Deputy CEO's Update

Climb Every Mountain: Courage, Care and Growth

At the start of this term, our Year 7 and 8 students, MITS boarding staff, and Liz and Rick travelled to the Gippsland alpine region on Gunnai Kurnai Country near Licola for a three-day camp. This camp is becoming a valued tradition that helps students settle back into MITS school and boarding life and reconnect with friends.

One standout moment for students and staff was watching the Year 8s push themselves to climb the Crinoline. Also known as Mt Ligar, the Crinoline is a 12 km return hike from Breakfast Creek. With Liz and Rick guiding and encouraging us the entire way (and me needing plenty of encouragement too), what began as an exciting challenge quickly became a powerful lesson in courage, resilience, care and belief in one another. 

During the six-hour hike, students tackled steep climbs, fatigue and moments when aching legs and tired minds made stopping feel tempting. Yet those were the moments their strength shone through. They kept moving when giving up would have been easier, and they looked after each other along the way—checking in, sharing humour, and supporting anyone who was struggling. In the hardest patches, our shouted “Count down!” became a steadying ritual, with each student calling out their assigned number as a safety check and a reminder that they weren’t alone. 

The lessons from the Crinoline reach well beyond the mountain. School, work and life all demand courage and care, and even when we hope for calm and certainty, conditions can change quickly—just like the Gippsland weather. Frustration, discomfort, uncertainty and fatigue can make us want to stop trying. In those moments, we need to back ourselves, trust the people around us, and keep going when the path feels tough. This hike showed us that growth often happens just outside our comfort zone. The Year 8s demonstrated maturity, perseverance and the ability to support others through adversity—qualities that will serve them throughout their time at MITS and into young adulthood. 

I was proud to share this inaugural hike with them, and honoured to glimpse the leaders they are becoming within First Nations communities and the broader Australian community. They modelled determination, respect and teamwork for one another, and for the students who will follow in their footsteps.

Finally, my sincere thanks to Liz and Rick for their generous, unconditional support of every member of the group —on this camp and whenever they are with our MITS students. Their encouragement, care and commitment made this journey possible for us all.

Lia Bartholomew

Deputy CEO – Living and Learning