ages.

Missionary Heroes in Oceania

Exciting early missionary stories of John Williams, John Paton, James Calvert and James Chalmers in the Pacific Islands including Papua New Guinea, Hawaii, Fiji, Vanuatu and Samoa in the 1800s with pictures.


Christianity.com

Well known Christians. Follow this link to a list of Christian men and women from history.

Heroes of the Faith

More well known Christian who have changed the lives of people the world over

Field Marshall Montgomery

As an infant watching Tasmanian soldiers depart for the Boer War, Bernard Law Montgomery told his mother he was going to be a soldier when he grew up.

Book Highlighting Field Marshal Montgomery's Christian Life


Captain James Cook

James Cook's first voyage in 20 seconds on GoogleEarth

Ferdinand Magellan

Ferdinand Magellan Voyages of Discovery - Circumnavigation Part 3/4 - Magellan's Heroic Voyage into the Pacific

More Christian Heroes can be found at

http://www.heroesofhistory.com/page2.html

The Story of the South Seas

Written for Young People