It started with an early morning bus ride to the forests of the Rubicon Valley and ended with newfound confidence and friendships. Earlier this year, Year 7 Haileybury students embarked on an adventure to Camp Jungai.
Located in the scenic Rubicon Valley, two hours from Melbourne, Camp Jungai offers unique and engaging education programs providing a range of meaningful and powerful experiences for students, allowing them to connect, challenge themselves and learn outside of school walls.
The camp kicked off with students settling into their groups and immediately gearing up for two nights camping in the outdoors. Despite a few grey clouds obscuring the stars, spirits remained high as half of the group camped out under the open sky, while others took to the trail for an overnight hike to Kendall’s campground.
The Year 7s faced challenges head-on, with many setting up tents for the first time, working together to prepare and cook their dinner within allocated roles, and persevering through relentless rain on the first day. Each group managed to get each other through despite the cold and testing conditions.
Students switched locations after the first evening, and those who had braved the hike were welcomed back to hot showers and a tasty meal at the Jungai lodge.
Over the next two days, students delved into a diverse array of activities, including hiking, bushcraft, canoeing and high ropes. Meanwhile, cultural sessions led by Aunty, a First Nations representative from the Taungurung people, offered invaluable insights into indigenous culture, from bush tucker to storytelling.
The end of the camp was marked by reflection sessions, where students shared their experiences and lessons learned.
Ray (Year 7) was most proud of completing an eight kilometre hike to Kendall’s campground. Despite the cold weather, he made friends along the way and together they were able to make it through the night in positive spirits. “For the next Year 7 students going to this camp, definitely bring a lot of warm gear!” he advised.
“By far the funniest and hardest challenge, though, was getting into the canoe. Many people weren’t trying to get wet, so they did a little jump and ended up splashing water onto themselves,” Ray recollected.
Will (Year 7) echoed these sentiments, telling us he had never canoed before. “It was really fun even though there were many times I almost fell in.” Will’s most memorable and challenging moment, however, was cooking food for the group on the camping stove whilst at Kendall’s campground.
Ben Ashkenazi, Deputy Head of Boys Middle School (Newlands), said, “Camps such as these are a fantastic way to test resilience whilst being away from the comforts of home. The experience helps to build confidence through taking controlled risks, such as overcoming their fear of heights to conquer the high ropes. It also encourages teamwork, aiding the students to help each other have a positive experience.”
Jeremy (Year 7) enjoyed trying to throw a boomerang for the first time. “It was fun, but challenging at the same time,” he said. “One piece of advice I would give to next year’s Year 7 campers would be to try new things. Every experience is one of a kind so you should give it a go, even if you are hesitant. Push yourself out of your comfort zone. If you don’t try, you will never know what you like. The staff from both OEG and Haileybury were super supportive and helpful, so don’t feel hesitant to talk to them if you feel uncomfortable.”