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Outdoor Education

We stand for adventure.

The Great Outdoors

St Andrew’s provides an exciting Outdoor Education Program for all Prep to Year 10 students.

St Andrew's is the perfect place to be challenged and grow beyond the classroom. Students all take part in yearly outdoor education activities which aim to build:

  • self-confidence,
  • social skills,
  • year group bonding,
  • environmental awareness,
  • outdoor skills, and
  • self awareness.

Our Outdoor Education Program is designed to help students build on their existing skills, find new passions and challenge themselves as they progress through each year level.

We believe camps are learning-rich experiences that enable students to achieve incredible personal growth. Every student is encouraged to become involved, try something new and embrace all activities as an opportunity to expand their experiences in a variety of settings and environments. Camp locations and activities are chosen to be age-appropriate and give students from an early age every opportunity to develop Personal Capacity.

From a young age, students begin to learn the basics of good communication, bush craft and teamwork and undertake their first overnight camp in Year 3. Throughout the Primary and Secondary years, the program is intentional in its design to provide varied and sequential personal development opportunities. We encourage students to step outside their comfort zones, and nurture them in a way that allows growth, development and the ability to construct meaning at their own personal level.

The first outdoor excursion at St Andrew’s is a trip to Australia Zoo. They enjoy a zoo-keeper’s talk about what animals need to keep them healthy, as well as getting up close and personal with some special Australian animals.

With the confidence of a year and a half of schooling behind them, Year 1s take on some bigger challenges including ropes courses, bush cooking, hiking and the dizzying heights of the possum pull.

Students continue to play in nature to build catapults and kites in fun group activities, ropes course and the famous Mudjimba mud pit challenge. This setting prepares them for their first overnight experience the following year.

Students experience their first overnight camp in a setting not too far from home, where they immerse themselves in a bush tucker walk lead by indigenous guides. They also embrace new challenges in the outdoors such as canoeing and orienteering.

This is a two-night camp at a farm-stay. One night is slept in tents at a remote site where students prepare and cook their own campfire dinner. Other activities include horse-riding, cow-milking, team challenges, swimming in a dam and hiking.

Continuing the theme of interacting with animals from the previous year, students travel to Moreton Island to interact with dolphins, feed fish, snorkel, participate in island tours and speed down the sand dunes sand tobogganing.

To enhance their studies in Civics and Citizenship, students in Year 6 travel to Canberra see, experience and gain further understanding about the Australian Government system and how it works.

Students travel to the spectacular granite outcrops of Girraween National Park to play and explore the many caves, tunnels, unique rock formations and spectacular views. Throughout the week there is a major focus on embracing a growth mindset to overcome personal challenges and working and living in cooperative groups.

Utilising our beautiful backyard, the Upper Noosa River and Cooloola, students spend the week hiking, kayaking, rock climbing and Mountain Biking to experience the area in an adventurous and fun way. The program is designed to be a challenge for students to encourage a growth mindset as well as an additional focus on working with others, living independently, and giving back to the area.

In Year 10, our students are provided with extended experience in an adventurous activity of their choice.

Sea Kayaking

Before the camp even begins, students must work with buddies to plan their menus and buy their food. The journey begins in the sheltered waters of the southern bay, then they venture out to campsites on South Stradbroke Island. They learn paddling techniques and by the end of the week are navigating themselves and planning their route depending on tides and conditions.

K’gari Hike

In small groups, this camp provides a unique wilderness experience on World Heritage-listed K’gari. Approximately 40 kilometres is hiked over the five days with each group staying in a new location every night.

Mountain Biking

This trip gives students the opportunity to develop and challenge individual riding skills whether they are basic or advanced, at South East Queensland’s best mountain biking areas.

Scuba Camp

Students travel to Lady Musgrave Island where they spend the first couple of day obtaining their Open Water Scuba certification before exploring the inner and outer reefs, diving with sharks, manta rays, eagle rays, sting rays, GTs, turtles, whales and collecting data on the health of the reef.

Whitewater

Students travel to the Nymboida River in Northern NSW. The Buccarumbi to Jackadgery section of the river is a fantastic multi-day wilderness journey on Grade 1 and 2 whitewater. Travelling in small groups with professional whitewater guides, students develop their skills in reading river features, self-rescue and paddling on whitewater.

Students in Year 11 undertake a targeted development of their group (social) and leadership skills, albeit in an appropriate and inspiring outdoor setting, with their Leadership Retreat. This week-long course is pivotal in assisting each Year 11 cohort to strengthen their skills and capacity to become the best leaders possible in the pending school year to come, and also to help them focus their personal goals for their final and vital year of schooling.

Duke of Edinburgh

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award has become an important part of our St Andrew’s culture and identity. 'Dukes' encourages and rewards personal growth and community spirit. It is a program designed to help young people discover their true potential and independence through taking on challenges and helping others.

The award has four main components which students must participate in: Physical Recreation, Community Service, Learning a new Skill and Participation in Adventurous Journeys. It is a student driven award that relies on the students’ organisation and effort. We feel this ethos compliments our own here at St Andrew’s and will help our students develop personal capacity and be more involved in both the College and broader community life.

Year 9 students are given the opportunity to start their Bronze Award. The College supports each student on their journey to complete each section. Students are encouraged to continue to Silver and Gold in senior years.

I decided to join the award because it opened me up to more opportunities which I’d never otherwise considered doing. I knew the award would be challenging but I knew it would keep me on track in achieving my goals. It might seem easy upfront but it will actually challenge you and push you outside your comfort zone. Doing the Duke of Ed opened my eyes to so many new and incredible things. I also saw a new brave side to myself which shone through during difficult situations.

Darcy, Year 12 student

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