Head of Outdoor Education - Edition 1 - 2021

Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Expeditions

The following expeditions are offered during 2021. Information packs can be collected from the Outdoor Ed office (now located in the Sports and Swimming Centre) in 2021.

Website Home Page: https://inspire.westminster.sa.edu.au/Play/OutdoorEducation/Pages/default.aspx

2021 Year 7, 8 and 9 Camps

Following on from the introduction of Year 7 in 2020, and modifications to Outdoor Education Program offerings due to COVID-19 interruptions, we are pleased to confirm the following arrangements for Term 2 2021.

Year 9

During Week 1 (Tuesday 20 to Friday 23 April) and Week 2 (Tuesday 27 to Friday 30 April) of Term 2, all Year 9 students will complete a four-day lightweight expedition from the following choices:

1. Innes National Park Bushwalk - Involving scenic coastal and beach walking and opportunities to snorkel in secluded bays.
2. Katarapko Creek Kayaking - Involving scenic kayaking on the backwaters of the Murray River between Berri and Loxton with opportunities for swimming and fishing.
3. Mawson Trail Mountain Bike touring - Involving biking on the Mawson Trail between Laura and Wirrabara and opportunities to trail ride on the famous Melrose mountain bike tracks.

All expeditions will be aimed as an introduction to the outdoor activity and expedition skills building on the experience gained on the Year 8 Camp. 9.1, 9.2 and half of 9.3 will attend in Week 1 and 9.4, 9.5 and the rest of 9.3 will attend in Week 2.

Numbers will be capped at a maximum of 20-25 students for each offering due to equipment and risk management protocols.

Year 8

During Week 5 (Monday 17 to Friday 21 May) of Term 2, all Year 8 students will complete a five-day Outdoor Education program involving staying at Mylor Baptist Adventure Centre participating in high ropes and other adventure challenges, plus an extended bushwalking expedition in the vicinity of Kuitpo Forest.

Year 7

During Week 3 (Monday 3 Friday 7 May) of Term 2, all Year 7 students will complete a three-day Outdoor Education program at Douglas Scrub and Onkaparinga Gorge near McLaren Flat. Students will participate in their class groups and involve themselves in orienteering, abseiling, high ropes and bush-dancing activities whilst camping in tents and cooking on Trangia stoves.

More details for all camps will be released in Term 1 2021.

New Zealand 2021

The 2021 Duke of Edinburgh/OED New Zealand Multi-Activity Expedition is now full with a standby list. The proposed 2020 trip was postponed due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.

The Trip itinerary includes highlights such as:

• Four days of Hiking in the Classic Young/Wilkins Valley with an exciting Alpine crossing;
• Canyoning, Climbing and White-water Kayaking in World Class sites on the South Island; and
• Two days of optional adventures or leisure around Queenstown.

Bushwalking experience is recommended but can easily be developed during the 2021 school year through our Duke of Ed program.

Trip Cost – Approximately $2450
Dates – Friday 3 to Wednesday 15 December (please be flexible one day either side until flights have been booked)

Further details about the Trip can be found in the document below.

To see a video of the 2018 trip, please visit https://youtu.be/d5RsNLNwo84. If you have any queries about the Trip, then please contact me via Email.

Duke of Edinburgh's International Award Program

Now that we are in Term 1 of a new year, students should be looking at their Bronze, Silver and Gold ORB (Online Record Books) and assessing whether they could finish their relevant Award Level early this year in anticipation of moving onto the next level.

Sometimes many areas are completed and it just needs the recording and sign-off requirements to be met. Given the extra incentive of 10 SACE credits for each of the Bronze and Silver Awards and 20 credits for the prestigious Gold Award, I urge students to take this task on.

Westventure

The first of the Westventure camps for 2021 has commenced for over 36 students from three Houses. Sam Ferguson is settled into the coordinator role and is backed up by a highly skilled instructor team filled with enthusiastic Old Scholar involvement. The weather has tested the students and staff with the flexibility of the program proving that the student outcomes can be achieved despite a degree of modification and adapting to deal with varying conditions.

Holiday Expeditions

We will be conducting a number of expeditions over Term 1.

20 Duke of Edinburgh students can visit Innes National Park on Yorke Peninsula for a four day bushwalk, intermixed with a bit of snorkelling and beachcombing activities.

The two Year 12 Outdoor education classes will spend five days climbing the crags at Mount Arapiles in Victoria over the March long weekend. Students will complete top rope climbs, multi-pitch climbs, and will display the talent to be an independent rock-climbing expedition member. Numerous environmental issues and studies will also be undertaken.

Details for these trips are on the Outdoor Education website.

Duke of Edinburgh’s International Gold Award Recipients

Congratulations to the 25 Westminster students who were presented their Gold Duke of Edinburgh's Award at the end of 2020. An amazing achievement and one of our best ever completion rates.

Lauryn Ambler
Kaine Baldwin
Sam Blyzno
Tim Blyzno
Harvey Bock
Tamsin Conway
Bradley Daniel
Jack Forrest
Macey Giles
Joshua Gomez
Ebony Harper
Willis Hammond-Brown
Ruby Liptak
Luke McCranor
Tim Middleton
Millie Munt
Emily Nolis
Reilly Pratt
Tom Reardon
Aidan Ross
Sidhaarath Sellvakumaran
Luke Simmons
Kurt Schenk
Campbell Watson
Alice Wyness

Gordon Begg
Head of Outdoor Education