SCHOOL CAMP, CAPE OTWAY & BEAR GULLY

VCE Unit 2 Outdoor and Environmental Studies – Cape Otway Experience

Year 10 students were able to attend their final camp of the year, having the opportunity to make their way down the Great Ocean Road to explore the Cape Otway National Park.  The class have studied characteristics of different environments, with the camp allowing students to experience the unique combination of coastal, wetland, heathland, and rainforest environments within the same area. Day one allowed students to put their paddling skills to the test, with students canoeing to the mouth of Aire River. Any canoeing session cannot be complete without a few capsizing canoes. Although it was the combination of Mr Saw and Ms Buya that fell victim to the canoeing running a ground and toppling into the water. The class showed great communication and leadership to help navigate their canoes up and down the river. 

Day two saw the students take part in a hike along the well renowned Great Ocean Walk. Led by Mr Saw, the group hiked from the Cape Otway Lighthouse, across the Shipwreck coast headlands underneath a canopy of coastal forests. The damp conditions meant that students needed to navigate mud, including the odd leech! The group finished their hike at Blanket Bay foreshore, celebrating with a dip in the water to mark their achievement. As the day came to an end, Cape Otway wasn’t finished with giving the students a full outdoor experience.  A warning came through that an electrical storm was about to hit the area and that meant the group needed to enact their emergency response. The students made sure tents were secure and then made their way into the bus to seek shelter. As the teachers were in the final stages of cooking dinner, they were treated to a “drive in dinner and show”, with the storm moving across Aire River West Campground which culminated in a beautiful display of light. The students were praised for behaving in a calm manner, as they watched on intrigued and sung their favourite songs. 

Year 9 Outdoor Education - Bear Gully Experience

Students from a range of the 2022 Outdoor Education elective classes got to take part in an overnight experience at Bear Gully Campground, located within Cape Liptrap National Park.  Students were able to apply knowledge and skills learnt during their Outdoor Education classes throughout the semester. These skills included safety around water, participation in a surfing lesson, outdoor cooking, along with assembling tents and other outdoor equipment. Despite the difficult water conditions, the group persevered while enjoying a surfing lesson at Waratah Bay. The group thoroughly enjoyed getting out into a coastal environment as they applied their knowledge gained at a previous excursion to Torquay or URBAN Surf earlier in the year.

Upon arriving at Bear Gully campground, the group were greeted by an abundance of wildlife, including growling koalas, hungry wombats, inquisitive rosellas, and pesky foxes. After an afternoon of surfing, dinner was always on the mind for the year nines.  The task of cooking the first student prepared meal on a Trangia was always going to be a milestone for many. None more so than Billie Johns who was eager to cook his prized steak. With the beach at their doorstep and clear skies above, exploring the rockpools for crabs and searching for constellations under the night sky would keep the students entertained for hours.  After departing Bear Gully on the final day, the group stopped past the Cape Liptrap light station to check out the views that spanned all the way to Wilsons Promontory National Park.  If the wildlife at Bear Gully campground wasn’t enough, another wombat and echidna popped their heads out to say hello to the group. Like every year, another group of students have stepped outside their comfort zone to experience nature at its finest and hopefully they develop into inquisitive nature enthusiasts.