Head of Outdoor Education - Edition 4 - 2020

Mount Arapiles

More than 30 students from our three Year 12 Outdoor Education classes have recently spent five days climbing the crags at Mount Arapiles in Victoria. Students completed top rope climbs, multi-pitch climbs and displayed the talent to be an independent rock-climbing expedition member. Numerous environmental issues and studies were also undertaken.

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 on to 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.

Calendar and Website

The Calendar of trips for 2020 can be downloaded below.

Our updated Outdoor Education website has been developed and provides another platform to find out about the opportunities available at Westminster including all consent forms for all Outdoor Education and Duke of Ed Expeditions.

The website is available for students and parents at https://inspire.westminster.sa.edu.au/Play/OutdoorEducation/Pages/default.aspx

New Zealand 2020

In December a group of 36 Duke of Ed students will complete the famous Gillespie Pass alpine walking circuit. The students will encounter snow in the pass, ice-laden lakes and glorious scenery. The four-day walk will be followed up with two days of white-water kayaking on the Hawea River and then a few days of rock-climbing, canyoning and optional adventure activities in and around the Adventure Capital of Queenstown. These end-of-year trips are a great culminating experience for students who are keen to pursue their involvement in expeditions in environments totally diverse from SA.

Only one vacancy for the trip remains.

You can view a video of the 2018 trip, put together by Heidi Collins ('18) at https://youtu.be/d5RsNLNwo84

Westventure

Our Westventure camps for 2020 were a great introduction to the school year for over 133 Year 10 students. Sam Ferguson has quickly settled into the coordinator role with a highly skilled instructor team of Fraser Darcy, Michaela Mooney, Emily O’Sullivan and Brodie Eckert, and ably supported by an enthusiastic voluntary 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 heat, monsoonal rain or strong winds.

Students have excelled in 5km and 17km running/jogging/walking activities, kayaking and sailing instruction, two significant two to three day expeditions and a wealth of learning activities that foster growth, development and self-discovery.

The Outdoor Education Staff have been impressed with the Year 10 cohort and this has been re-enforced by the many visitors, including the Principal, Head of Senior School, Heads of House and School House leaders who have visited the Westventure campus.

Holiday Expeditions

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

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

Selected individuals will also be completing an open water PADI scuba diving course to gain certification in the activity. This will be conducted through Adelaide scuba at Glenelg.

Details are on the Outdoor Education website.

Gordon Begg
Head of Outdoor Education