Student Reflections
On Monday 6 August, half of the Year 10 cohort woke up excited and eager to be escaping half a week of normal classwork for a chance to celebrate making it well over halfway through our high school journey. It quickly became clear to us, on that cold winter morning, that this adventure camp was the perfect opportunity for us to come together as guilds, as peers, and as a community.
Throughout the duration of the camp, we had the chance to collaborate within our guilds through team building and to challenge both ourselves and our newly made friends during activities such as abseiling and rock-climbing. After two days of exceeding our limits, and of growing both as individuals and as a cohort, we were glad to come together and leave Nanga Bush Camp with high spirits and big smiles.
Reflecting on this camp even now, I know, with the uttermost certainty, that in 20 years when I look back upon my high school experience, this opportunity to create closer relationships with my fellow Newman-beings will be a standout for me, and I’m sure it will be for them as well.
Mitchell Harris, Year 10 Student
On Wednesday 8 August, the second group of Year 10’s made their way down to Nanga Bush Camp. When we arrived, we were greeted by the other students and swiftly made our way into the dorms.
As MacKillop and Chisholm Guilds set out on their tenting adventure, it was not soon after that a severe weather warning presented itself and we were told to pack up our bags and treck back to the campsite. Although many of us were disappointed that we didn’t get to freeze in tents, it was the memories that were made during this time that we will never forget.
On a camp like this, you never know exactly what is going to happen and how you are going to get through these times. Through abseiling, rock climbing, hiking, cooking, zip-lining and severe cold weather, I’m sure that each Year 10 student can walk out of this camp closer to their guild than ever before. The team at Nanga Bush Camp really did give us the opportunity to explore parts of our country that we may have never visited before, exposing us to nature and giving us a chance to learn outside of the typical classroom environment. The motto of the camp was ‘challenge by choice’, and I am sure that each person can say that they were challenged in one way or another, whether it simply be leaving the house for a few nights or making the brave decision to abseil over 15 metres.
Throughout the course of the camp I personally had the opportunity to connect with different people and develop new friendships through the good times and the rough. This camp not only brought me closer to my guild, but to everyone around me. I can certainly say that Year 10 camp was a blast, and I am very excited to share the next two years with our wonderful year group.
