CENTRAL AUSTRALIA 2016

The 2016 Central Australia camp, was one of the many life experiences we’ll never forget. The trip was everything we anticipated it to be and more. We are very grateful to have had this experience, especially at such a young age alongside our friends who now seem like family.

We were both apprehensive about going on the trip, considering we had never properly camped before, or experienced anything like this before. Now we can confidently say that camping out in the middle of the bush was one of our favourite highlights. It was an experience that has made us now appreciate and value our own lifestyles. It also made us more open to travelling and being taken out of our comfort zones.

Although the bus rides were long and tiring, we now look back and miss the hustle and bustle of the bus trips. Although sleeping on the bus wasn't ideal, the views were amazing. We saw the most picturesque sunsets through the giant glass window.

One of the most memorable highlights was experiencing Uluru. Watching the sunset behind the rock, and the colour change as the sun set, was beautiful. We also gained some knowledge of the meanings behind the markings and drawings painted onto the rock. It was very beneficial to learn about the dreamtime stories, helping us to better understand the culture of those who have lived in our beautiful country for hundreds of years. We got an insight into how Aboriginal people perceive our country, and how they expressed their beliefs and values through paintings. We will definitely be returning in the future.

We highly recommend this trip to any students that are provided with the opportunity to attend in the coming years. It was truly an eye opening experience that not everyone is able to experience at school, let alone their lifetime.

By Mikki Green and Lili Williams – Year 11