Duke of Edinburgh's International Award Expeditions for Years 9 to 12

The following expeditions are available during Terms 3 and 4. Information packs can collected from the OED office, on Inspire at Play@West Outdoor Education or follow the links below.

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

Saturday 31 August to Monday 2 September - Three-day introduction to rockclimbing conducted in the Adelaide Hills and local indoor venues. Suitable for Bronze and Silver students.

Friday 27 September to Tuesday 1 October - Four days of rockclimbing at the world famous Mt Arapiles in Victoria. Suitable for Bronze to Gold students with prior rockclimbing experience.

Friday 27 September to Tuesday 1 October - Four days of bushwalking on Kangaroo Island along the world famous Wilderness Trail. Suitable for Bronze to Gold students.

Sunday 27 to Tuesday 29 October - Three days of kayaking on the scenic back waters of Katarapko Creek between Berri and Loxton in the Riverland. Suitable for Bronze and Silver and a great introduction for Westventure.

Tasmania Expedition December 2019

We are conducting this biennial event for experienced students working on their Silver or Gold Award. The multi-activity expedition includes a four-day walk in pristine mountain sub-alpine terrain, followed up with some rockclimbing and whitewater kayaking. The trip has 21 available spots.

You can view the video of the 2017 Adventure at https://youtu.be/PTbCDaeAvf4

Duke of Edinburgh's Award Mountain Bike trip

This expedition was conducted in the Adelaide Hills areas of Craigburn Farm trails, Fox Creek trails and Eagle Mountain Bike Park. All venues had routes that included a mixture of fire access tracks, forest trails and single trails. The trip was designed to develop student’s mountain bike skills and increase their understanding of the biking opportunities available in the Adelaide Hills. We catered for all types of cycling experience, matching the participant’s ability to the group and the trails they rode.

Despite chilly and muddy conditions over 20 students excelled in the challenges of the bike trails and weather. Utilising Thomas Hill house made the trip much more feasible with the predicted weather.

Thanks to Rob McLean ('99), Jimmy Ashby ('16), Dan McArthur ('18) and current mountain bike wizard Max Herbert for instructing on the camp.

Year 12 Outdoor Self Reliant Expeditions

The three Year 12 classes have been busy completing their final expeditions for 2019. So far the classes have been rock climbing at Mt Arapiles or scuba diving on the South Coast during Term 1, sea kayaking along the South Coast in June, and in small groups conducted skiing in Victoria, bushwalking in the Flinders and sea kayaking off Yorke Peninsula over the month of July.

The expeditions are a prelude to their environmental investigations which are 2,000 words in length and worth 30% of their grade.

View the video at the link below which was prepared by students and highlights the range of activities they have undertaken.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_QSkm4do6k

Year 8 and 9 Duke of Edinburgh's International Award Program

Over 90 students from Year 8 and 9 have taken up the challenge of the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award program in 2019. So far, students are working on completing their practice expeditions, started to record their winter sport as their physical recreation section, have nominated a hobby/skill activity and are actively seeking community service activities. Other expedition opportunities are available in Term 3 from the list above.

All students have to record their activities on the new ORB (online registration book).

Thanks to Julie Engelhardt and Rob McLean ('99) for their facilitation with the program.

If students still wish to ‘sign-up’ they need to visit the OED office for details or contact me via Email.

Information about the Award can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dX09zAStCGg or the Westminster version can be viewed at https://inspire.westminster.sa.edu.au/Play/OutdoorEducation/Pages/default.aspx

Film submissions - 2019 WOSOG (Westminster Old Scholar Outdoor Group) Film Festival

We are looking for films you have created that capture recent outdoor action, adventure or have environmental themes. Films capturing Outdoor Education camps and Duke of Edinburgh's Award trips are certainly welcomed, along with other preferred personal activities or adventures.

The WOSOG Film Festival will be on Sunday 15 September. It is an evening to celebrate and share recent outdoor experiences and achievements.

Entries (10 minutes maximum) will need to be submitted by the beginning of September.

This will be the fourth year we have run the event and we plan for it to be the biggest and best yet – hoping for over 100 guests this year.

There are first ($100), second ($50) and third ($25) Paddy Pallin gift voucher prizes, plus a guaranteed minimum $50 Paddy’s voucher for the best student video – judged by a Paddy Pallin staff member.

Any queries, please contact Mr Rob McLean ('99).

Please advise me if you intend to submit a film (whether it is finished or currently a work in progress).

Gordon Begg
Head of Outdoor Education