Duke of Edinburgh

Embracing challenge on the Adventurous Journey

Four Year 9 Duke of Edinburgh classes embarked on their highly anticipated qualifying journey last Monday. Over the week, 80 students took part in a variety of adventurous activities on the Great Ocean Road, including hiking, surfing, mountain biking, and camping. 

The students demonstrated remarkable self-sufficiency throughout the experience. They carried their own food, sleeping gear, and other essentials, and skilfully prepared their meals using Trangia stoves. It was impressive to see them embrace the principles of Leave No Trace, ensuring they respected and preserved the natural environment they explored. 

In their downtime, the students enjoyed connecting with one another, sharing stories, and creating memories that will undoubtedly last a lifetime. The journey highlighted the importance of teamwork, resilience, and adaptability, and it was inspiring to witness their growth as confident, self-reliant young adults. 

Ms McKay 

We went to Eumerella Scout Camp for Duke Of Ed. On Wednesday, when we arrived, the weather cleared up nicely for my activity group's surfing lesson. It was lots of fun and I managed to get 5 waves standing up. When we arrived back to camp, me and Pia made vegetable stir-fry which was really good. We managed to get our dinner done quickly and played a game of spotlight that night which was a highlight of the trip. The next day we had our long walk along the coast. The walk felt surprisingly quick and was achievable for us to enjoy. Everyone still had a lot of energy thant night and we made our second meal of camp. Cooking this meal was quite chaotic. Many things went wrong as our pasta wasn't cooked properly. After our clean up, the teachers made a fire and we cooked smores. Then when we woke up we went mountain biking which was better than I expected. Then we packed up and had a quiet trip home on the bus. 

Audrey Gadsby – Year 9 

The Duke of Ed camp was a transformative experience that challenged me in ways I didn’t expect. One of the most meaningful takeaways came from reflecting on the “leaf, stick, rock” theory. The leaf represents something I’ll leave behind, and for me, it’s the fear of stepping out of my comfort zone. The challenges of hiking, navigating, and camping showed me that I’m capable of much more than I thought. The stick stands for a lesson that will stick with me—teamwork and communication are essential. Whether it was helping each other carry gear or making group decisions, I realized how much we rely on each other to succeed. Lastly, the rock symbolizes something that rocked my world. For me, it was the beauty of disconnecting from technology and connecting with nature and my group. This experience gave me a deeper appreciation for resilience, teamwork, and growth. 

Wim Lobb – Year 9