Year 10 Advance Ski Camp

On Tuesday 3 August, the Year 10 Advance class headed to Mt Buller for a four day ski trip. We set off to Yea for some breakfast, followed by another hour on the bus to Mansfield. In Mansfield we got on a third bus that took us up the curvy, snowy roads to Mt Buller. Once we reached Bourke Street we grabbed our gear and walked up to our lodge to settle in. After unpacking our bags, setting up our rooms and enjoying a few snacks we took another bus down to one of the two designated tobogganing areas. It took roughly an hour and a half of tobogganing down, hiking back up and throwing snowballs at Mr Evans, until a jump was introduced. People went down standing, sitting and face first. After heaps of stacks and face plants, it was time to head back up to Bourke Street to hire our snowboarding gear for the next few days. 

Once everyone had their boards, helmets, boots and wrist guards we took the walk back up to the lodge and, let's just say, it’s a lot harder carrying the gear up. The duty group headed off to set up for our first dinner which was lasagna. After dinner we had our first night of activities. Group One ran us through a much more confusing and complicated game of categories than necessary, and we ended the night with Group Two’s games of balloon teamwork activities and celebrity heads. After a massive first day, everybody was exhausted and went straight to bed in preparation for a big second day. 

Wednesday was our first day of snowboarding lessons. We all got geared up with our coats, boots and gloves and headed out the door. We met with some instructors and got into small groups. We were taught how to stop, and push ourselves down Bourke Street. We excitedly lined up at the chair lift, waiting to start our journey towards the top of Bourke Street. The instructors taught us how to strap in and slide down the mountain and off we went, sliding from pole to pole. Learning to turn, stop and pull ourselves back off the ground was quite difficult for a while until we were finally comfortable with our boards. 

Our lesson went for an hour and half, and then we went with friends for our second run. Some found it difficult, but others were quite good already and hopped off straight down the mountain. We started going back to our lodge at about 12. Everyone was starving and ready for a rest, Mr Evans prepared tomato soup and salad wraps for everyone to enjoy as we sat down and talked about our funny stacks. We finished lunch and headed back out. We came back to the lodge at about 5 to have some dinner - parma with vegetables. We had showers and got comfy to go watch Those Who Wish Me Dead. 

Thursday was our third day of camp. We had our snowboarding lessons again and we learnt how to go down backwards. Let's just say it looks easier than it is. We finished up our lessons and went back up for lunch of chicken noodle soup and pizzas - it was delicious. Everyone decided to go out on some different runs including Wombat, Family Run, Little Buller and some people went on some black runs. We spent a couple of hours out in the snow trying to learn as much as we could before we had to go inside again to have dinner. Nachos and chilli con carne was tonight's dinner. It was another night for activities so groups gathered their materials and began the games. The boys organised Silent Ball and Chinese Whispers and the girls' group organised some riddles which were quite hard but after a long 20 minutes we finally figured them out. 

As a result of Victoria going into lockdown on Thursday night, some changes happened on our last day: the main one being the chairlifts were not running. Some people headed out nice and early to make the most out of the last day and spent a few hours out boarding down runs and taking the long hike back up to the top of the run to go back down.  Others spent the morning playing card games, packing up our rooms and cleaning the lodge. After lunch we continued to vacuum the rooms and make everything perfect before we grabbed our stuff and walked down Bourke Street for the final time. After one last snowball fight the bus arrived. We loaded up the first bus and headed back down the snowy roads to Mansfield, where we once again got on a final bus. 

Our last pit stop was in Yea for some warm food before our final stretch back to school. Big thanks to Mr Evans for organising everything for our camp! And to Mrs Nap, Mr Mayadas and Miss Cameron for helping us at Mt Buller.

Jurney Vanderwyk

Year 10 Advance