IGS Year 9 students swapped the city for the bush, heading to Glenmack Park in Kangaroo Valley for a three-night Outdoor Education Camp – an immersive experience built around adventure, personal challenge and the bonds forged when you push yourself somewhere new.
Facilitated in partnership with Southbound Adventures, the camp was thoughtfully designed to align with the School’s educational objectives. Students took on bushwalking, canoeing and mountain biking across the valley’s striking landscape, activities chosen not simply to test physical ability, but to develop resilience, communication and problem-solving through real challenges. The camp also marked an important milestone for many students: their first step into the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award program. The Bronze Award is structured around four sections including Voluntary Service, Physical Recreation, Skills and an Adventurous Journey, and the Kangaroo Valley camp serves as the Adventurous Journey component, involving preliminary training followed by a practice and qualifying expedition.
Beyond the camp, students completing the Bronze Award will commit to roughly an hour a week across their chosen activities, whether volunteering in the community, developing a new skill or dedicating themselves to a physical pursuit. The award is recognised by universities and employers, and the mix of activities can be tailored to each student’s own passions and goals.
Thank you to all the teachers and staff who accompanied and supported students throughout the camp. In particular, we acknowledge Head of Year 9 Aisling Power, whose organisation and oversight were instrumental in bringing this program together
The camp also marked a return to The Retreat Kangaroo Valley, reinforcing the School’s sequential Outdoor Education Program, which builds year on year.
