The bus was filled with excited chatter as students looked forward to the adventure that awaited them. After a smooth trip up the freeway, we arrived at Strathalbyn for a quick recess break before re-boarding the bus and completing our journey to the campsite.

The always friendly staff and picturesque scenery greeted us upon arrival. The rolling hills and crisp country air are a refreshing experience that never fails to disappoint.

After a quick chat, we found our way to our dorms to set up before we had lunch and got straight into activities.

A Cracking Time

Horse-riding proved to be popular as always, but students also enjoyed herding sheep, completing the obstacle course and testing their accuracy at the archery range.

Students also got to try whip cracking and, although many felt confident they were movie stars from the old Wild West movies, it turned out to be a bit trickier than it looks. However, with some determination and practice, the cracking noises started to come, and the students got great satisfaction when they succeeded.

Afternoon breaks gave students the chance to explore a variety of activities with the in-ground trampolines being popular

Enduring Memories

Night sessions were fun and consisted of the horseshoe challenge as well as other fun games and trivia competitions. This was followed by some exciting games in the dark run by the Wirraway staff. These were both fun and exciting.

Camp always goes so quickly. There are sure to be many significant memories from camp. It was pleasing to see many students attempt things out of their comfort zones and succeed!

Before we knew it, we were packing up and boarding the bus to come home. Wirraway had yet again provided a fun and unique experience that will be remembered for many years to come. The bus trip home was quieter than the one going up as students realised that the long days and reduced sleep had indeed caught up with them.

Thanks to Miss Dix, Mrs Birch, Emily, Josh and Mrs March for coming to camp and making it a great experience and to Mr Austin and Mrs Nguyen for coming up for a day visit.

Mr Nathan Carson, Year 6 Teacher

This incursion offered students the opportunity to explore connections between nature, science, technology, visual art and history.

Students were challenged to create their own paint using natural pigments. We crushed flowers, petals, leaves and stems with our mortar and pestle until we created a paste. We learnt about adding a binder to the mix to help it thicken into a more paint-like consistency. Cameron from NaturePlay also turned herbs and spices into paint for us to use. We then used these natural pigments to paint a canvas of our very own!

Miss Jaime Ma, Year 1 Teacher

State Swimming

Congratulations to Harry, who competed in the SAPSASA Swimming District day at Norwood. Harry achieved three first places in 50m backstroke, 50m butterfly, and 50m freestyle.

Following the District event, Harry was selected for the State SAPSASA championship Day and achieved some further highly rated State results: First in the State boys 10-year-old 50m backstroke, Second in the State boys 10-year-old 50m freestyle, second in the State boys 10-year-old  50m butterfly, and first in the State boys 10-year-old 4x50m freestyle relay.

Well done, Harry, on some remarkable results.

State Gymnastics

Congratulations also to Izzy, who recently competed in the Australian 2024 Gymnastics Championships.

Izzy and her team placed third, with the bronze medal in the Senior Team Final.

Izzy was the youngest competitor in the event, competing against gymnasts from all Australian States, as well as gymnasts from New Zealand.

The visit began with a warm welcome from the KESAB team, followed by an insightful presentation on the importance of recycling and waste management. Students learned about the various types of recyclable materials and the processes involved in transforming waste into reusable products.

The tour of the recycling facility was a highlight, where students observed the sorting and processing stages. They were fascinated by the sophisticated machinery that separates paper, plastics, and metals. The interactive session allowed students to ask questions and understand the significance of reducing contamination in recycling bins.

Hands-on Solutions

One of the most engaging parts of the visit were the hands-on activities. Students participated in various workshops where they had to solve environmental issues, making use of the Engineering Design Process. These creative exercises emphasised the value of reusing materials and sparked their imagination on how to repurpose everyday items.

Throughout the excursion, KESAB’s educators emphasised the environmental impact of waste and the role each individual plays in creating a sustainable future. The students left with a deeper understanding of the three Rs — Reduce, Reuse, Recycle — and a renewed commitment to implementing these practices at school and home.

Mr Herman du Preez, High School Science Teacher