The Bib Track: Good for the soul and good for the mind

Mr Jordan Owenell, Head of Boarding

Scotch College’s award winning Bibbulmun Track Programme has strengthened our boarding community for over 20 years, helping students to build resilience, self-confidence, and lifelong bonds with every step of the 1000km journey.

Boarders are given the opportunity to walk each section of the track, which starts in the Perth Hills and ends in Albany, throughout their six years at Scotch.

From its early days, focused on building bonds between boarders as they hike and camp throughout the Southwest, the Programme has evolved into a transformational experience that opens the doors to deeper conversations, closer connections, and ultimately healthier and happier young men.

The programme will soon incorporate the Rites of Passage framework, which aims to support young people in the transition to adulthood.

We met with Rites of Passage Institute Founder, Dr Arne Rubinstein in January to gain more insight into his Transformational

Education framework, which is built around strengthening students’ sense of self, helping them to discover their potential, building resilience and creating healthy relationships.

We are already doing a lot right with the Bibbulmun Track Programme, which has not only won awards but, most importantly, has an overwhelmingly positive impact on our boarding community. However, we do have some planned enhancements to make the boys more conscious of the reasons behind walking the track and to create further opportunities for reflection.

While in many ways going to boarding school is a Rite of Passage in itself, the Bibbulmun Track Programme provides an authentic experience for achieving key wellness outcomes.

There are no lightning strike moments where the boys suddenly become men. This is something that happens slowly each day, but the programme does provide opportunities for the boys to build closer friendships and resilience and gives them the confidence to reveal their true characters.

Without technology or other distractions, casual chats on the track naturally give way to more meaningful conversations, which is one of the secrets to the programme’s success.

The stereotype is that men don’t talk openly, and this becomes even more challenging for those living in isolated areas, particularly during busy farming seasons.

Getting boarders out on the track helps them to build closer friendships where they are not afraid to talk.

Naturally this is a good thing, regardless of whether they decide to return to their farms or home communities, or whether they do

something else entirely. And there’s no doubt – the track is good for your soul.

Captain of Boarding, Lochie Elliot will tell you that the Bib Track always leaves boarders feeling more connected to themselves and each other.

“It is a bit of a mental health session that gives boarders a chance to think about things more deeply. We talk more and really get to know each other and the staff on a different level. We always feel closer when we get back from the track, which makes Scotch feel less like a boarding school and more like a home.”

Even though Scotch boarders are generally fit, strong, and healthy walking the track is exceptionally challenging, which is one of the main reasons it builds resilience and ultimately confidence in the students.

Walking 80-100kms over the course of 5 or 6 days with a heavy backpack is a huge challenge, even for the Year 11s and 12s. The Years 7s do shorter sections for a night or two at a time, but the seniors are walking for 6-7 days at 6kms an hour and covering over 80-100kms.

I can say from experience that by the time you get to the end of the day… you’re exhausted!

Year 12 student Harrison Hammond, who is the only student to complete the entire track this year, said getting up after the first day to do it all again was the hardest part.

“It isn’t easy, and I think that’s probably one of the reasons some Year 11s and 12s choose not to finish, but others just don’t want to miss school and sport.”

In Years 11 and 12 the boys often hit state sporting teams and become very dedicated to their studies, so we understand why they don’t want to miss school and training. Completing the track and being recognised as an end-to-ender by the Bibbulmun Track Foundation is a huge accomplishment and we don’t want to dull that experience for those who achieve it, but we must also celebrate every student’s growth and persistence along the way.

A word of advice from Year 11 Rory Purser: “The boarders should focus on what they gain throughout the programme rather than on completing the entire track. It isn’t about the destination … it’s the journey. It isn’t just the stories or the memories… it is knowing that you’ve overcome something challenging. I think about the track any time life gets hard and tell myself… if you can push through that … you can push through this too.”