Many of Victor Harbor Primary School’s Year 5, 6 and 7 students had their first, but almost certainly not their last, look at a university campus this week.

Nearly 200 of the Victor Harbor students, whose school was devastated by fire a month ago, travelled by bus to Flinders University’s Bedford Park campus for a day of activities organised by the University’s Student Access Unit.

After a welcome and a talk by Yunggorendi staff, the students split into several groups for activities that included tours of the Art Museum and the sports centre, and a lecture on Australia’s extinct megafauna. As well as participating in physical education activities, the visitors were treated to a dance demonstration in the gym before having lunch in the Humanities courtyard.

Among the visitors was Taylah Knight, a Year 5 student whose just-completed project on Matthew Flinders was destroyed in the fire. Special Collections librarian Dr Gillian Dooley presented Taylah with the book Matthew Flinders – The Ifs of History for the school library.

Taylor’s class teacher, Ms Jenna McClaren, said there has been a huge amount of support from the community since the fire.

“It was a big negative, but a lot of positives have come out of the situation, like this trip to Flinders,” she said.

A fundraising community fair for the school is being held at the Encounter Bay Football Club this Sunday, December 7.