Sport

Year 9 Outdoor Education – Mt Kooyoora State Park Hike

Eighteen students headed off, well prepared and excited, to Mt Kooyoora State Park early Monday morning. As we left the Calder Hwy and the roads progressed to country lanes and then to dirt tracks our starting point was in sight. A quick climb up a local peak allowed us to get our bearings and see Mt Kooyoora in the distance. It felt daunting as between us and our overnight camp was a storm damaged valley that we had to traverse and navigate through with only compass bearings. In pairs, students took turns to read bearings off a map and then followed magnetic bearings through outback scrubby, storm affected woodlands. Credit is due to all students who achieved “spot on” navigation.

Arriving at the summit of Mt Kooyoora revealed a peaceful grassy campsite and views for miles! A quick tent set up was followed by three bushcraft lessons on navigation, fire lighting and environmental interpretation. Students then busied themselves with cooking gourmet meals and chatting around the campfire. The stories and conundrum riddles confused briefly all but a few lateral thinking students. A chat about the following day preceded tent time at 9:30pm.

Students woke at 6:15am and made their way to sunrise rock where the indigenous story about how the magpies created the sunrise was shared. The fortuitous warbling of the kookaburras helped to provide drama to the story. The influence and traditions of the Dja Dja Wurrong people were discussed and created much thinking, reflection and discussion.

Day two saw us navigate down a steep spur, still off-track but on compass bearings, and students’ compass skills continued to shine. We reached a valley that led us to lower open woodlands. A new team and new bearing and we navigated out to the access track. Heading from here we explored Melville Caves and the story of the bushranger Captain Melville. Recent cultural digs were evident and the discovery of indigenous artefacts by local aboriginal elders meant that any planning and construction of a visitor area was to be halted and re-considered. Another opportunity for a story…

A special thank you to staff members Ross McKinnon and Kristie Gannon for attending.