Outdoors with Outdoor Ed
Our Outdoor Education classes are a hive of activity and have been out and about adventuring around the Territory.
Fifty-six Darwin High School Stage 1 and Stage 2 Outdoor Education students completed the Depot Creek to Butterfly Gorge bushwalk loop in back to back trips at the end of last Semester.
Three trips went out in the last few weeks of Term 2, with students spending four days and three nights on excursion. The students made the most of the dry season weather and our spectacular Territory outback, hiking, and camping through Litchfield. The Depot Creek to Butterfly Gorge route is a tough walk, so students enjoyed the opportunity to break up the walk by swimming in some beautiful waterholes.
The Stage 2 bushwalk last semester had to end up at the same location as the Stage 1 bushwalk due to Kakadu restrictions as a result of COVID. Despite the change of location, everyone enjoyed the opportunity to get outdoors and test their skills ahead of their next trip.
The Stage 2 group is scheduled to go on a five day hike in Kakadu, doing a loop at Maguk in Week 5 which they are currently preparing for. They have completed route maps, trail notes and minimum impact plans in preparation for this. The Litchfield trip was their “practice run” for this trip where they will lead the trip.
Stage 1 and 2 students also finished Semester 1 with the opportunity to experience Sea Kayaking in Fannie Bay. Students learned to paddle, safely capsize and assist another capsized boat in deep water, and one class of the Stage 1 students were lucky enough to happen upon a manta ray playing in the shallows off Bullocky Point.
We look forward to sharing more updates from our Outdoor Education adventures throughout the Semester.
