From the Head of Year 8 – Central Australia Camp

Camps and Co-curricular programs play a pivotal role in shaping our students and teaching them crucial lessons that cannot always be taught in the classroom. 

As teachers we can tell them all there is to know about a topic, but nothing beats the experience of seeing something firsthand and gaining knowledge from doing and being a part of something. 

For many of our girls, these programs are a highlight of their school journey and something they will remember forever. Memories are formed, friendships are strengthened, and a special bond is created across the Cohort from these shared experiences.  

From Sunday 8 May to Friday 13 May, our Year 8 Cohort ventured to Central Australia for six days and five nights. The camp was a great success, with students enjoying the stunning landscapes and venturing to significant landmarks such as Kings Canyon, Simpsons’ Gap and of course, Uluru. 

The girls participated in a wide range of cultural experiences and enjoyed taking photos of Uluru at sunset. Students rose to the challenge of the bike ride around Uluru and enjoyed the spectacular view at the end of their Kings Canyon hike.  

The girls share some of their highlights from the camp below, including the bike ride around Uluru, Rex’s Reptile Show and learning more about Australia’s Indigenous culture and artwork in a variety of settings.   

“Something that I enjoyed at camp was the experience of learning about the Indigenous community, learning how to put a tent up and getting to see the different landscapes throughout the six days we were in Central Australia. Janine 

The one thing that stood out to me whilst at camp was the amount of fun our Year level had together, whether it was playing games, at the Reptile Show or just sitting around outside and talking before bed. Riding around Uluru was also a lot of fun, and it is so much bigger when you see it in real life! This camp is an experience I will never forget.” Poppy  

“The Year 8 camp to Central Australia was incredible! I have never experienced anything like it before. It was a fantastic learning experience and I had so much fun. My favourite part of the trip would have to be Uluru, as I have always wanted to visit it and seeing it in person was like a dream come true, especially the sunset on the last night. Thank you to all the teachers that joined us on the trip, you were all so kind and caring and we appreciate you so much.” Kari 

“My favourite part of camp was our walk in Kings Canyon. We saw the stones that looked like eggs and learned about how the rocks turned into this shape. The Bird Show was great as well. We saw the owl that looks like the one in Harry Potter.” Amy 

Mrs Skye Stansfield, Head of Year 8