bushwhacked
Mark Haebich
Teacher - Bushwhacked
Bushwhacked students tested their skills and resilience this month at their first camp, held at Rubicon Outdoor education centre at Nayook. This camp was designed to help students to identify their character strengths - and to use this knowledge to further develop their personal skills, resilience and performance as individuals and as a team. Students were also required to identify character strengths in each other (for example kindness, courage, empathy or curiousity) and to appreciate the many and varied talents that every individual has to contribute. Analysing their character strengths means that they can learn to control their emotions and better tackle challenge and adversity. T
Having met at Southern Cross station, travelled by bus to Traralgon and then on to Nayook by bus, the group of 24 students and two staff hit the ground running once at Rubicon - obtaining extra gear and repacking for our first overnight trip.
Camping offsite the first night at historic Walhalla was a challenge. The rain set in as we pitched camp and cooked our meals, but the Bushwhackers maintained their positive attitude. Being our first trip, the students had to quickly adapt to the situation. Using the skills that they had learned in preparation for the trip, such as trangia cooking and how to pitch their tents, they met the challenge head on and went to bed well fed, and for the most part dry!
The second day of camp saw us 'sledding' the Thompson River - using heavy duty lilos to travel down the waterway. Floating the river, we enjoyed wonderful scenery and the calm, quiet beauty that only the outdoors can deliver - but these lovely intervals were punctuated with the need to negotiate white water rapids from time to time. With support from experienced river guides, the group negotiated the mighty Thompson River as a functioning team.
The remaining days of camp saw us return to Nayook, camping on the Rubicon site, enjoying all it has to offer. The Tree Challenge and highropes Canopy Quest meant that students had to call on their qualities of persistence, courage and self belief to negotiate the course s and activities as well as help their peers do the same. Similarly, our caving experience was daunting - it involved crawling, squeezing and twisting in single file through dark and muddy caves (made of fallen granite rocks). Our team had to be conscious of informing those behind them of any upcoming obstacles, offering advice and encouragement to each other - as well as negotiating the caves with care for themselves and for the natural environment. The team also completed community projects for the Nayook camp - ensuring that there was plenty of firewood ready for coming campers and cutting a new path from the campsite to connect to an existing trail.
All the Bushwackers can all be applauded for the initiative, cooperation and teamwork they exhibited at camp; we look forward to our next adventure!
Jimi Hancock
Year 9
Bushwhacker
Being in the bush, isolated from technology and modern society - the class was able to look after themselves, each other and to thrive over our five day experience. We cooked for ourselves, we set up our campsites and we managed our activities. Throughout our week of independence we used our own character strengths and saw the strengths in our peers.
Isabella Harding
Year 9
Bushwhacker
This trip really took me out of my little bubble! Life was uncomfortable and challenging - in a remote area without electricity, flushing toilets or any showers. It was a good experience that taught me lots of things about myself and others. I look forward to applying the skills I developed at Nayook to ordinary life.
Alexandra Heathcote
Year 9
Bushwhacker
The Nayook camp was a great chance to form friendships and work in a team of people we might not have known well previously. We learned a variety of skills that apply both in the bush and back at home. We all took the opportunity to learn more about ourselves through our study of character strengths. We are looking forward to our next Bushwhacked camp!