On Monday 16 May, our Year 10 Cohort embarked on a six-day adventure to Far North Queensland as part of the Beyond Boundaries program.  

From the moment the students stepped off the plane in Cairns, they could not wait to experience the opportunities they had heard so much about back at School. After a quick introduction to the World Youth Expedition guides at Cairns Airport, the Cohort divided into four teams, heading off on their own adventure with anticipation and excitement supported by teaching staff, a Nurse and St Catherine’s Old Girls.  

Of course, when we initially set out to provide the Year 10 students an opportunity to travel beyond the borders of Victoria for the inaugural Far North Queensland Wellbeing Camp, there was hope the program would offer an experience that would enable personal growth, allow for the forming of new connections, and see the development of character dispositions such as independence, boldness, and resilience.  

With an itinerary that included a spectacular, yet challenging hike through the Dinden National Park, a magnificent Great Barrier Reef experience on beautiful Fitzroy Island, connecting with and learning about local indigenous communities and participating in cultural cooking and community service projects, our goals and hopes were exceeded in abundance. 

Here is a reflection from Zixuan (Sunny) Zhao – Year 10 

On the first day, we travelled to Cairns with a lot of excitement and a touch of anxiousness. However, this camp was just superb. Many things that were experienced while on this camp were for the first time in my life including: 

• learning about turtles at the Turtle Rehabilitation Centre and then seeing a turtle in the ocean while snorkelling off Fitzroy Island 
• staying up at night chatting with friends  
• cooking and eating outdoors with my peers 
• learning about our indigenous cultures beyond the classroom and the magnificence that nature has to offer 
• participating in community service projects to support indigenous women living in remote communities.  

All these moments have made precious memories. Whilst at times we were challenged, students always tried their best to maintain a positive attitude, persevering through and optimising each situation we found ourselves in. 

One of the highlights of this camp was the two days on Fitzroy Island. In the evening we saw a pink/orange sunset, which was so beautiful it kept us captivated until dark. While on the Island we had the opportunity to go snorkelling with tropical fish and turtles, it was a lovely sunny day, so the water was clear, and we were fortunate to see some blue coral that is quite rare! 

When we were camping in tents in the Dinden National Park, I relished the opportunity to take in and connect with the sheer beauty and harmony of nature. The hike to Turtle Rock, while challenging, was extremely rewarding and highlighted the importance of teamwork and kindness. 

Thank you to everyone who was involved in creating this amazing journey for us all, our six days in Far North Queensland was truly a wonderful experience and one that we will not forget for a very long time! 

Head to the myPhotos platform on mystcatherines to enjoy a fully gallery of the Year 10 camp. A selection is available below.