‘The Ghost of John King’ is a unique, 50 minute, dramatic and interactive show.  It brings to life the untold story of the ill fated Burke and Wills expedition of 1860 and the controversial story of how John King, a humble Irish soldier, became the sole survivor.  

​Take your students on a unique journey into a defining piece of Australian history. Engage and captivate your students with an experience that combines history, culture, and drama.  
Students will see the story of the journey from Royal Park to the bitter end at Cooper Creek from a very different perspective and will be encouraged to:

  • understand that history is multifaceted and is dependant on the storyteller
  • question and explore the real reasons behind the expedition
  • raise curiosity as to why John’s story is largely unknown
  • learn the connections between a sitting member of the UK Parliament and the Yandruwandha Indigenous people of Cooper Creek
  • think about what this story can still teach us today
There is plenty of opportunity to interact with the cast with a half hour question and answer session. ​

DELVE DEEPER

Pre and post incursion activities.  This unique show has clear links to the Victorian curriculum in English, Arts and Humanities.  It is complemented by a comprehensive set of suggested pre and post incursion ideas that will help you and your students investigate the story further.  Activities encompass research, writing, planning, improvisation, discussions and analysis.


90 minute theatre workshop.  Students are guided to explore the themes of improvisation, imaginative storytelling, physical movement, culminating in the children’s own opportunity to perform. These workshops have been run with a variety of age groups and in schools in the outback.  Children have amazed us with their enthusiasm and delight at being able to explore their imagination and increase their confidence. Minimum participants 30.

WANT TO KNOW MORE?

Our audience. Targeted to grades 3-6 but there are plenty of curriculum links and value for grades 1 and 2.  For the show we require a minimum audience of 100. Please discuss your workshop requirements with us.

Set up.  It only takes an hour to set up our simple but highly effective set.  We bring everything and do all of the work.
Your dedicated Client Relationship Manager can provide you with more detail, including incursion options and pricing.