Thursday 19th August – Another Goodbye

Today I woke knowing it was time to pack, to say goodbye and to move on to my next adventure. The boys were still all out on their solo, the instructors still asleep, as I tiptoed around getting ready for my last day and packing my bags for the journey ahead. By the time I had finished, the boys were slowly returning to camp and starting their own organising for leaving Kooringal, whilst Mark was busy in the kitchen cooking a fried breakfast as a morning treat after the boy’s solo.

After a delicious breakfast, the boys were given time to continue organising themselves. They needed to repack their bags for going home and clean and return all the equipment they had borrowed from Kooringal. This took most of the morning, with Jesse, Anna and Paddy based in the sheds checking equipment. I joined them for a short while before returning to the main building to see if any help was required. By which time some boys, having returned from the sheds, were now clearing out their dorm rooms. I joined in, clearing out my own room in preparation for the next group of boys who would be using it during the next camp.

As the boys’ rooms were checked by Paddy and Kate, they were given a choice of duties to help clean Kooringal, including sweeping the decks, cleaning the kitchen and toilets or polishing the wooden floor in the main hall. Everyone was soon to work, cleaning and polishing Kooringal to remove all trace of the 23 boys it had occupied for the last 9 days. You would be amazed by the dirt sweep up from those floors!

Soon the jobs were complete, Kooringal was sparkling and the boys were digging their way into sausage rolls and pies, fresh straight from the oven. It was now time for us to divide into our expedition groups one last time, Jesse and Anna in the sheds and Paddy, Kate and I out the front of the main building. Here we sat with our groups, talking about the week, what had been learnt, what had stretched or changed the boys the most and saying thank yous. Next the two groups came together for our final goodbyes and before we knew it, we were waving goodbye to the boys and Jesse as they boarded the bus and drove out of the main gate of Kooringal.

Anna had kindly offered to drive me to my hotel near Perth (WA) airport. What a star! Whilst I waited for her to pack her bags for going home, I sat with Mark, Paddy and Kate in the office for one last chat. Here Kate told me briefly about ‘Earth Keepers’, a fascinating program for children in their middle childhood, designed to give them a connection with their environment and the outdoors. This is exactly the kind of thing I have been looking for and I will be buying some of Kate’s recommended ready very soon! Kate also read me a quote from ’The Earth Speaks’. This quote was about the difference between those people who work in the outdoors and those who work sitting at a desk in front of a computer. The quote hit home surprisingly accurately and is something I will consider for a long time to come.

I took this time to give Mark his bag of goodies from Scotland, to which he very kindly responded by giving me a Kooringal staff t-shirt. Sadly Anna was ready sooner than anticipated and it was time to leave Kooringal. I had had a wonderful experience during my time there and felt sad as I hugged my goodbyes and walked out the office for the last time.

Anna and I had nearly a two hour journey ahead of us, during which we talked and ate chocolate. No surprises there then! Anna is a very bubbly character and I enjoyed her company during this journey very much, evidently as before I even noticed the time had passed we were pulling into the driveway of my hotel. Time for another goodbye: the last of many in WA and still not any easier.

Now I sit in my hotel room; the same hotel I stayed in for my first night in Perth WA all those night ago. A lot has changed during this time. Certainly my compassion towards the wonderful work all the people I have met do with children in the outdoors. My understanding of outdoor education has also changed considerably, as has my appreciation of it’s affect on a person. My character has developed too, my confidence, my independence and most importantly my desire to assist with outdoor education for children in the UK.

Tonight bed will be early in preparation for my flight to Sydney first thing tomorrow morning. Here my journey will continue with full force, my compassion will continue to grow and my eyes, I am sure, will be opened even further to the potential of outdoor education in developing today’s children as confident, compassionate and caring adults for future society.

Wednesday 18th August - Solo Night

Today was the last full day and night at Kooringal for both myself and the boys. The day started as usual, with a 6am shower followed by helping out with the serving of breakfast to the boys and then the boys conducting their cleaning duties.

Today's agenda would focus on 'Kooringal Implovements'. All of the boys were sat in the main hall with Mark and divided amongst the staff; Mark, Kate, Paddy, Jesse and Anna. Each of the groups were then given a community service duty which would help to improve Kooringal. These duties included going to the tip, doing fencing and gardening.




Myself and Kate, along with about 8 of the boys, were to be doing gardening. Today's gardening activity would be weeding the front lawn and planting new grass seeds. The sun was shining, and being a fan of gardening I was happy with the activity I had landed.

Our group each collected a fork from the kitchen, with which we would be digging up the masses of weeds cluttering the lawn. We quickly got to work, crouching down in the grass and throwing dug up weeds into a nearby wheelbarrow.

Before long it was time for morning tea, a welcome rest from tired knees and dirty hands. The staff sat together taking in the sun, with the boys off to the side enjoying a rest from their work. Soon we were back in to the lawn, the boys still weeding, whilst ,yself and Kate started planting new grass seed.

Lunchtime came around quickly as did the time for the boys to get ready for their solo night. Soon bags were being packed with hutchies, sleepingbags, books and the dinner of sausages and snacks which Jesse had prepared and Mark was driving the boys out to their camps. Tonight each of the boys would be placed 300m apart along the dirt track leading out of Korringal. They would set up their hutchies a few 100m from the road and Mark would leave a cone at the side of the road so that the boys location could be identified. During the night from 4pm until 4.30am Anna would drive up the road every hour to check if any of the boys needed assistance. Each of the boys had a whistle for use in the event of an emergency.

With the boys gone it was time for the staff to relax, Mark and Kate at home, the rest of us in the staff living room. When it was time, I went out with Anna on one of her runs, this time there was a boy sitting at the side of the road, complaining of feeling sick. We picked him up and took him to a camp site closer to Kooringal where he would feel safer but still able to complete his solo.

Bed for the staff was early; everyone tired after a week with the boys. Anna however would have a long night staying awake and driving, until she could go to bed at 5am.

Tuesday 17th August - Last day of Expedition

Today we woke at day break. My sleep had not been at its best, a tired and hurried tent building at camp arrival having resulted in me experiencing an extremely bumpy and uneven resting place for the night. Pulling on the wet clothes from the day before in the cold early hours of the morning is certainly an Australian experience I will not be forgetting in a hurry, and resulted in me having a slow start as I braced myself for the inevitable shock of cold as I pulled on wet thermals.

Fortunately, Kate had come to my rescue and, by the time I had packed up my tent and sleeping bag and joined the staff on the rock, had a hot Milo waiting for me. Bliss!

Today was certainly the boy's slowest morning, cold hands, wet bodies and aching muscles returning them to their previous mindset at the start of the week of 'where's mum and why isn't anyone doing this for me' or 'please wake me up from this awful nightmare'. All around us were boys staring at bags, and clothes, waiting for some kind of miracle, with only a handful of boys joining us on the rock, having packed on time, for hot muesli and Milo.

Soon it was time to get back into our canoes and into the water. Today there would be 13 rapids and only about 2km of flat water. As a result, the boys wouldn't be carrying their packs today as they would cause too many problems with retrievals should their canoes capsize. Instead the packs were loaded onto a trailer and driven back to Kooringal for the boys' collection when we returned later in the day.

The start of the day on the water unfortunately showed a similar pattern to yesterday. The first rapid was only a few meters from our camp and, although we didn't capsize, we got stuck on a rock, had to climb out, sit in the rapid (hoping for the best) and push the canoe downstream. Paddy, then at the bottom of the rapids, had to get out of his kayak, make his way up the rapid via exposed rocks, cling onto the side of a rock and grab my canoeing partner and I as we reached across to him. With the exception of some inevitably bruised, cold and wet bodies, all was fine and we were soon reunited with our canoe. The next few rapid after this went well, in that, although we collided with a few obstacles, we surprisingly managed to stay in our canoe.

At one rapid in particular, nearly all the canoes capsized, resulting in absolute carnage for the instructors waiting at the bottom and a lot of heaving and emptying of canoes for Paddy and Anna. Despite this the group maintained great moral and appeared to be buzzing from their paddling experiences.

After a few rapids my canoeing partner and I experienced another failing in the staying dry situation. Having misheard an instruction from Anna to 'NOT follow the canoe in front' as 'follow the canoe in front', and despite protests from my canoeing partner who had heard Anna correctly, I lead our canoe the wrong way down a rapid, of course resulting in difficulties. Once again we got stuck on a rock, and although we managed to stay upright, my partner had to climb out whilst I sat in the canoe as it filled to the brim with water. Then, with my heart in my mouth, Anna told me she was going to push me down the rapid backwards towards the correct route. Thank goodness this is not how the situation unfolded, as I swear I have never been so scared, and instead I too was eventually told to climb out. The canoe was then emptied by Paddy and Anna as they stood precariously in the rapid and my canoeing partner and I it safely down the rapid to the pool at the bottom. Phew!

The rest of the day we miraculously managed to stay dry, again despite hitting every obstacle in each of the rapids. Something was in our favour and I can assure you it certainly wasn't skill!

Our journey ended with a 2km paddle along still water, sheltered by tall, overhanging trees. Beautiful. As we dragged our canoe out of the water and uphill to the trailer I still couldn't believe the experiences I had just had during the last five days and the fact that so suddenly it was all over and we would soon be returning to Kooringal for the last two nights of the boys', and my, experience.
Arriving at Kooringal, the boys were instructed to clean and dry their tents, packs and so on before enjoying fish finger burgers as a treat for completing the expedition. After lunch the boys were given additional time to complete their duties and hand in their equipment and tents to Paddy and Anna at the storage sheds to the front of the property. The boys were to keep their packs and waterproof pack liners until their last day as they would need these for their solo night in the bush tomorrow.




During this time, Kate was busy cooking a delicious Beef Roast with all the trimmings, whilst Jesse was making chocolate pudding. This was to be the boy's reward for all of their hard work during the past few days. The boys were also given the treat of watching a paddling movie, followed by a film of their choice. Watching this, sitting next to a log fire, after a hot shower, the boys were able to appreciate the finer things in life, having had no such luxuries over the past five days.

During this time, Paddy, Jesse, Anna and I retreated to the staff area for some much needed R & R. Here we talked, rested and enjoyed some easy going television of our own before we slowly, one by one, peeled ourselves away for an early night, all of us feeling tired and in need of a mattress after our expedition.

Monday 16th August - Baden Powell

The morning started cold and dark as anticipated. The boys were slow as they clambered into their paddling clothes using cold hands which they frantically stuffed into their jackets and under their arms instead of making themselves a warm breakfast as advised by Kate and Paddy.

Once everyone was ready and had repacked, and waterproofed their packs, we made our way 100m further into the campsite where we met the other group, Jesse, Anna and Mark, as well as Tristan and Bret who would be acting as back-up support during the two paddling days.

The first step of the day was for the canoes and staff kayaks to be offloaded from the trailer and lined up. Next each of the boys collected and put on a helmet and PFD (personal floatation device), and retrieved the same sized paddle they had used on the first day of camp.

Mark grouped the 23 boys together for a briefing on paddling, whilst also demonstrating how they fit their two packs into their canoes. The each of the pairs of boys had to carry their canoes down to the river for the start of the paddling.

Today we would paddle around 7km, with about 3 rapids along the way. As we set off, the boys paired in canoes and the staff in kayaks for easier mobility, the sun was just beginning to rise and with it so was the temperature. At about 100m into the trip, on still water, the canoe I was in struck a log sticking up from under the water. This unfortunately lead to our canoe capsizing and myself and the boy I was canoeing with, along with his bag, taking an early morning swim. Needless to say, this was not the start I had anticipated. Fortunately staff bags, and mine, were being transported to the next campsite by car and so my bag was not in my canoe at this time.

Remaining unshaken by the experience, and helped a lot by Mark, we were soon back in the canoe and enjoying the rest of our paddle. That was until we arrived at the first rapid of the day, 'Tom's Crossing'. Here a similar experience ensued as we lost control of our canoe, hit a rock and swam down the rapid to Mark who had secured our canoe to the back of his kayak and pulled it upstream to us.

After this time, being a little more cold and shaken, we had more determination with regards to actually staying inside our canoe. I'm sure this is what they mean when they refer to Experiential Learning'! For the rest of the day, be it kinder water, patience or beginner's luck, we fortunately remained afloat and inside our canoe.

After a few hours on the water we pulled in at Baden Powell, where the canoes and kayaks were dragged ashore and the group enjoyed a morning tea of biscuits, whilst the instructors contemplated attempting the rapid there, which the rest of us would be carrying our canoes around. Deciding the water level wasn't in their favour, the instructors joined the rest of in carrying their kayaks around the rapid and reentering the river at a later point, several meters after the rapids end.

The rest of the day only contained a couple of rapids, all of which were around a grade two. The weather was fine and warm and I very much enjoyed the flat water parts, talking to my canoeing partner about his experiences of camp and what he hoped to do with himself once he left school. This was also a great time to take in the scenery from a different perspective to that of the trek during the previous three days. It was beautiful, peaceful and serene and I regret that I could not capture it in photographs, with my camera being stashed away safely in my pack.

We arrived at our campsite for the night, 'Big Rock' at around 3 pm. The two groups would be separating again for the evening, with the other group several meters upstream at 'Mud Pile. After we conducted our, now usual, campsite ritual of setting up tents, preparing clothes for the morning and lighting tangies for a hot Milo, we all sat out on the rocks, looked out into the water and watched the hot sun disappear behind the trees, casting us into twilight and signaling the time to start cooking dinner.


The night stayed warmer than those we had experienced the previous three nights, a thick cloud base having moved in and threatening rain. Fortunately the rain stayed at bay and we enjoyed an almost balmy night sitting around the campfire whilst the boys updated their journals. Tonight, in addition to the day's experiences, the boys were also asked to write about their Diamond; something you are proud of achieving/doing on camp, Heart; a thank you to someone on camp, Club; something you did on camp which was stupid or your regret, Spade; a confession of something you did on camp which you shouldn't have. As will all the previous additions to the boy's journals, this gave me a great insight into what the boys had experienced during their expedition. Many of the boys discussed their Diamond as completing the 18km trek and staying upright during today's canoeing. For their Heart, the boys thanked other members of the group for helping them pack, whilst I was thanked by my canoeing partner and another boy to whom I had lent my gloves. Discussions on their Club brought up many situations, including not bring enough clothes, bringing too much, forgetting eating implements (myself included) and not bringing a head torch. For the Spade, most boys admitted to bringing sweets on camp, despite the ban enforced by Korringal, whilst a few boys admitted to chucking rubbish, mainly apple cores and muesli, into the bush instead of disposing of it in the manner requested by Kate and Paddy.





After these discussions the boys were once again invited to retreat to bed or stay up for a few games. This evening around 7 boys made the decision to stay up. During this time, Bret, who was joining our group for the evening, treated us all to some bush poetry - fantastic and in such a suitable setting. After this treat we played a game called 'Movies' with the boys until around 8 pm, after which we all made our way to our tents in preparation for an early second day on the water.

Sunday 15th August - Butt Crack Hill

Today we woke at 6 am as planned. The morning was clear and fresh, after a very cold night in which I woke and, according to Kate and Paddy in the surrounding tents, slept talked frequently.




The boys were a little slower this morning, the cold setting in and their fingers working with a little less speed whilst packing. However, with some gentle persuasions from Paddy and Kate we were ready and on our way only 10 minutes later than planned.

Today would be our shortest trek, which would take us to a camp site called Charlie's Flat, a public campsite next to the river, ready for our paddle tomorrow. The start of the trek was flat and easy in comparison to the trek we all endured yesterday. During this time Paddy, Kate and I engaged in another game of 'Categories', with me frequently being accused of making up famous people from the UK as they hadn't heard of most of them!

Before long we were faced with the imminent uphill bush bash we had been anticipating during the easy, flat start to the day. This was Butt Crack Hill, at the top of which we would be having an early lunch due to there being no suitable opportunity during the rest of the trek.

The uphill bush bash was great fun, a little harsher on the calves than a flat trek, but with some fantastic views and great opportunity for Kate and Paddy to point out more interesting plants and wildlife - I am going to be an expert at this rate - there was even some talk of me eating a Bardi Grub but fortunately, despite great effort on Paddy's part, none could be found. Arriving at the top of Butt Crack Hill certainly made the uphill trek worth it, the setting was beautiful, the sun was out in all its glory and, having made good time, there was time after eating to lie down and take in the day.




After every meal in the bush, the boys are responsible for collecting all their rubbish, leaving no trace of us having been there being the main aim. The punishment, at the boys decision, for each piece of rubbish found is 10 push-ups. Today was no exception and Paddy counted as the boys performed. At least the rubbish count was reducing.

After a needed rest, it was time to set off down the other side of the hill, this time through slightly more overgrown surroundings. Again this was beautiful to experience, although at the time my legs weren't in full agreement. Upon reaching the bottom we had only a short, flat trek before arriving at Charlie's Flat at around 2.30 pm.

Prior to departing Kooringal on Friday, each of the boys had packed a bin bag with their 'river clothes' for their two day paddle down middle Murray. The reason for arriving so early at today's campsite was Mark was bringing these bags here so that the boys would have time to prepare for tomorrow, as in the morning it would be dark and cold and a lot harder for the boys to get organised quickly and efficiently for an 8 am start on the river. So, when we arrived, Kate and Paddy immediately instructed the boys to set up their tents and sleeping bags, place their 'river clothes' at the bottom of their tent and repack the bin bags with any clothes they wished to send back to Kooringal.

This organisation took the boys a couple of hours, during which we divided the food for the next two days into piles for the boys to pack (Mark had also delivered a food drop with the boys clothes). Dinner was the usual 5pm, by which time all the boys were set up and ready as planned. Tonight was steak stir fry, followed by self-saucing, golden syrup pudding; both a real treat. Paddy and Kate did the usual fire lighting after dinner, around which the boys would be given time to write in their journals and discuss their day. Tonight the boys were asked to discuss their orange; something sweet about camp, their lemon; something sour about camp and their banana; something they have learnt on camp. Again I found this really insightful, listening to the boys talk openly about their week and its key aspects, both good and bad.

After this the boys were again given the opportunity to stay up for games or go to bed, everyone of the boys chose bed - it was only 7.20 pm. Despite the early time, I soon followed suit and was settled in my sleeping bag and asleep well before 8 pm. Tomorrow would be our earliest, and coldest, start so far during the expedition and I wanted to be well rested in preparation for what I knew was going to be a very wet day.

Saturday 14th August - Bush Bash and an 18km Trek

Today I woke to the sound of Paddy and Kate calling my name – my morning wake up call. It was 6.15am.

The boys had two hours before we would be commencing the day’s trek at 8.30am. This would allow time for them to pack up tents and packs, eat breakfast and tidy and check the campground. Breakfast today was a choice of cereal or muesli with hot milk and Milo; my newly discovered, delicious, Australian hot chocolate drink.

The trek today would be around 18km with 2 large steep hills, and some bush bashing, at the end of which we would arrive at our second campsite; Snotty Gobble. Once the navigation team had confirmed a route with Kate and Paddy, they informed the rest of the group of their plans and we set off, only 6 minutes behind schedule.

Australia had once again turned out her best weather for me despite the winter months and the day was sunny and warm; ideal for a day out trekking in the bush. Taking full advantage, I spent the majority of the day walking beside Paddy and Kate, learning about the plants in this area of WA.

After a few hours walking it was time for lunch. Today this was to be the same as yesterday, an array of fillings including vegetables, cheese and salami. This we ate just to the side of the 4x4 track whilst basking in the sunshine.

The bush bashing section of the trek started just after lunch. This involved the navigation group taking us off of the main track and following a compass bearing through the bush. This was great fun, especially as it exposed even more of the wonderful plants and scenery WA has to offer.

After some struggles, moans and, thankfully, encouragements amongst the boys, we arrived at Snotty Gobble Campsite. It was now close to 3.30pm. The boys were given the usual time to set up their tents, unpack and enjoy a Milo or Cup a Soup before dinner preparations commenced at 5pm. Tonight’s dinner was chicken and vegetable curry, followed by, the amazingly delicious treat of cookies and cream – Aussies sure know how to do dessert! This was an ideal combo after a long 18km trek.

Dinner was followed by the usual, necessary camp cleanup which Paddy oversaw whilst Kate built a campfire, around which the boys would write in their journals once the cleanup was complete. During this time, I took the opportunity to admire and absorb the beautiful setting of our camp; full of Jerri ad Marri trees, standing guard as dark silhouettes against the dimming, twilight sky.

Tonight, during journal writing, Paddy asked the boys what they would be challenging themselves with whilst out on camp. Once again this was very insightful, allowing me to hear the boys discussing helping others, improving their packing and even completing the expedition.

After their journal writing, Kate invited the boys to go to bed, or, alternatively, to stay awake for a scary story told by Paddy at the campfire. Only two boys and myself and Kate stayed sitting at the campfire for Paddy’s story. Bedtime followed the story at 8.20pm when, tired from the long day, the staff and remaining boys parted ways and went to each of their tents. Tomorrow would be another early start and our third, and final, day trekking on dry land.

Friday 13th August - First day of Expedition

Today I woke at my now usual 6am. I needed to shower, eat and pack before the boys got up and we left Kooringal as a group for our first day of the expedition.

For the five day expedition I would be spending the first three days trekking with Kate and Paddy plus 11 boys from the participating 23, whilst Anna and Jesse would be with the remaining 12. For the last two days, the two groups would be coming together to paddle down the Murray River as one large group.

Today the sun was shining, the sky was blue and it looked set to be a great first day out in the bush with this group of boys.

The 11 boys of our group were split into three smaller groups which would rotate three jobs for the 3 days trekking; Navigation, Toilet and Fire. Once established, the Navigation Group were briefed by Paddy and Kate on the general direction of the trek and given the choice to follow the Bibulman Track or a seasonally used railway line - the Navigation Group chose the railway line.

We would follow this line for the whole 12km trek, with the exception of only a few hundred meters at the end when we would follow a 4x4 track to 'Rocky Outcrop', our campsite for the night.



The trek terrain was level for the duration of the day, with only a few overgrown plants and branches creating obstacles for the group and the general mood of the group appeared positive throughout the day, despite tired legs, sore backs and a heavy down pour which saw the boys running for cover under the railway line where it crossed a small creek.

We arrived at camp while it was still light, at around 4pm. This gave plenty of time for the group to separate throughout the camp, set up tents, the group hoochie and toilet spot before turning on tangies for some greatly needed hot Milo.






After the group was settled, I took the time to take in the beautiful location of my resting place for the night; masses of large, moss covered rocks with outcrops of my favourite Grass Trees, surrounded by large Jeri Trees. This has to be one of my favourite sites in Australia so far.

Before long it was time for me to move on from my resting spot and help with the preparation of dinner, which we would be cooking together under the group hoochie. Tonight's dinner was beef spaghetti; a welcoming feast after a long day on our feet.

After dinner was the usual scurry of cleanup, during which time Paddy moved to a separate part of the camp to build a fire for us to warm around with the boys whilst they wrote updates in their journals. Kate took this time as an opportunity to ask each of the boys what they would change about their day and what they would keep the same. This was a very insightful process with many boys discussing teamwork, organisational skills and communication.

With an early start, and long trek, immanent tomorrow, Kate gave the boys the option to stay up a little longer or go to bed. Over half the boys chose bed. It was only 7.30 pm. The remaining handful of boys spent half an hour playing 'Categories' with Paddy, Kate and I. During this time I noticed just how beautiful night sky in the Southern hemisphere is, highlighted tonight by camping with clear, cloudless skies.

At around 8 pm we all said goodnight. It had been a tiring first day for the boys, and for myself, and sleep came easily, broken only by the infrequent, now familiar, bushland sounds of flapping, scurrying and thumping.