Bringing history to life: Anzac Tour delivers once in a lifetime experience | Photos

May 9, 2023 BY

Patrick Marzohl (far left) with the 2023 Premier's Anzac Tour group. Pictures supplied.

As one of three teachers selected to accompany ten students on the 2023 Premier’s Anzac Student Tour, Margaret River SHS Student Leadership Coordinator Patrick Marzohl says the experience has provided him with “ten days of profound learning, personal growth, and unforgettable experiences”.

The tour, which has a strong history of attendance by both MRSHS students and teachers, sees a select group visit locations around the world which hold significance to Anzac history.

“Throughout the tour, we engaged in a range of activities that challenged our assumptions and deepened our understanding of Anzac Day and its significance,” Mr Marzohl told the Mail.

“From visiting museums and war memorials to meeting with veterans and attending the Auckland Dawn service, the tour offered a unique and immersive experience that brought Anzac history to life.

The tour group visited the Sydney Anzac memorial, met with 94-year old Holocaust survivor Jack Meister, toured four defensive battery and tunnel systems in Perth, Sydney and Waiheke Island, and experienced an interactive Mari cultural day at Te Hana, before taking in a moving Anzac Day in Auckland.

Mr Marzohl said for teachers and students, the tour was a transformative experience.

“The tour provided the students with opportunities for personal growth and insights into their own strengths and weaknesses,” he said.

“Through the challenges of the tour, such as early morning starts, the flights and bus rides, and the reflective discussions, research presentations and daily journal writing, the students learned to push themselves beyond their comfort zones, practice resilience, and work together as a team.”

One young tour group member said the trip was one of the best experiences of their lives, while another agreed; “the Anzac Tour has changed me in ways I never thought possible. It has given me a new sense of purpose and a renewed commitment to making a positive difference in the world.”

The next Premier’s Anzac Student Tour will travel to Singapore in April 2024 and Mr Marzhol encouraged local students to apply.

“I am excited to see the next group of students embark on this life-changing journey,” he said.

“The 2024 program gives students a unique opportunity to investigate the Anzac legacy, find out more about those who served in the armed forces, and to commemorate the 82nd anniversary of the fall of Singapore and 106 years since the signing of the Armistice.”

The Premier’s Anzac Tour is an annual competition open to all WA students from Years 8 to 11.

A selection panel will choose students as tour ambassadors based on a written submission and interviews that demonstrate their interest in Australian history and understanding of the ANZAC legacy.

Student applications close at 5 pm on Friday 11 August 2023.