INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL REPORT
International Report
At the end of first Semester 1, 2016, Mount Eliza Secondary College International Program organised the Great Ocean Road Camp. 32 International students from Year 10 to Year 12 went on to this adventurous 2-day overnight trip.
The opportunities for school camps from an early age that are afforded to students in Victoria are not available to our International students in their home country so this could very well have been their first time trying to sleep in a sleeping bag on a bunk bed! All the students were very excited but quite concerned that they may not be able to stay connected to their social media! The big question was is there Wi-Fi?
Along with 3 teachers and 2 school buses, we embarked on the journey to visit one of the world’s most spectacular places.
Breaking the morning frost, we boarded the ferry across Port Phillip Bay from Sorrento to Queenscliff. It was many students’ first ferry trip, so everything seemed interesting and exciting. After a short break at the Surfer’s Paradise Torquay, we officially entered one of the world’s most famous routes the Great Ocean Road. Students were blown away by the spectacular ocean views along the coastline, and certainly didn’t forget to snap lots of photos for souvenirs. We stopped briefly at Bells Beach before arriving at the picture perfect coastal tourist town of Lorne. We stayed at the Lorne Surf Club that night, enjoying the mild ocean breeze. Students were playing table tennis, card games or simply watching TV in the common room during the evening, everyone was enjoying themselves.
The next morning, we got up nice and early to watch the sun-rise and headed to Apollo Bay for breakfast. We stopped by the Cape Patton lookout to have a final view of the Great Ocean Road scenery. We then headed to the next top tourist destination and the highlight of this trip the Apostles. After a 1 and half hour drive, we arrived at the world’s famous Apostles and had the most beautiful weather welcoming us. Under the warm winter sunshine, students gathered together and took a group shot in front of the grand stones and beautiful ocean. We then had a wonder around the Loch Ard Gorge, admiring the amazing landscape of the nature, before heading our way back to the Queenscliff ferry.
It was such a memorable and successful trip that all we heard was positive comments from the students wherever we went. All students have enjoyed themselves very much throughout the camp and learnt many things about Australia, its native land and culture. It will certainly become one of the greatest memories for our International students to share in the future.
