Desert Camp May June 2016 — a month on the road with 35 students and 5 adults, a heap of swags and a couple of camp ovens.
Awakening to the Dawn with its pre sunrise chill, year 8 stretched or yawned their way towards the glowing coals to stir the fire into action. Some waited for the sound of water boiling before they emerged from their swags for an early morn cup of tea beneath the glow of the sunrise with it’s warming shafts. Breakfast crew began their preparation and gently reminded members of their group to help with the many tasks required for feeding 40 fellow travellers.
And so began the days as class 8 journeyed through the outback on a geographical tour covering the Darling river system, Flinders ranges, the chain of springs leading around the southern edge of the artesian basin to Uluru, Kata tjuta and the west Macdonnell ranges before heading home across the channel country of south west Queensland. A journey of a month under wonderful skies, an occasional shower and starlit nights where the students began to become familiar with cooking on open fires and watching the constellations and planets move across the roof of their bedrooms. A look at what’s needed for the day, checking the maps to make sure they’re still on track, drink bottles filled, lunches and sketch books, a tidy up of the swags and off for a day of observations, botanical suites, rock formations and glimpse into the history of a place, rolled into weeks and eventually a month.
We experienced the mighty Darling, dry in parts, drained upstream for cotton, picked fresh dates for breakfast near bubbling artesian waters near south Lake Eyre and explored the geological wonders of the Flinders ranges. Fear struck deep into the hearts of those hiding beef jerky in their swags as dingoes prowled and howled during the night whilst the many dry creeks we crossed made an appreciation of cold waterholes possible and stoic campers dug trenches when thunderstorms struck at night. Many were the reflections around the campfire as 40 of us shared our thoughts on the day, listening with full attention and then off to bed in preparation for a bit of horizontal astronomy and another day on the road.
Again it was a wonderful, harmonious, serious and joy filled journey which could not be achieved without the incredible support of school staff, parents and friends who makes these life changing educational adventures possible.
The students with help from various teachers are compiling a magazine of their writings, reflections and art work.
Outstanding In Their Fields 