On Tuesday November 1^st, ten of our year 7 girls, along with Miss Payne, Miss Devlin, Senior Constable Kellie Little, and Senior Damien Godfrey set off on an adventure to Cradle Mountain. Students prepared their kits and gear and carried their heavy packs up to the Cradle Mountain Scout Hut, where we camped for two nights. (upon arrival we realised why our bags were so heavy with enough food for a week on board). Day 1 we were greeted by many wombats (including a Mumma and baby wombat) an echidna and 1 leach. We trekked the steep track in some light hail and snow before relaxing at the hut for an afternoon full of learning from Constable Kellie and Constable Damien - and a little snowball fight thanks to the beautiful weather. Day 2 we were greeted again with a whole lot more snow. Naturally another snowball fight and some snow cones (with Ribena juice) were had before breakfast. Day 2 we set off up toward Crater Lake Peak and experienced what it means to be ‘exposed to the elements’. After it began snowing again we turned back for camp for morning tea before trekking back down to Ronny Creek and Completing the Dove Lake circuit. The hike back to Scout Hut was tedious but without our big packs this time we made it in great time ready to cook up a feast of Lasagne and garlic bread for tea (thank you to Kellie and co for organising this).  Students were treated to a number of first aid and survival lessons with Kellie and Damo and many search and rescue stories before lights out. On the third day it was time to eat up, with all the food that had been lugged up to the cabin, we weren’t keen on carrying it back down or wasting anything. Breakfast consisted of toast, toasted sandwiches, fruit, cheese, stewed apples and cereal and a hot chocolate or cup of tea.

To say that we are proud of all students on this trip is an understatement. All were absolutely incredible, supportive, resilient and willing to have a go at some tough walks with less than desirable weather conditions. Students stepped out of their comfort zones, connected over hot chocolate and Damo’s ‘banana smores’ and ‘snicker wraps’ and Kellie’s fantastic stories, platters and food creations. A massive thank you to Mrs Bianca Munday and Senior Constable Kellie Little for organising this camp, Erryn Munday and Mr Kirk Hampton for the mammoth work that went into organising food and gear, to Kellie and Damo for your support, time, effort, energy, encouragement, stories, and strong teaching and learning moments, to Miss Payne for coming on board and bringing a whole new level fun and finally, and last but certainly not least, to our students for being incredible team players, support network, live entertainment, navigators and first aid officers in training.

Congratulations to all involved on an incredibly successful trip.

Quotable moments:

“Is it powdered water?”

“Darren, Darren! Wait, what’s his name – Damo?!”

“We are in the wilderness, you gotta act like men!” -tucking into Kellie’s famous rissoles

“Damo is sleeping outside girls, he needs respect” – Hayley praising Damo for sleeping in a tent and helping Kellie lug our food up the mountain.