18 Sep 2024
Plumpton High School's Year 9 cohort of 125 Bronze Duke of Edinburgh students attended their Qualifying Adventurous Journey in Week 7. The group gathered bright and early on Thursday morning in Heathcote, where they organised their gear and packed their hiking bags for an exciting trek through the Royal National Park. During the hike, students explored different sections of the park, with some enjoying the sights of Karloo Pools and the hidden waterfall at Uloola Falls on the East side of the loop, while others traversed the Bullawarring Track on the West side, passing by Kingfisher Pools.
Upon reaching the campsite, each group efficiently set up camp, built fires, and had time to relax together outdoors. Cooking dinner over the fire was a highlight for the students, showcasing their culinary skills and creativity. After dinner, the groups engaged in games and laughter around the campfire, with some even embarking on a night exploration to the nearby 'bubble caves'.
The following morning, the students rose early to prepare for another day of hiking. Setting out by 8am, they embarked on a challenging 12km trek towards Audley Weir, their final destination. Despite the increased distance compared to their practice journey, the students demonstrated determination and resilience, overcoming the heat and fatigue to reach Audley in good time for their bus.
Thank you to Black Diamond Adventures who lead our Adventurous Journeys who commended all Plumpton students on successfully completing their Bronze Adventurous Journey and look forward to accompanying some of them on their Silver journey next year.
A big Thank you to Ms. McKenzie and Mr. Canning who coordinate the Duke of Ed program at Plumpton for the incredible work they do to ensure our students have access to this highly sought after credential. Thank you also to Ms. Kumar, Ms Gordon, Mr. Griffiths, Ms Hackenberg, Ms Naganathan and Mr Clark for accompanying and supporting our students.
Tim Lloyd, Principal