Year 9 and 10 Camp

Over five days on camp and four days on journey, our students were challenged in ways that demanded physical effort, emotional resilience, teamwork, and genuine personal growth. Beginning in Halls Gap, we trekked up to the Pinnacle before making our way toward Stony Creek Campground;  a day that, for many, proved to be the toughest of the entire experience.

This first major hike required real navigation skills, shared leadership, patience and collaboration. Students embraced the philosophy of the buffalo; that we face challenges head-on and move together, knowing we are only as strong as our slowest or most tired group member. Learning to manage pace so no one was left struggling became a powerful lesson in empathy and group cohesion. All the while, the Grampians rewarded us with spectacular views and bursts of wildflowers, a reminder that beauty often sits alongside challenge.

On the second day, students were pushed in a completely different way through our “challenge by choice” rock-climbing and abseiling experience. With both a 20-metre and a 60-metre descent on offer, we saw fears confronted, comfort zones stretched, and trust built — not only in the ropes and instructors, but in classmates who encouraged, supported, and believed in each other. What began with only a few willing to try ended with the entire group stepping up, one by one, supported by their peers. The pride, relief, and huge smiles at the bottom said everything about their courage.

Day three took us across Mt Rosa, roughly a 12km hike that had students scrambling across rocky sections, weaving through caves, and summiting to panoramic views. On the descent, the landscape shifted dramatically as we passed through areas affected by last summer’s fires. This contrast — burnt terrain alongside signs of new growth — became a powerful metaphor for the students as they prepare for their own “new beginnings” with early commencement the following week. Many spoke about finding their rhythm, stepping into leadership, and discovering confidence they didn’t know they had.

That evening, after the Trangia's were scrubbed and we settled around the fire, we held our “Rock, Stick, Leaf” reflection; each student sharing something that rocked them, something that will stick with them, and something they want to leaf behind. It was striking how many students chose to “leaf” behind the difficulty of day one, recognising how essential that discomfort was in shaping the rest of the journey. They realised that we rarely get to experience moments of deep connection, teamwork, and achievement without first facing something hard.

On the final morning, we were eager to get back on the bikes, onto the bus, and eventually home to soft mattresses and family with a shared understanding that this camp offered something lasting. The journey, the challenges, the laughs, the wildflowers, the long climbs, the trust on the cliffs, the quiet moments by the fire; these are memories that will stay with us. They’ve shaped us, strengthened us, and given students experiences that simply can’t be replicated in the classroom.

This camp wasn’t just four days of hiking, it was a milestone, one that every student will carry forward with pride.