We started off by packing the bikes into the trailer; all twelve of them, then drove out to the logging coupe on Cabbage Tree Palms Track.

We then had a briefing on how the forest company keeps the forest growth sustainable by rotating the harvest in 80 year cycles. We chose our bikes and ate scones and jam for morning tea. We then set off down the road, stopped at cabbage tree to walk, look at the palm trees and to see if we could see a platypus, but we didn’t. We continued down the trail stopping every few kilometres to wait up for the others.

Then we had our first crash, Emmanuel fell off his bike and hurt his knee.

We stopped at the corner of the main road for lunch and afterwards we rode on our first bit of bitumen which was a great relief because it was mostly downhill as well. We turned down a dirt road hoping to see an emu but we didn’t. Then Caylan’s ankle got really bad so she hopped in the bus as well. We hit bitumen again and turned down the driveway and were back before it rained, then it poured!

Hamish & Bec

On the middle weekend we had our parents visit us to see how we are going and to just catch up with one another. Everyone was buzzing with excitement and couldn’t wait till their parents arrived. Before my parents arrived I didn’t know how I would react but when they did, I was a bit teary. I wasn’t very surprised at how I reacted at all.

On the Saturday we drove up to Mallacoota to have a look around. We got some lunch at the bakery and drove around looking at some of the sights. My parents and I headed back to Marlo to look for some accommodation but because everyone else was staying in Marlo too it was a bit hard. We ended up staying at the Sailor’s Cottages which are actually owned by Mrs Hopkins (night staff). For tea we went to the Marlo pub and what do you know, everyone else from school was there. I went around and looked at all the reserved place cards and I could point out a few of the families coming for tea. Almost the whole pub was booked out.

The next morning I finally got a sleep in…the first in 5 weeks! It was great not having to get up at 6:30. Once we were packed up we drove to where the Paddle steamer Curlip embarks and watched it dock in again. From there we headed up to Orbost and had a look around. Mum decided that we had to do something constructive other than drive around all day so we headed up to Mt Raymond lookout. It was interesting to see all the hills and the sea from one point without having to go far. We continued along to Cabbage Tree Creek. We walked down the cabbage tree palms track but then it was time to head back to Campus. We arrived back at campus at about quarter past three and not long after that my parents headed off again. I was a bit sad to see them go but I know that there isn’t long to go before I am in the comfort of my own home again.

Victoria, Horsham SC

Emmanuel Nicolaides - Gladstone Park: My personal goal was to finish passport criteria seven by the end of passport class seven.

Zoe Belfield – Bairnsdale SC : My personal goal was to enjoy my day as student leader as it is my last time and to use my initiative to help out with my class pack ups.

Emmanuel: Our Community Goal is to finish headcount in less than 15 seconds with only three expo groups and to clean up the South Court Yard and Shoe box area.

Our Community Goal was achieved wonderfully by completing our headcount in 12.69 seconds as a record for 3 expo teams and cleaning the South Court Yard was achieved by everyone pitching in to clean up their designated area. As a bonus to our community goal we also held a game ‘The Priest Of the Parish’ which was not compulsory but amazingly the majority joined in during their free time to participate in a community activity!

Our time here so far has been absolutely amazing. We have done so many activities here that we would never have been able to do anywhere else.

My favourite thing (Rhiannon) that we have done so far would definitely have to be surfing or Expo One. I loved doing surfing because in 2 lessons I was able to stand up and in 3 I could turn, and my dad has been trying to make that happen for the last 3 years. Expo was amazing, because I didn’t think I was going to be able to hike 8km across a beach and then back another 8km through bush, but I did. I can’t believe that we are halfway through the program already! I have done so many amazing things like bridge building and orienteering which I have never done before. When it comes time to leave, I don’t think I’m going to want to leave because everyone here will be like family to me, and I won’t want to leave them. I have loved every minute of being here.

My favourite activity (Tylah) would have to be surfing and caving so far. Surfing was amazing the waves were perfect and I stood up in the first lesson, I was pretty proud of myself. Caving was really good because being next to the cave entrance you think, ‘I won’t be able to fit or this is too scary’, but it’s not and it was amazing. I also got the added bonus of getting really muddy. In the cave there is a place called the mail box and the reason it’s called the mail box is because it’s really flat and you have to slide down like a letter in a mail box and it’s was really fun. Also in the cave it’s was so muddy so nearly everyone slipped and I got it all over my face. It was honestly one of the best experiences of my life. Snowy life is really good, everyone is so nice and it feels like a second home. We get to go everywhere and do heaps of activities and all in the space of nine weeks. By the time we have to leave we won’t want to because we’ll be having too much fun and we’ll miss everyone too much. We’re halfway now and we hope that the next few weeks won’t go too quickly!

Love Tylah and Rhiannon

My time here at Snowy River Campus has been fun and exciting so far. We get taught so much in such a short period of time.

Over the past four weeks I have learnt so much about myself and made so many new friends, and have discovered many more things. We have been bike riding, surfing, and on expo. Time has been flying ever since week one was over. I feel like I been here longer than 5 weeks, my peers are like friends I made way back in primary school.

My personal goal whilst being student leader was speaking loud and clear and the community goal was to play a game of tails. I have been settling in really great here at Snowy River Campus. The food here is amazing and the chefs here are too. I’ve become very healthy here thanks to my diet and I have also been drinking 3 litres of water a day.

The activities I have done so far are bridge building, surfing, canoeing, expo skills and so much more. In bridge building my team thought it was going to be really hard but we got our act together and made our way across with communication towards one another. We made it all the way to the other side to collect our treasure.

Surfing was great, I got to surf really big waves and stand up for my very first time. My favourite would have been canoeing for the fact I got to capsize with my partner into freezing cold water. Expo skills was not overly the best, but I guess we have to know these things for when we headed on out for our expo to Dock Inlet.

My time here at SRC has been an awesome experience for me and I feel the time just seems to fly by here. I hope the next four weeks slow down because I don’t want to leave all these amazing people I have meet here just yet. I definitely noticed a change in me the last couple of weeks since I been here.

This has been a life changing experience and I didn’t really know how much I was going to learn until I got to Snowy River Campus now I know. The effects of all of this has made me into a better person and changed my character so much. think I’ll walk out of here with no regrets. It is definitely a change for the better.

Ebony - Epping Secondary College

Zoe: My personal goal was to be a good role model student leader through god body language, speaking clearly and respecting others.

Michelle: My personal goal was to get everyone to class 5 minutes before class started and be learning ready. Our Community Goal: to encourage all the community to demonstrate respect in their behaviour and we will encourage this by supporting people to make better choices e.g. using the wings appropriately and respecting others while talking.

Zoe: During my time so far at SRC I have enjoyed every minute! I enjoy all the classes, the opportunities we get to learn, the friendly atmosphere and people and the helpful teachers. I enjoy all the activities like surfing, expos, canoeing, navigation and bike riding and have fun and trying my hardest with all of them. My highlight so far would have to be our first expo. I enjoyed the challenge, having heaps of fun with my fellow friends and knowing that I can overcome the tasks I set my mind to. I have learnt so much while being here, about leadership, teamwork, but most of all about myself and the person I can be.  My time at the Snowy River Campus will be an experience never to forget!!  

Michelle: My highlight so far has been the expo and canoeing with all of my friends in 1A. It has been a ball being here with all these nice people I have met, it also helps a lot that there are really nice teachers here they are very encouraging and they give good advice to becoming a better leader.    

On May 28th, Corey and I were student leaders, and it was my second time, but this is my first time making a blog. We went well, our community goal was successful (to reduce talking in DEARR by picking everyone’s headcount numbers out of a hat and sticking them to the tables so everyone sat in different seats) and my personal goal was achieved too (to come to class early and organised).

I remember when us “Bairnsdale Kids” first came a week later than everyone else (and with very short notice!). We walked in the door with 41 other faces looking at us and I felt embarrassed and so nervous! Within our first week, we made friends and got to know how the whole community worked. Everyone else here was really accepting of us and we’re still called the “Bairnsdale Kids” and probably will be until the end of term!

Snowy River Campus has taught me so much and we’re only halfway through! Yeah, I’m counting down the days till parent visiting weekend, but after this term ends I’m going to be sad, but glad because this school is such a great experience. The things we’ve done! My group, 1B has so far gone canoeing (and capsized too!), surfing, photography, orienteering, bike riding and Expo 1 (and found our team mascot, a buoy we found on the beach, who we named Danny Buoy and even made a song about him!).

We’ve learnt so much about leadership; it’s spilling out our ears! It’s so different to school back home and I have to say, surfing instead of maths and orienteering instead of English is a whole lot better! There isn’t a day that goes by when I haven’t gone outside, even if it’s not in class, like going for a run early in the mornings or if the student leaders organise a game! Today they organised Silent Ninja, and it was really funny to watch and get involved in. But it’s not always outdoors, I’ve learnt so many skills, like CPR, first aid, peer skills, how to make a formal phone call and safe food handling that I can use throughout my life.

Among all the classes, hard work and serious stuff, we really do have fun. On rest days, people are always venturing out somewhere, and a few nights ago we had a bush dance night. Everyone got out their flannies and a few girls put their hair in pig tail plaits (me included!). I can’t dance, but I had so much fun! Another exciting evening class we’ve had was theatre sports with Darren McCubbin. We were all in stitches and my sides were hurting from laughing so much.

Everything is awesome here, the kids, the teachers, the whole place. In the next half of our program, we’ll face challenges, have fun and learn so many new things (and forever be a Bairnsdale kid!).

Erin N.  Bairnsdale S.C., Term 2, 2011.

Yesterday, Cole and I were student leaders. Our community goal was to rearrange all the tables for dinner, to look like it spelt SRC! We were a bit rushed on time, but when we did get the tables arranged it looked good. It was slightly chaotic and panicky (mainly on my behalf), but Cole loved to see everyone tripping out at the new formation.

Last weekend was parent visiting weekend, and already it feels like it has been so long since we saw them. But time is going really fast and already there are only 23 days left. It was great for everyone to see their parents, perfect timing for a break from all of this.

Today 2B went into Orbost for the day for a water watch lesson, the weather had been insanely rainy and windy but settled down a bit for us today. We went to a lagoon off the Snowy River and checked out some of the creatures living there. It was really interesting to see all the biodiversity we got, things like fish, shrimps, mites and spiders were just a few of the things we found.

Tomorrow 2B are going surfing, but driving past the ocean today gave us a look at how wild the waves are, so we might not end up going if things don’t clear up. That will be a shame, as we all really enjoy surfing and have a fun time trying to stand up.

Next week is our second expo, we are all very pumped for that, especially after how well our first expo went. The rain looks like it will continue through next week, but surely we will all find the positive out of hiking in the cold and wet.

This place has been a crazy roller coaster ride, but it’s been really fun and time has just gone so fast. Everyone is on a high and they’re super fun to be around .The experiences and memories we get here are going to last forever.

Amelia and Cole (2B)

On the 25th of May, Tamika and Janelle were student leaders.

Tamika: My personal goal was to speak loudly and clearly.

Janelle: My personal goal was to make the announcements more interesting.

Community goal: Warm fuzzy. Our community goal went really well and everyone got a note which was also really good. If you don’t know what a warm and fuzzy is, it’s where you get someone’s name out of a hat and you have to send them a friendly little note. Everyone really enjoyed the night.

Janelle: The Snowy River School has been a great experience so far. It is really different to what I thought it would be and I have had so much fun already. The best activity I would have to say so far would have to be surfing and when we saw the seal on the beach on expo one. I have met so many people and I think will be friends for life. Although our day is an early start (6.30am), we are still ready for the whole day ahead of us. The Snowy River School is a once in a life time experience.

Tamika: The first day I got to the Snowy River Campus and walked in the door everyone was staring at my group. But now that I’ve met pretty much everyone here it is really good and fun. We have heaps to think about when we leave here and are going to have heaps of memories. My highlight at the Snowy River Campus so far is surfing at East Cape and also seeing the seals in the water. I love getting up every morning and seeing everyone’s smiles and also seeing a lot of people getting out for a run in the mornings.

Today I was ready to go canoeing; I had my day bag packed and my lunch made! I headed towards the bus, but instead ended up in Mr Adams car alongside Keegan and Connor.

It was a good drive up there and we spotted a kitten and a wallaby on the side of the road (not together), we arrived at our destination and unpacked the trailer.

Mr Adams and Miss Van Dijk taught us the safety of canoeing and also how to adjust your PFD, helmets and how to hold your paddle.

Yesterday we were student leaders first time, we were going into it not at all that sure of what to expect. In this day we started off with the NAPLAN, everyone worked effectively during this session and we were all thankful that it was over quickly.

That afternoon was a ‘rest’ afternoon, some students had the opportunity to go for a walk down to Cape Conran and others stayed back at the campus. We were two of the people that had a lazy day and hung back. From the reports of the people who did go for the walk, it was really enjoyable and a good opportunity. We will definitely join in next time.

Today I did my CPR exam. We went through all the steps before having a few practices. Then while some people did their test I had to do work on my passport. When I did my test I was a little bit nervous but knew I could do it. I completed the test with ease. After completing it I did some more work on my passport, I was aiming to get as much done as possible.

After class Alanna, Emmanuel, Toni and I went and got our wetsuits. They were really thick, we went inside to try them on. They were tight to put on but comfortable. It was a little hard to move in them too. Then we had lunch- Macaroni with tomato and cheese sauce, it was pretty yum! Then I went and got packed. After headcount we got on the bus and drove all the way down to the beach. It was nice and sunny. We got off the bus and quickly got ready for the beach. When we got down there we felt the water and it was cold. We did star jumps to warm up, and then stretched. Fiona and Pete showed us how to lie on the board without nose diving it. Then we all went out and had a go at riding in on our bellies. After that we all came in and Fiona taught us how to stand on the board. She showed us the basic jump up to your feet way. Then she showed us the other way by jumping up to our knees and stepping up. We got to have a go at trying this on land then in the water. Alanna, Hamish, Tylah, Emmanuel and I all stood up. Alanna, Hamish and I were Pros!

Overall it was a fun day for all. We were all sound asleep that night though.

By Bec, Ararat College

Alanna and I are in 2A and we have recently come back from Expo!

Our experiences on the expo were amazing but difficult weather-wise. Our expo group was dropped off at the Yeerung River and we headed off to Dock Inlet where we were camping for the night. The first leg of the journey was going through a mildly habitable track followed by a long walk on the beach in the RAIN! Once we saw that white pole that indicated our track towards the camping ground we all cheered in happiness as we were almost there. Once we got to the camping site, we set up our tents and had Milo’s and Cup-a-Soup’s which warmed us up. Following from that we made our dinners on Trangias and the meals were actually quite good. Before we went to bed, we went on a short night walk back to the sand dunes of the beach. We reviewed our day there, went back to campsite and slept.

The very next day, we all woke up knowing the walk was going to be easier than the day before. We packed up everything and headed off for home. Once we saw those two buses at the end of the track everyone screamed out in joy. It was challenging but overall, it was an awesome experience. Everyone in our expo group is looking forward to the next one.

This is Alanna and Sean signing off.

Today we met at 8:30 am to pack our food for expo. Then after finally checking that we had everything, we sat down for headcount.

Straight after we all loaded on to the mini bus to get taken to our starting point, the bridge. We then held a group meeting discussing our goals and what we wanted to get out of our expedition. We left the bridge at around 10:30am. We started out on a track with a few steep hills until we got to the beach, where we held a team meeting and had morning tea which was muesli slice. We then kept on walking for a while stopping for a break around every 2km. It was so hard walking on the sand as the sets were quite high on the shore so there was no hard sand for us to walk on.

On the 16th of May, I was student leader for the first time. It didn’t run as smoothly as I’d hoped, and we also forgot to do the morning headcount. Woops. But apart from that my time here has been great. I’ve settled in well and made lots of new friends.

I’ve only been here just over 2 weeks and it feels like forever. It feels like I’ve known all my peers for a lot longer than 2 weeks, which is great.

I’ve been active every morning by getting up at 6:30 with a couple of mates and running laps around the campus. Even -1 degree weather couldn’t stop us this morning. ☺ One of my personal goals is to get fit and to be able to do 50 continues push ups. So far I have felt myself become a lot fitter, my push ups and sit ups every morning and night have helped a lot too. The food here is spectacular, there have only been about 2 things that I haven’t liked and the rest has been magnificent. I’ve become very healthy here thanks to my new diet, and I think I’ve lost about 1-2kgs of fat, which is awesome. I’ve also been drinking about 3 litres of water a day, which is good for you, according to the urine sheet in our toilets.

The activities I’ve done so far have been Bridge Building, Surfing, and Expo Skills. Surfing was fantastic because we had huge waves, and I stood up for the first time. Bridge Building was very challenging, but our team pulled it together and found our way across to the treasure. Then, Expo Skills wasn’t overly the best, but I guess we need to know how to do the things when we go on our 1st Expo soon, so that taught us a few things. Overall my time here has been outstanding and I hope the time goes really slow, because these 2 and a half weeks have flown by, which isn’t good.

Jesse K – Horsham College, Term 2 2011.

My time here at Snowy River has been really fun and exciting so far.

We get taught so much in such a short amount of time and just in the past 3 weeks I have learnt so much about myself, my new friends here and a whole lot of other things.

We have been surfing, bike riding and on walks. Tomorrow we are doing canoeing which I’m pretty excited about especially capsizing into the water, it should be awesome.

You also learn things at Snowy that you would never learn at any other school like how to talk to your peers when they come to you for help, leadership skills, how to make a formal phone call and so many other things that you will need to know when you get older and are starting a job. The teachers here are not like your usual teachers, they are people who you could really talk to and who you feel safe and comfortable around.