Firstly, we would like to thank all the teachers who put in time and effort to ensure that we had a memorable experience at Tyalgum Ridge Retreat, especially our year level coordinator, Mrs Mouton.
All teachers aided us in preparing and packing all the items necessary and all was well. Of course there were rules on what we couldn’t take but we all understood that those rules were in place to keep us safe.
On Tuesday night, after everything was packed and ready, we all had a good night’s rest and woke up in the morning feeling excited and a bit nervous. A few tears were shed when we said our goodbyes, but spending time with our friends quickly made us forget that we were away from home. Unfortunately, some students were sick on the bus trip down but God answered our prayers and nobody went home!
When we arrived at beautiful Tyalgum, we settled into our rooms very quickly. Matt, one of the instructors, informed us about boundaries and procedures, again to keep us all safe. The activities started straight after morning tea and they were brilliant and so was the cool, refreshing pool that we utilised during our student free time. The activities consisted of canoeing, bush skills, rainforest hiking, animal feeding, rock hopping, archery, mountain biking, low ropes, high ropes, and group activities. A popular favourite was the flying fox, the reason for that was because the fear of heights was quite common, but the exhilarating screams that filled the air now and then encouraged everyone to give it a go.
Another favourite activity among students and teachers were canoeing on the lake. Some teachers got a bit carried away when throwing seaweed at their students. The water was very refreshing in the sweltering heat. Nobody minded getting soaking wet.
This camp was designed for us to be active while making new friends and spending time with existing friends. Even the teachers enjoyed hanging out together and eating brownies – lots of them!
We really enjoyed this camp as we all got to bond together and having devotions together enriched our experiences. New students were able to settle into the Year 7 cohort quickly and their transitioning from other schools and states were seamless.
Lastly, the camp food was DELICIOUS and many of us went back for seconds. This camp was a great experience and we look forward to more camps to come that are just as good!
Charlotte McMullan, 7C
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