Year 10 Queensland Trip

DAY 1: Sun's up, surf's up!

We wanted to give you a quick update on our adventure!

After an incredibly early start, we successfully made it to Queensland armed with a mountain of lollies and Pringles. Our trusty bus driver, Leo, made sure we arrived safe and sound.Naturally, there were some groans as Ms Tran insisted on a group photo session.

Once we arrived, we dragged our lifeless selves into the water for what can only be described as an attempt at surfing. Safe to say, the waves won this round most of us were defeated within 30 minutes.

We eventually found our lovely accommodation and settled in just in time for a delicious feast in the dining hall. We’ve been making the most of the basketball, volleyball, and outdoor spaces too.

Later, we took a quick walk to Woolworths to stock up on what staff are confident are “healthy lunches” for Wet’n’Wild tomorrow.We’re all hoping for an early night tonight… fingers crossed.

DAY 2: Water way to spend the day!

Surprise surprise, last night was not an early night for all…

We had a great breakfast - pancakes, baked beans, sausages and eggs, and a selection of fruits, cereal, juice! We spent the morning getting ready for an exciting day at Wet'n'Wild. The weather was on our side too!

Leo (the bus driver, if you forgot) did it again - he got us there safely. And we basically had the park to ourselves, if you're not counting the pesky birds going through our bags for food - bin chickens galore! Birds - 10, Macleod - 0.

Mr. Panaccio was in and amongst the chaos - he raced against the students in the Super 8 Aqua Racer, and came off second-best, or third, or fourth… he believes the students cheated… he says, there was a false start, but this is clearly FALSE NEWS! They had him fair and square.

Anyway, we were whisked into the Tornado, Kaboom-ed through the waterslides, rode the waves through the Wave Pool, but mostly soaked in the hot springs. We had a Castaway moment when a ball got lost in the Lazy River - luckily a lifeguard came to save WILSONNNNN! Like responsible young people they are, the students had a 'healthy' lunch, with some experimental lunch choices. They'll tell you all about it.

We got back to the accommodation to play some more beach volleyball before doubling down on our competitive side with laser skirmish, where nobody cheated at all… The students continued the night with beach volley ball and hanging out.

DAY 3: Step Up - Encourage - Step Back

There was sleep… and then there was “camp sleep” - which is kind of like sleep, but with more laughter, poking heads out of doors, and some telling the teachers, "I'm just going to the bathroom..." Everyone got some sleep - whether it was 8 hours or 8 minutes is still up for debate.

The first half of the day consisted of a three-hour leadership program. With 45 students in a school of fish, there were 45 unique individuals, with 45 unique approaches to solving problems. While many students may not see leadership in themselves, they all have the potential to be a leader: a Stepping Up leader, an Encouraging leader, and a Stepping Back leader. This was put into action, by building a 5000-piece domino trail.

There were a few “oh no” moments when dominoes toppled before their time (cue dramatic gasps), but what stood out was how students rallied together: supporting each other, persevering, and showing real teamwork. "We will rebuild!" The domino trail may not have completed its full run - so, no Domino’s pizza party for us - but the pride in the room was unmistakable.

Later, students hit the dance floor (okay, the carpet) and created an 8-count dance per group, which ended in a full 42-count routine to California Girls. Yes, the teachers joined in. No, we are not ready for So You Think You Can Dance. We finished the session with some Big Ups… If you have something nice to say - say it! This created genuine moments between students acknowledging and celebrating each others character traits and strengths. We cannot tell you how proud of them we are.

To wrap up the day, students had some free time at Pacific Fair before the rain came pouring down at 3:30PM. We're crossing fingers for sunshine tomorrow at Dreamworld - rain, rain, stay away!

DAY 4: Monday funday! And the last day...

We piled onto the bus, silent and sleepy, but perked right up once we stepped into Dreamworld! The terrifying sight of all the rollercoasters inspired most to go on them immediately. And anyone who wasn't inspired, was cajoled to do it anyway by their friends!

The students slithered through the skies on a TAIPAN, and had a GIANT DROP to their doom. When not screaming for their lives, they enjoyed photographs with costumed Koalas, and all the churros and fairy floss they got their hands on - we are already witnessing the effects of the sugar frenzy, and we are scared for tonight... They couldn't escape the German Winterfest music, and were treated to Umpala music! And Queensland put on its best attempt at snow… it was raining.

Through the jungle, the mighty jungle, the students got a RUSHHHH… but slowed down on the MURRISSIPPI, and VOYAGED across all four dimensions! They performed aeronautical feats on the TAIL SPIN, while others just spun in circles on the Dreamworld Flyer. Kangaroos and tigers and koala bears - OH MY! In the land of dreams, Mr. Pan(accio) flew off to Neverland, soaring through the skies with the students.

Daylight has drifted away, and the students have started bonding even closer, knowing that they will soon return to their normal. We hope that they come home to you, and tell you all about who they've gotten to know better, and how they've gotten to know themselves better.

DAY 5: From Surfboards to Suitcases

You thought yesterday's update was the last, didn’t you? We realised we never shared our Learning Intention and Success Criteria for Camp...

Please take a moment to review the very official documentation below.

Learning Intention: Students will demonstrate understanding and practical application of “stuff we do when on camp.”

Success Criteria: I will be successful if I can…

estimate the balance required to stand on a surfboard
evaluate the physical forces of a rollercoaster - and the toll they take on the human body
force my terrified friends and Mr. Panaccio onto all theme park rides
apply knowledge of communal living to real-world situations
manage my time effectively... when to shower (or not), when to sleep (or… not)
predict the physiological and emotional impact of excessive snacking
express myself creatively without resorting to colourful language
independently plan and budget for a grocery shop for totally balanced and healthy lunches
get a healthy amount of sleep every night
work with a team to clean and maintain a shared space (and in all seriousness, this went brilliantly)
create a positive domino effect through small acts of kindness
demonstrate leadership in any way, shape, or form - stepping up, stepping back, or cheering someone else on

Camp has been an adventure filled with laughter, learning, late nights, early mornings, teamwork, independence and more than a few bags of Doritos...

We couldn’t be prouder of the way the students have grown over the past few days - as friends, leaders, and excellent human beings. We’re coming home tired, happy, and full of stories - but mostly full of cherished memories.

Lilian Tran

Camp Co-ordinator