Domestic Camps & Trips  

Henry Roseby-Hunter, Year 11, Ridgeway Campus 

The 2025 ‘Gone Bush’ trip has honestly been one the best experiences of my time at school so far. As a cultural immersion tour, our 4 days in Broome and 6 days in Lombadina weren’t like any other sightseeing trip. Instead, they gave us an opportunity to deeply learn about Aboriginal knowledge and history in the area, going beyond the scope of an everyday understanding, and ultimately leaving us with a greater appreciation and respect for the country we stand on. 

As we were guided about the various bush foods, herbal medicines and the methods used to live off the land, we were not only observers, but participants. Plants found on the side of the road could be used for nets, seeds could be taken to deoxygenate the water and catch fish, and foods invisible to the surface-looking eye could sustain someone for months. The highlight of the trip was undoubtably Lombadina and the days spent on the flats with our spears.

 Every morning after waking up for an optional 6 am sunrise run on the beach, we were taken by minibus along the bushland roads and to the mob of ‘Boss-man’ Bolo, our guide. We made and used our own spears, handpicked from trees we found on the side of the road. This provided us with tools we could call our own and throw to catch our dinner of mud crab and fish. Much to the delight of Dr Mercer (who came up with the idea for this trip), we spent hours honing and straightening our sticks into deadly weapons. 

It is easy to disregard the knowledge of our first nations people and ignore the land around us, but the more I reflect upon this trip, the more I realise how little we understand, and how much we miss as the world moves past us. The Dampier Peninsula trip gave us time to reflect, to understand our place in Country, and to grasp the value of land and its pure natural beauty. 

Charlotte Starkey, Year 11, Ridgeway Campus 

Reflecting on this year’s CUO promotions course and camp, I can confidently say I have learned life-long lessons around motivation, leadership and teamwork. The weeks leading up to the camp required effort as we were quickly put headfirst into assignments within our syndicates and had to begin planning a year of Cadets which we would have to leave. At times, I had to will a lot of motivation, but I found it all to be worth it. Looking back at the syllabus we created, the mini activities made in EX Headway and our ideal layout for the camps, we had all been set up so well to optimise the cadet year, and it really demonstrated how hard work pays off. 

Getting off the bus at PGL, I first felt a small wave of sadness, realising this was my last promotions camp and the beginning of a lot more ‘lasts’ as I begin the last year of school. But simultaneously I felt a rush of excitement in being back at the camp and what was in store for us. 

Teamwork came to me through the exciting activities we got to participate in. My team and I won the ‘amazing race’ navigation activity, and looking around at my teams joy as we held up our prize (a 1kg packet of lollies that we all devoured), I felt a part of something special and was grateful for how we all collaborated and uplifted each other, especially as we attempted to run in the heavy cadet uniforms. 

Our leadership discussions with Colonel Waugh taught me a lot about the values that are essential to being a leader and the problem-solving abilities that are also necessary as a leader. Getting to discuss as a course group the people that we admired and the values we thought were important in a platoon was very productive, it made me reflect on what I believed was important and what I wanted to embody as I move through to my last year participating in the unit. 

Overall, the 2025 promotions camp was a very rewarding experience, and I was very grateful to have been invited. I gratefully acknowledge all the work put into the CUOs course by Ms Bell, Mr Callegari, Mr Hoogenraad and the other cadet staff. 

Marcus Ryan, Year 11, Ridgeway Campus 

Over the 15th to 18th of August, 300 cadets embarked on Promotion courses at Campaspe Downs in Tylden. Prior to arriving at the campsite, the cadets had been tested on all manner of cadet knowledge, leadership initiative and organisational planning, and this camp was to be a culmination of these efforts. Whilst the prospectus of a four-day camp dedicated to testing cadets may have been initially intimidating for many, especially first-timers in the corporal’s course and those aiming large in the CUO’s, the actual experience of promotions camp was far more enjoyable than thought probable. Cadets were able to greater develop their personal leadership skills and knowledge through hands-on application, furthermore participants were able to display their initiative and personal motivation by tackling tasks and assessments head-on. Cadets were able to learn greater about the history of the unit and the Australia-wide cadet program, providing a strong and resilient foundation for this next generation of leaders to build upon. Furthermore, those in CUO’s course learned about the command structure of the unit and were able to practice sword drill (a crowd favourite). Overall, the Promotions camp and promotions courses as a whole were an incredibly worthwhile experience in developing personal leadership and discipline as well as communication and teamwork skills. A massive thanks to all the cadet staff who put together this amazing opportunity.  

Amelia Sala, Year 10, Ridgeway Campus 

Year 10 camp was a challenging week but overall, it was a great experience with many different things to try. For my chosen activity, I picked hiking and abseiling, which I really enjoyed. Abseiling was much harder than I thought it would be, but it ended up being my favourite option. The weather made it hard to keep going on the hikes, but it was a good challenge and a great way to spend time with friends. 

I also enjoyed my 24-hour solo because it gave me a break from all the activities during the week. Being alone for 24 hours was very hard but I think it was a good thing to do at least once. I enjoyed opening the letters from my parents and from my year 7 self. I also enjoyed writing a letter to my year 12 self. The second part of the camp was the retreat! We got to do lots of different activities with our mentor group and we had more time to relax. I enjoyed this part of the camp best because it was more relaxed than staying in the caravan park for the hiking and abseiling activities. 

There was a bit of free time in the retreat which I found relaxing because it gave everyone a chance to go and do something that the retreat had to offer. For the hiking and abseiling part, we camped at a caravan park but the retreat was in cabins. This was much better because the poor weather made camping outside difficult. Overall, I think Year 10 camp was a great opportunity to have as I had a fun time with my peers and friends.