Outdoor and Environmental Studies (OES) Term 1
Middle School OES - Melwood
(see photo gallery below)
Our four Middle School OES classes recently completed a 3-day hike in Melwood, East Gippsland. It was awesome to finally put theory into practise and made the preparation that they have been completing all term worth it!
They learnt about the natural capital of the area and the various user groups that have inhabited and related to this environment throughout its rich history. This includes the First Nations people of the area, the Gunai Kurnai people, squatters during early settlement, miners of the gold rush period and the forestry industry. As well as more contemporary issues, including the management of state parks and the push for agricultural practises to move forwards sustainably.
Groups covered just shy of 30km, the camp provided an opportunity for students to use their skills to navigate through the bush, both in the daylight and in darkness! For most students this was the first time that they had camped under tarps, hiked with a full backpack, and cooked on a trangia.
They learnt about the power and importance of nature in providing them with a sense of calm, freedom and challenges only overcome with teamwork. We commend all students involved, well done on overcoming the challenges throughout the journey, you showed team work, initiative and resilience and we are proud of your achievements!
We would like to thank all staff involved Mrs Georgia Tierney, Ms Sarah Wallace, Mr Josh Smith, Mr James Cameron, Ms Imogen Slinger, Mr Aaron Jackson, Mrs Mary Hunter, Mr Rowan Cameron and Ollie Garrett for their hard work, these trips take a significant amount of organisation and time and the work is appreciated.
Unit 3 and 4 OES: Mitchell River, East Gippsland
(see photo gallery below)
Our two Unit 3 and 4 Outdoor and Environmental Studies classes just completed their 4-day camps in East Gippsland, they were remarkable.
Leaving Frankston High School at 4.30am ensured we got as much as possible jammed into our Day 1. The Keeping Place for the Gunai Kurnai people of East Gippsland was our first stop, providing students with a rich understanding of how this land was used for thousands of years prior to European arrival, they see bark canoes and fishing tools and listen to stories told by Gunai Kurnai Man, Rob Hudson. We then visit the Bairnsdale Historical Society and look at memorabilia of more recent times, old farm machinery, original log cabins, cooking tools, etc. Students leave Bairnsdale with a much clearer image in their minds eye of what this region has seen through time. We then head to Angusvale in the north of the Mitchell River National Park where we set up camp under tarps and enjoy an afternoon of swimming in the river and reflecting on the days learnings and what we have to look forward to.
Days 2 and 3 are rafting days, we took three, 8-person rafts, down river about 30km. We rafted through grade 2-3 rapids, floated through some, paddled through others. We set up camp on the banks of the Mitchell River, we overcame torrential rain and powerful creek crossings. We looked at ancient rainforests and spectacular gorges, we visited sacred aboriginal sites and we jumped from the remains of the old Mitchell River Weir. Not once did a student complain or back down from a challenge (and we definitely had a few), they were remarkable! So eager to be out and about and so keen to learn about an environment we have been talking about all term. The weather was challenging but it made them demonstrate their resilience and wow, they had it in spades. We finished by camping out in Melwood (about a half hour out from Bairnsdale) where students completed their assessment around the fire and learnt about the region and its rich history as well as farming practises and how they have evolved to be so much more sustainable in contemporary times. They completed a very eventful 10km hike on their final day, where they had to complete three river crossings (we are talking chest height) and survive one last game of camouflage. Here they saw the remnants of the old gold mines, the timber mill and the primary school.
All in all… a truly amazing OES Camp, we have never seen so much growth and positivity in students and it was just damn rewarding. It is so nice to be out and about in the outdoors again and wow are we grateful that our program is back up and running. We are not taking anything for granted!
Thank you to the staff involved, Mrs Georgia Tierney, Ms Imogen Slinger, Mr Josh Smith, Mr Rowan Cameron and Oliver Garrett!
Photo Gallery:
