Year 10 Northern Territory trip

An incredible experience

30 year ten students had the wonderful experience of going on a trip to the Northern Territory for a week. We departed Melbourne’s Tullamarine airport on the 31st of August for Alice Springs. On the first day, we were picked up by Remote Tours and went to a reptile centre where we handled and observed a crocodile, lizards and snakes. That night we stayed at the Earth Sanctuary, sleeping in swags under the stars. One of the staff members explained and taught us about the galaxies and constellations we were sleeping underneath.

The next day had us hiking the West McDonald Ranges, exploring freezing cold water holes and rough terrain. On Tuesday we left for Lilla where a very small aboriginal community resides. This was arguably the best part of the trip. Over the next couple of days, the local aboriginal people told us their ancestor’s stories. They took us on walks to local scared sights and taught us how they communicated stories in the dirt and on the rocks. They gave us a demonstration of how to throw spears and do modern dot paintings. We had the unique opportunity to experience what it’s like in the local school where we were each partnered up with one of the students. We assisted them with their classroom tasks and played a game of baseball.

After a sad goodbye to Lilla, we were on the road to Ylara. We visited the famous Uluru and Kata Tjuta. We spent our last two nights at a campsite 30 minute’s drive away from these famous landmarks. On our last full day in the Northern Territory we did the Valley Of The Winds walk through Kata Tjuta in the morning and did part of the Uluru base walk later in the afternoon that we would complete the next day. Through the Uluru walk we were told about the Mala people’s story and the origin of the land.

All in all, this trip and experience was incredible and really opened our eyes to the aboriginal people’s past and their stories. We highly recommend this trip to anyone in Year 10. 

Written by Alexander N, Raphael D & Amy C, Year 10

The NT trip was a fantastical blur of gorgeous sights, new friendships that’ll last a lifetime and a remarkable feeling of inner peace. The 8 days we spent traipsing through our glowing red desert was a life-changing experience that I wouldn’t trade for the world.

I’ll never forget the indescribable feeling of sleeping under stars surround by loving friends that might as well be your family.

This trip to the Red Centre helped us all emotionally and mentally reset and re-centre ourselves and I’m ever so grateful to Northcote for that opportunity.

Written by Lucy R-V, Year 10

THESE BEAUTIFUL PHOTOS TAKEN BY ALEXANDER, RAPHAEL & TOM H - YEAR 10