Outdoor Education and Camps

Ignatius Park has continued this year to provide high quality tuition in music. Friendly and professional music experts have guided and trained our boys to progress in a variety of instruments, including guitar, bass, drums, piano, vocals, and saxophone. We have an outstanding group of instructors who are committed and passionate about teaching at Ignatius Park: Dave Roberts, Nic Mitchell, Sara Ferguson, Bo Taylor Hodgson and myself. All tutors have many years of experience, not only as teachers but as musicians. Their wealth of knowledge is authentic and current, and they always bring a positive, encouraging energy to the music room.

The highlight this year was when a selection of students from our instrumental program performed at our Music Showcase night in August, “Live at the Park”. Students and Tutors were able to present some of the songs and skills they had been working on and it was a wonderful, intimate night with family and friends. Learning a musical instrument has been proven time and time again to be beneficial to a young person’s development: mentally, academically, physically, emotionally and socially. We are very lucky at Ignatius Park to have such a high standard of music tuition and we highly recommend music lessons to one and all! Tess Higgins | Instrumental Music Coordinator

This year, the Arts Faculty launched a lunch series to celebrate the wonderful work of our creative students. Each fortnight in Term 3 focused on an individual subject area to share with other students and staff.

In Week 2, Year 12 Drama presented Runaway Minds, a dramatic play devised, created, and performed by them. Congratulations to Miss Tamara Apenis and Year 12 Drama students for their amazing work as they explored the dual nature of creation and how human beings aren’t purely good or evil, as we all contain elements of both.

The Music students entertained us in Week 4 with their musical talents. Shout out to Hayden Dunlop, Ben Herrero and Matthew Wilmen on fantastic performances that left the audience wanting more. Supporting and coordinating in the background were teachers Mr Matthew Thiele and Ms Tess Higgins.

The Film, Television and New Media students took us on a European journey in Week 6, with the Year 12 students designing and producing short films inspired by the two popular foreign film movements: French New Wave and German Expressionism. From unrequited love to bullying, first romance loss, these short films were outstanding and highlighted the amazing talents of the Year 12 FTVNM students led by their teacher Ms Katrina Guazzo.

Our final session, Art Walk, opened the doors to the Visual Art rooms. From soapstone sculptures to large-scale murals, 3D art pieces to lino printing, it is always amazing to see the work the boys produce throughout the year. Thank you for Mr Brett Deneen, Mr Andrew Hodgson and Mr Craig Brown for drawing out the creativity inside your students.

Live @ Lunch was a great way to share and celebrate with the wider school community our talented performers, film makers, musicians, and visual artists here at Ignatius Park College.

Kylie Tillack | Faculty Leader - The Arts

Construction of the new 100-metre, Camp Gedling Flying Fox Since the beginning of construction of the high ropes course in 2009, the addition of a flying fox to the Gamp Gedling student facilities has always been a logical objective. Completion of the multi-function activity tower in 2018, provided the perfect take-off point and construction of the flying fox began in late 2019. Dry conditions over the Christmas break were perfect to bring the years of ideas and planning to fruition, with installation poles, stays and the first test line in early 2020. Now, with multiple test runs complete, suppliers are on standby for the final stage, that of forming the landing mound, installing safety braking systems and creating guidelines for safe operation, we look forward to project completion. Like many previous College projects associated with Camp Gedling, there are members of the wider College community who have generously given their own time, energy and material in support of the education and wellbeing of our students. I thank, most sincerely, on behalf of the College the following: Burton Power for their supply of time and considerable materials to install pole stays. Steve Whitmore, Project Adventure Australia, for professional support and technical advice in the planning stage. Jason Brown, rigging contractor and professional stunt rigger, for the many extra hours of test runs and adjustments to tensioning to achieve optimal braking. Lee-Ann and Peter Fryer, Hervey Range landowners and long-standing College supporters, for their generous offer of fill for forming up the landing mound. We are looking forward to the completion of this exciting addition to the pastoral development and outdoor education of the boys and their ever-supportive College community.

Steve Coleman | Outdoor Education Consultant