Principal's Message

Principal’s Message – Central Australia Camp: The Journey and the People

In term 3, week 2, I had the privilege of joining 35 students and four staff members on our 8 day Central Australia Camp. Led by Ms Campion, with the support of Mr Birkinhead and Mr Flavelle, the trip took us across some of Australia’s most remarkable landscapes and provided experiences that will stay with us for many years.

Our journey began in Adelaide, where we watched the sunset from the beach. It was a beautiful and peaceful way to begin the camp, and a reminder of just how varied the Australian landscape would become as we travelled north.

From Adelaide, we continued to Coober Pedy, where we experienced the novelty of sleeping underground. We also learned about the town’s history and the challenging work involved in opal mining. Coober Pedy is unlike anywhere else, and the combination of its underground buildings, mining culture and surrounding landscape made it a memorable stop.

One of the physical highlights of the camp was the Kings Canyon Rim Walk. The climb was challenging, but the views across the canyon made every step worthwhile. In contrast to the scale and ruggedness of the canyon walls, the Garden of Eden was calm, peaceful and unexpectedly beautiful. It was a special place to pause, take in our surroundings and appreciate the extraordinary environment we were travelling through.

Nothing, however, can fully prepare you for the first sight of Uluru and Kata Tjuta. Their sheer size and beauty are striking, particularly when viewed against the vast, flat plains that surround them. Learning about their deep cultural importance also helped us understand that these places are far more than impressive natural landmarks. They hold profound spiritual and cultural significance for the Anangu people, and we were fortunate to learn more about their stories, traditions and connection to Country.

Students also had the opportunity to get close to some of the animals of Central Australia through a reptile show and a bird show. These experiences allowed us to learn about the remarkable adaptations of native animals, while also producing plenty of excitement as students mixed among reptiles and watched birds fly closely overhead.

While the places we visited were extraordinary, my personal highlight was the opportunity to get to know our students in a completely different setting.

Long bus journeys and evenings at camp were filled with card games, including many competitive rounds of Up and Down the River, Rat-a-Tat Cat, Monopoly Deal and Spoons. There were also countless smaller moments that made the trip special, including the increasingly complicated task of creating elaborate rhymes from people’s names while travelling on the bus. These moments of laughter, conversation and shared experience were every bit as important as the destinations themselves.

Throughout the trip, I was incredibly proud of our students. On numerous occasions, members of the public, our camp guides and the staff at the places we visited commented on how respectful, polite, considerate and organised our group was, particularly in comparison with groups they had encountered from other schools.

These comments reflected what we saw each day. Students listened carefully, thanked the people who helped them and represented Brighton Secondary College with maturity and pride. They supported one another when walks became difficult, checked in with students who were tired or homesick, and consistently looked out for each other.

It was particularly pleasing to see students who might not ordinarily spend time together at school building genuine connections. New friendships developed, existing friendships became stronger, and students demonstrated care and kindness across year levels and friendship groups.

A camp of this scale requires an enormous amount of planning and organisation. I would particularly like to thank Ms Campion for her leadership of the camp, and Mr Birkinhead and Mr Flavelle for the care, energy and support they provided throughout the journey.

Most importantly, I would like to thank our students. They embraced each experience, accepted every challenge and demonstrated the qualities we hope to see in all members of our school community. They were wonderful travelling companions and outstanding representatives of Brighton Secondary College.

We will share more images and stories from our adventure next edition.

Peter Langham

Principal