Camps & Excursions
Ararat Gum San Chinese excursion
Ararat is the only town in Australia that was found by Chinese miners that arrived in the mid 1850's chasing the richest to be found at the Victoria Gold Rushes.
The Centre tells the story of Chinese miners travelling by sea to Australia and the hardships and prejudices they had to endure as they made their way to Victoria’s rich goldfields.
By listening to the volunteers, watching the 12-minute video, seeing the roof, the real items, and photographs, we learned a lot of the history and the Chinese culture.
The gold panning experience, the calligraphy and costume dress up brought us back to the Gold Rush Period and left rich footprints in our minds.
Year 10 Careers Camp in Geelong & Melbourne
Our Year 10 camp was a wild ride. The itinerary was planned perfectly- Geelong, Melbourne, back, with various universities and TAFEs and expos and even a trip to the Holocaust Museum as a little treat for us. We were pumped. The bus was thrumming with excitement, and Geelong Deakin welcomed us with open arms. We were given a splendid tour, meeting old friends from Baimbridge and having our endlessly curious questions answered smoothly and effortlessly by the staff, and all too soon we were back on the bus, headed to the train station to get to Melbourne. The excitement from the camp hadn’t yet dimmed, we were thrilled at the prospect of having a quiet train ride straight to the goldmine of shopping bliss- until disaster struck. We lugged our suitcases up and over the stairs, and settled into the train that was patiently docked, unaware of the horrors that awaited us, like lambs to the slaughter. The station manager’s grating voice echoed over the speakers, burrowing and embedding itself into our very brains. We were to get off the train. We lugged our suitcases back over the stairs, mild protests a constant, low hum. We settled on the grimy, gum-covered floor. For the next five hours, this continued, like we were stuck in a cruel, cold purgatory of lies and entrapment. Eventually, we were settled on a coach after an unfulfilling dinner of greasy pizza and damp chips. Fatigue radiated off the group as we trudged from coach to train to our hotel. Seven hours, and we were finally at a soft bed to rest our weary bones.
The next day passed in a haze of equal parts exhaustion and delight. Our activities were many, and the rewards were great. A careers expo early in the morning, an enlightening experience for many of us humble country bumpkins, and the Museum straight after, a sorrowful yet educational few hours that many of us shed a tear at. That afternoon was filled with a momentous occasion- shopping. And after hours, for dinner, we went to a place of many pleasures and extremes, the circus arcade! It was a night of great fun, to soothe our weary souls, still traumatized of the previous night.
Finally, the last day. This time, we were truly fatigued. We visited a magnificent TAFE, given a grand tour around an intense workshop filled with cars and other automotives, and then, all too soon, we were shipped back off to Hamilton, finished with our camp.
-Tylie
BioLAB & Fed University Day of Immunology
Science has had a busy start to the term, with VCE students attending programs at BioLab and Federation University in Ballarat. Year 11 students investigated the role that hormones play in maintaining body temperature of athletes. They had a great time learning new techniques such as ELISA assays and the never ending technique of multi and single channel pipetting. Year 12 students visited the world immunology day workshop hosted by Federation Uni in Ballarat. The students had a fantastic introduction to immunology from Professor Stuart Berzins who is professor of immunology and a principal research fellow at Federation University. They then participated in workshops that focussed on analysing techniques that can detect infectious diseases caused by pathogens such as influenza virus and non-infectious cancerous diseases such as leukemia. It was great to see students also take the opportunity to talk to experts and university students through out the day about all things science and their interests.
Advanced Outdoor Ed Bike Riding Camp
Our trip started off full of mystery unsure of what the next few days would bring us. After a quick stop in Dunkeld and a drive through the regrowth of the bushfire, we finally made it to Halls Gap. We started off with a hike where there was a moment where we just had to stop and appreciate our lives while looking over Halls Gap, our hike led us to Venus Baths where even after being told it was slippery some of us had to experience it to really believe it. Once we got to the bottom of the mountain we sat down at the oval and ate our lunch where some of the boys decided to befriend the kangaroo’s. After lunch and a quick game of frisbee, we made our way to our camp where it was very quiet until we got there.
Once we had unloaded our bags we got on the bikes for 3-hour long ride where we greatly underestimated how difficult it would be. During our struggle of riding through the thick sand, Mr Hopkins stopped to show us a Gang-gang cockatoo. We then started continuing the track that soon led us to the Huts where we stopped to have a quick adventure back in time. At last it was time to set up camp, after we had set up we got time to explore the campsite while the boys found a little area where they could form a jump which kept them entertained with all their falls, until the sun went down and we knew it was time for dinner. That night was spent waiting for sausages to cook, sitting around the campfire listening to music.
Slowly we awoke to the struggle of the second day where we travelled up the mountain to The balcony with the breathtaking view of Halls Gap. It was then time for the activity we had all we been waiting for, we got all our equipment ready and climbed up a steep mountain where it was more like bouldering than hiking. There were 5 different levels of the difficulty which the girls started at the chimney where the instructor let us know its not about strength and its actually about technique, I think we can say that the girls dominated the chimney (although some of the boys may not agree). Although some were a bit nervous about doing the abseiling we all gave it our best shot and everyone in the group was very supportive to each other. We left the rock climbing and abseiling with a few tears shred, blisters forming and lots of sore muscles especially quads however we were all grateful we got the opportunity that we got to expand our comfort zone. After we had a quick stop at the supermarket, we made our way back to the campsite where the road was closed off for controlled burning. The second night was filled with a lot of frisbee, tiredness and a lot of interactions with kangaroos.
The third morning we packed up camp and we set off for our final bike ride which was a much more pleasant and enjoyable experience. After waiting for three days, it was eventually time for our hot bakery lunch which was very enjoyable after eating the same things for the past couple of days.
-Shelby and Ruby
Year 9 Tyrendarra IPA excursion
On Friday 15 May, Year 8 students travelled to the Tyrendarra Indigenous Protected Area for a valuable day of learning on Country. Students were welcomed by Windamara Ranger Col, who shared her extensive knowledge and stories of the area after students had a quick break to stretch their legs and recharge following the bus trip.
Throughout the day, students learned about the ways the Gunditjmara people interacted sustainably with the land through the use of eel traps, hunting practices and stone dwellings. Col explained aspects of traditional community life, kinship structures and cultural practices, giving students an authentic insight into the history and traditions of the region. Students were highly engaged and asked thoughtful questions throughout the experience.
Students also explored environmental management practices and discussed the importance of maintaining healthy koala populations to protect local ecosystems. During the walk, students were fortunate enough to spot several koalas in the wild.
The significance and age of the stone channels and hut sites were also discussed. Although the site has not yet been scientifically dated, it is believed the stone channels may be older than 6,500 years, highlighting the remarkable engineering and environmental knowledge of the Gunditjmara people.
On the journey home, students observed the Tumuli (lava blisters) scattered across the landscape and stopped at Harman Valley lookout to view Mount Napier and the extensive lava flow and further deepen their understanding of the volcanic history of the region.
The excursion provided students with an engaging opportunity to connect classroom learning with real-world experiences while developing a deeper appreciation for Aboriginal culture, history and connection to Country.
