1982 BGGS Magazine

YEAR 9 CAMPS 1982 This year, the Year 9 Camps were held at Elanda Point on Lake Cootharaba, not far from Cooloola National Park - an area which has much to offer in biological diversity and recreational activities. The six camps ran consecutively from July 26th to September 3rd with each class spending 5 days in the area. This time of the year can be cold but temperatures are moderated by proximity to the sea and the lack of altitude. It is also the time of most settled weather in that area. We were fortunate that only one class did not complete the programme and it is hoped that amends can be made later in the year. Of around 160 year 9 girls, only one was unable to attend. On the first afternoon, after settling in and having lunch, the class began its camp with a practical initiative game designed to encourage group communication and co- operation. Then it was off to do -canoe practice, learning the skills needed for the expedition later in the week. Here I might point out that we used our own canary yellow canoes presented to the school by the Fathers' Group. Dads, you might be interested to know that we were the envy of all Elanda Point visitors and very much the stars of Cooloola Tourist Cruises. Also there was a short walk to historical Mill Point, the exercises on this walk being mainly science and history based. That evening groups went spotlighting (mosdyfor swamp wallabies and possums) and stargazing. Next morning started- at 6.30 a.m. with stretching exen;ises an_d jogging. The main activity for Tuesday was a boat ride across the lake to Teewah landing, a climb to the top of Mt. Seawak and return down the mountain and onto the surf beach. Aspects of coastal geology and biology were touched on and after a short walk up the beach to the beginning of the coloured sands, they returned to Elanda Point for a couple of hours of craft work, most people either sketched or produced an object d'art using clay collected earlier from the lake. Wednesday/Thursday were for the expedition. Half the group wall<:ed to Harry's Hut within the Cooloola National Park. The probable highlight of this walk was the Kin Kin River crossing. Some girls swam the short distance, floating their packs across in garbage bags while the others trusted themselves and their packs to the "rubber duck" and paddled across. Walking distance to the Hut is about 15 km. The other girls travelled by canoe and dropped into Kinaba Information Centre for a talk by the Ranger and then canoe-ed up the Noosa River to Harry's Hut. That night around the campfire we talked of the history of the area, and read an aboriginal legend of the origin of the Coloured Sands together with poetry written about the Cooloola area and selections from "Snugglepot and Cuddlepie" and "Winnie the Pooh". Thursday, we returned to Elanda Point by alternating the groups for our final campfire sing song and Certificate of Survival presentation. The last morning, after 5 or 6 pancakes each, was devoted to games and initiative problems again depending on group co-operation, communication and good will, with a definate element of fun. Each of the camps was adequately supervised by three teachers (two of whom were well experienced in camping activities) and 2 or 3 Year 12 girls many of whom were H. & P .E. students who had done their major expedition in the same area and some who were Silver Awardees for Duke of 62

Edinburgh. Many of the girls had never camped before, never canoed before and never carried a backpack. Their first experiences on the whole were good ones and sometime in the future many of them will gain more experiences in the bush. A t Cooloola (FOR 9A) Glowing faces round the warm camp fire circled by casuarin as, paper-barks and darkn ess, singing the chee1jul songs of th e camp-fire hearing the history, s tories and poems of Cooloola.

Fitted warmly into sleeping-bags, while fitful spurts of dying embers cast strange shadows among th e bonlisias, lying beneath th e my riad shining stars of Cooloola. The tall blood woods lining th e river bank, and one last star, are precisely reflected

in sunrise waters; the kookaburra watches them, they are greeted by the hundred honey-eaters of Cooloola. Th e glow of their achievement will surely stay with them; the new shells mastered; the knowledge, acquired

painlessly, in passing; the glad co-operation the fun and the f ellowship; reward, aid blessing, from Cooloola.

B.P.