Education Experience
“Every child ought to be made to understand not only something of the world in which he lives, but something of the inheritance from the past to which he is born.
“He cannot take his place worthily as a citizen unless he realises that his life is part of a great stream of national life that has been running for a thousand years, and that this national life is a slow-won civilisation that has been many millenniums in the making.
“To get a child to feel the organic relation of life today with life of the past as a much greater thing, because the facts may only bury his faculties under heaps of stone; but the historic sense, if born in him, is a permanent enlargement of his life, kindling imagination, enriching experience, inspiring character.”
William Charles Braithwaite (1909)The Hinkler Hall of Aviation Education Program
The Hinkler Hall of Aviation’s mission is to pay tribute to Bert Hinkler as a pioneer of flight and as a person who was significant in the advancement of aviation during the twentieth century.
With this as a central focus, the teaching materials provided to accompany exhibits are designed to be both educational and enjoyable. The Hinkler Hall of Aviation Education Program invites young people to share in the Hinkler story, stimulating initiative and encouraging creativity and cooperation.
Most importantly, a sense of empathy is established so students learn that with courage, ingenuity, commitment and confidence, the human spirit can triumph against all odds. The Hinkler Hall of Aviation is not a “book on the wall” to be read in a didactic and instructive manner, but a place where the mind is engaged and the senses are evoked. The Hinkler Hall of Aviation is a centre of national significance and a great resource for teachers, providing an adventure in learning well beyond the classroom, presenting the story of the man, Bert Hinkler, and his achievements in aviation from the perspective of cultural history, science and human interaction.
To gain the most from your visit, teachers are encouraged to prepare students before they arrive by accessing our on-line programs for both primary and secondary schools in Social and Environmental Studies (SOSE), Science and English.
Education programs
The education programs for the Hinkler Hall of Aviation and Hinkler House are designed to enhance classroom learning by integrating curriculum requirements with our mission using on-line pre-visit and post-visit teaching materials that are syllabus-aligned teaching resources.
The following teaching materials and unit plans are designed to assist teachers relay to their students - the personal, historical, social, technical and physical impact, arising from one of Australia’s leading aviators. Education programs are directly linked to the P-10 Curriculum Guidelines for Queensland Schools and cover a broad range of subjects across the various age groups.
- English years 4 -7 (primary)
- English years 8-10 (secondary)
- SOSE years 4 -7 (primary)
- SOSE years 8 -10 (secondary)
- Science years 4 -7 (primary)
- Science years 8 -10 (secondary)
The Hinkler Hall of Aviation team endeavour to respond to individual and specific requests for information, resource materials and programs.
If you’d like more information on the education programs we’ve developed for the above groups, just contact our team.
Pre-visit and post-visit resources
Meaningful experiences in interpretive centres and museums are enhanced by pre-visit and post-visit materials, which are readily accessible via the Internet. On-line information and imagery allows several ‘layers’ of information to be accessed and experienced in a self-directed manner. This is more likely to lead to a genuine learning experience.
Post-visit activities are designed for students to consolidate and reflect upon what they have seen, read and experienced during their visit.
It is not considered desirable that students be set sheets to fill out during their visit as clipboards and pens can be a hindrance to their enjoyment of the experiences on offer, and the Hinkler Hall of Aviation has been designed and developed as an experience to be enjoyed by every visitor. Instead, students can reinforce concepts introduced in class during their visit, then consolidate concepts through follow-up activities back at school.
Programs should aim to arouse curiosity and provide enjoyment as well as providing information and opportunities for learning activity. At best, students will be engaged in meaningful learning that is enhanced by the experience of visiting where real objects help tell the stories of real people and events. Structured learning experience needs to be devised and supported by active student involvement in both group and individual projects that focus on the unique qualities of the Bert Hinkler story.
Programs are based on enquiry and critical thinking, encouraging students to make connections between the past and the present in a way that encourages them to actively participate in their own learning. The approach to constructing experiences ensures that mind (cognitive), body (psycho-motor) and spirit (affective) are actively engaged.
A visit to Hinkler Hall of Aviation will:
- enthuse, engage and inform students;
- provide an experience that is atmospheric, unique and interactive; and
- celebrate our shared cultural inheritance.
General information for teachers
The Hinkler Hall of Aviation and Hinkler House are two key buildings that tell the Bert Hinkler story.
Hinkler House is itself a key artefact. The building and its contents including period furniture are reinstated to tell the story of Hinkler’s domestic life. Bert did not separate his fervent passion for aviation from his daily domestic existence. His house was the base for planning his record-breaking flights, and his life with Nancy as well as his day-to-day routines are all conveyed with authenticity and honesty.
The Hinkler Hall of Aviation’s content is based on an approximate chronological journey following Bert Hinkler’s beginnings in Bundaberg, to his record-breaking flights and through to his untimely end. The Hinkler Hall of Aviation tells the full story of Bert Hinkler – his technical skills, planes, designs, exploits, and contributions to aviation.
Organising content in this way allows teachers and students who are more interested in the full story to head directly for this building to see the planes and learn about the exploits, and experience the personal life later portrayed in Hinkler House later. Those who want to experience the house as Bert’s living workshop himself can go directly to Hinkler House.
The organisation of content for Hinkler House is based on a room-to-room experience. Expertise of the Hinkler House Memorial Museum & Research Association and other resources such as photographs are used to ensure that furnishing and fittings are as authentic as possible.
Key themes running through the displays within the Hinkler Hall of Aviation include:
- the reluctant hero: the story of his admirable personal qualities;
- the gifted designer, navigator and pilot: his intuitive skills and achievements;
- the ‘new technology’ innovator: bringing to bear a special self-confidence;
- a model for youth: grasping the new technology of his day to realise his dreams; and
- an international hero: the story of how extraordinarily popular he was.
School tour information and bookings
If you’d like to share the Hinkler Hall of Aviation education experience with your students, download our Booking Request Form here.
Personal Tours
Our volunteer guides help to bring exhibits to life for curious minds through a series of tour and program options. If you’d like a volunteer guide to be available for your education group visit, just let us know.
Teacher-guided visits are enhanced by a customised briefing, resources and an opportunity to participate in demonstrations and activities.
We can accommodate large education groups. By combining self-guided tours and rotating students through small group activities, you and your students can get the most from your visit.
Program fees
Group fees may be pre-paid, or paid on arrival by cash, credit card or by a cheque. We accommodate teachers and chaperones at no cost (conditions apply), and we provide significant concessional discounts for organised education groups.
Name tags
To help our staff build rapport with your students we recommend that primary and intermediate students wear name tags for young children that are easy to read. Our team members will display identification and evidence that certifies them as suitable to work with children.
Arrival procedure
When you arrive at the Hinkler Hall of Aviation to commence your unique education experience, have your bus drop you at the main entrance (on AL Stewart Drive) and present your booking confirmation form to our Reception Team and finalise payment.
The group will be greeted by our tour guide and safety and conduct procedures will be outlined. Your guide will also describe the activities planned for the visit and the structure of the day, after which students may be divided into groups depending on the nature of the programs
Chaperones
The chaperones accompanying the group must ensure that student behaviour and conduct is compliant with the Hinkler Hall of Aviation's Code of Conduct. We recommend a ratio of one (1) adult to ten (10) students.
Free time
We suggest that you allow some free time for students to explore exhibits and displays of special interest to them.
Food & Refreshments
Students are advised to bring a packed lunch to eat in the picnic area, though light refreshments may be available from our on-site food and beverage experience, Café 1928.
First aid
Our team are trained to provide basic first-aid. The first aid room is located in the main reception area.
Toilets
Male and female toilets are located adjacent to the Hinkler Hall of Aviation.
Wheelchair access
The Hinkler Hall of Aviation caters for visitors in wheelchairs.
