Adventure Awaits 

Year 9 Camp Highlights

This year we introduced a new camp to our Secondary program, designed to stretch students individually and provide opportunities for growth through experiences beyond their comfort zones. Adventure Camp takes place in Term 3 as part of the Year 9 Journey program. At this stage of the year, we are intentionally leaning into challenges and students learn that our brains can adapt and be rewired, at the same time as recognising that this growth comes through trying new things, which is often difficult.

During Adventure Camp, students travel in small groups on a multi-day journey. They begin the week in one location and finish in another, carrying all they need in their hiking packs, including clothes, food, camping gear, and cooking equipment. Each day they hike to a new destination, set up camp in the evening, and pack it all away the next morning before setting off again. Dinners are cooked over the campfire, and students sleep out in tents or bivvies.

Throughout the week, students rotate through different roles: navigating the group using a map, compass, and natural landmarks; preparing, cooking, and cleaning up after meals; maintaining camp hygiene; and even digging a toilet if needed. These responsibilities help them build resilience, teamwork, and independence as they support one another along the way.

I was so impressed with the attitude, maturity and resilience I saw in our young people throughout the week. There were some rough sleeps, cold mornings, and long walks carrying heavy packs. They stuck it out though, and now they look back with a strong sense of achievement and success at what they accomplished at camp.

Tim Eddy

Year 9 Coordinator

Student Reflections:

We recently went to an Adventure camp as a part of our subject, Journey.

We travelled down to Anglesea and got started straight away. We met our camp leader, and she ran us through the week. 

My expectations leading into this camp were at a mid-point. I knew it was going to be challenging and tough, but I also knew that I would have the chance to do and experience things that I may never have done before. 

As camp went on, I realized that it was going to be harder than I expected. There were multiple difficulties that contributed to the hardships of camp. We had to wake up at 6:00 in the morning to pack up our tents when it was a high of 0 degrees. We had to carry heavy packs with us. Inside these packs were all our personal belongings, our tents, our food supply and communal gear. All of the gear caused my body to ache and even bruise.

Some highlights of camp were the activities. We had the opportunity to do 'extreme sports' such as surfing, mountain bike riding, canoeing and treetop surfing. For me, I really enjoyed these activities, I loved the extreme idea of it. Taking risks, doing things others may be scared to do is something I love to do. 

It was little things like our leaders making us hot chocolate, or our teacher playing Mafia with us that got me through the camp. It taught me to think differently, to hold on to the things I took for granted in previous situations. I also learned to expand my friendships with people; I created and strengthened bonds with people I had barely talked to before.

Overall, this camp was a very diverse experience. There were highs and lows, ups and downs. I learnt new things, I bonded with new people and I pushed myself to the limits. I’m glad I was able to complete this camp, growing as a person at the end of it.

Poppie

During Adventure Camp, although it was lots of fun, there were multiple things that made it a challenge, like getting lost on what was supposed to be a short walk to our last campsite, and getting there after dark. Or when it started raining while we were preparing and eating dinner, so we had to all squeeze under a dripping bivvy until the rain stopped.  

This experience helped me discover new things about myself that I didn’t know I was capable of accomplishing. For example, I’m usually the opposite of a morning person, but I got up early and packed up our tent in the rain, despite how desperately I wanted to stay in my sleeping bag. And, I’m still here, alive, so I think that’s pretty good. 

Reflecting on this, in the future, maybe I’ll go on more camps and get lost again, or have to eat stras for four days straight, but I know I’ll survive.

Ruby

I didn’t find the hiking part of the camp too hard but rather the cold, on the third morning it was really cold and raining. We had to pack up the tents while our hands were freezing cold and wet. One of the hard parts of that was knowing that there wouldn’t be an escape from that for a long time. After packing up we would have to hike to activities and do those activities in the cold rain too. I also found that carrying my pack was quite hard, I did get used to it over the couple of days we were there but it definitely made me appreciate how light my school bag was. The whole camp also made me appreciate things that I usually took for granted like sleeping in a house, my bed and food that we didn't have to carry around.

I think something that I learnt about myself was that I can do hard things even when I feel like giving up. My friends definitely helped me get through the hard parts as well. And being able to look forward to getting home and having a shower.

I think I will be able to use this in the future when I face hard things. I will be able to remember what I was able to do during this camp and push through and convince myself that I will be able to do challenges in the future.

Emma

Leading up to our Year 9 Adventure Camp, I was a little apprehensive. After all, it was a completely new camp that no one had done before, and it was supposed to be challenging. I was fine with the idea of challenge, actually more excited at the prospect than fearing it. When we got there, I was already tired. Not a good start, but the bus ride was long, and it was hot. But then we started to get going, and I was actually enjoying myself! We were introduced to some activities, doing canoeing and surfing. Canoeing was great! I can’t surf, apparently. That night, I actually got some very respectable sleep too, which was just the greatest luxury. The following day, we had treetop ziplining and mountain biking. The obstacle course in the trees was incredibly fun, and despite my fear of heights, I had an exceptionally enjoyable time. 

Reflecting on it, I’m kind of surprised I learnt anything about challenge when we were on camp. I was expecting it to just be another school camp, but it gave me valuable advice. Overall, camp was a great time, and whilst we were pushing ourselves, I could look to my friends and just have a great time. It was heaps of fun.

Joseph