15 Mile Creek Experience

As some may know, we – the year 9’s of Fitzroy high – have just gotten back from a fairly significant two week camp full of once in a lifetime experiences. Around a quarter of the year 9s selected the ‘Future Makers’ elective program, where a semester was spent building up skills required for the two week long camp at the end of the rotation. At the camp, our days were spent doing all kinds of fun activities! This includes mountain biking, orienteering, white water rafting, hiking and electives such as rock climbing and rogaining. There were even night activities, such as night flying fox over a ravine and night orienteering/navigation. The main event however, was the five day canoe journey along the Murray river. Us students had to pack everything we would need in our waterproof packs; our tents, bedding, clothes, and food. We paired up and hit the river! The days were spent paddling peacefully along the Murray without a care in the world, (except for the friendly competition between the two year nine groups!). It would be up to the different student leaders every day when to stop and where to camp along the serene river banks. There was the element of creativity embedded into the program, as we made our own canoe paddles from scratch. During the course of the camp, we became familiar with our dear friend Doug, otherwise known as the poo shovel.

Two themes that were strongly focused on were connection and collaboration. On the camp we learnt about different types of connections. We learnt about the First Nations peoples spiritual connection to the land, our own recreational connections we formed to the Murray and the connections with each other.

The train ride home was all part of the adventure, and was filled with laughter and good times. We all came home with a few sore muscles – and memories that will last a lifetime.

Written by,

Ella L