Years 3 - 5
Camp was definitely the highlight of the term, with students enthusiastically participating in every experience camp had to offer. From exploring the local area and spotting wildlife, to bush cooking, archery, hiking, high ropes and team challenges, there was certainly no shortage of adventure!
Our first activity took us on a journey into town and through the Botanic Gardens. Students were tasked with solving a series of questions based on the sights and surroundings along the way. The questions encouraged students to think, investigate and learn about the local native plants and animal life. We also enjoyed spotting a variety of wildlife along the track, particularly the multiple mobs of kangaroos sunbaking in various spots throughout the town.
Our second activity was orienteering, where students worked in teams to follow a map around the campsite and locate hidden letters. Once all the letters had been collected and unscrambled, they revealed a series of secret messages. We ended the evening with a brief night walk, where moments of quietness allowed us to spot some of the local wildlife. Students were lucky enough to see hares, kookaburras, kangaroos and even an emu!
Day 2 was jam-packed with exciting activities. We began our morning with bush cooking, where students learnt the art of making damper twists. Students rolled out the damper before carefully wrapping it around a stick to cook over the fire. We also cooked bananas and apples, adding delicious ingredients such as chocolate, marshmallows, brown sugar and raisins. After indulging in our bush tucker, students moved on to archery. Students practised the skill of using a bow and arrow, which proved trickier than many first thought! Keeping the arrow straight while using all their strength to pull back the bow was quite the challenge. Many students had success hitting the target boards or their surrounds, while others, including Miss Sartain, watched their arrows find the ground instead!
Our first activity of the afternoon saw us head back into town and hike along the trail leading to Clematis Falls. While the track was hilly and rocky, the hike was well worth it. Students explored around the base of the waterfall, spotting a school of tadpoles along the way. Some students even raced boats made from leaves and bark down the riverbed. Exploring the waterfall and surrounding area was a highlight for many of us.
Our final activity of the day saw many students conquer their fear of heights as they tackled the High Ropes. Students participated in four different obstacles. The first involved climbing onto a log, balancing their way across, returning halfway and then rappelling down. For many, this was the least challenging of the obstacles. One of the favourite challenges was the Tarzan Ropes. Students had to balance on a single rope while using hanging ropes for support to make their way across the course, before rappelling down and being spun around. Students then tackled the Cross Ropes, navigating across a single rope while using crossing ropes for support. Finally, students climbed the rock wall before taking on the Leap of Faith, where they aimed to hit the buoy during their jump. This activity was by far the favourite of camp, with students showing plenty of courage, determination and perseverance.
On our final day, students took part in a series of team-building challenges and obstacles that required plenty of communication, cooperation and problem-solving. One challenge required students to use giant poles as chopsticks to move a soccer ball from one crate to another. This proved extremely challenging and resulted in plenty of frustration after many unsuccessful attempts! Students thoroughly enjoyed the next challenge, where a group of blindfolded students had to find a pool noodle inside a circle. Once they found one, the whacking began, much to everyone's amusement!
Students then tackled a course where they needed to cantilever planks of wood to help their entire team move from one platform to another. They then had to swing across a rope to reach another platform. Our final challenge took us into the bush, where students worked in groups to guide a blindfolded teammate along a track using ropes and verbal instructions. Students took turns being blindfolded and guided through the course, which included a variety of challenges and obstacles, including navigating around trees, over rocks, across bridges and between boulders. This provided a great test of trust, communication and teamwork, with students learning the importance of listening carefully and supporting one another.
Our Halls Gap Camp was filled with adventure, laughter, challenges and plenty of new experiences. Throughout the three days, students developed their communication, teamwork, problem-solving, perseverance, confidence and independence while encouraging and supporting one another. Most importantly, camp gave students the opportunity to step outside their comfort zones, try new things and create memories that will be talked about long after we returned home. It was certainly a camp to remember!
