SENIOR HOMESTEAD
HORSE RIDING HIGH COUNTRY CAMP 2025
SENIOR HOMESTEAD CAMP
3-7 MARCH 2025
HORSE RIDING IN THE
HIGH COUNTRY
February 2025
Dear Student and Parents/Guardians,
The Senior Homestead Horse Riding High Country Camp will take place from Monday 3 March to Friday 7 March 2025. This camp is run by the McCormack family, one of the first families to settle in the Merrijig area in 1886, and who have run cattle in the King Valley since 1900. Bruce and Debra take us on a ride through the magnificent Victorian High Country, sharing with us their expert knowledge and experiences.
You will experience breathtaking views from Mount Stirling, visit Craig’s Hut from the movie ‘The Man from Snowy River’, roam through tree-ferned valleys, engage in numerous river crossings and camp at mustering huts each night. You will learn about horse care and be given riding tuition along the way. The pace is gentle, and the safety of the students and horses is always the first consideration. The McCormacks are the most wonderful, welcoming people and go out of their way to make sure that the camp will leave you with life-long memories.
Parents/Guardians, please respond to the Operoo eForm and ensure that your child’s medical information is up to date.
In this booklet you will find further information regarding the camp so please read through this carefully. Please note that, for safety reasons, the program may be adapted in the case of extreme weather conditions.
If there are any further queries you may have in relation to this camp, please do not hesitate to contact me. We look forward to a fun and rewarding week!
Yours sincerely,
Ms Cathy Holt
Horse Riding High Country Camp Coordinator
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Our camp is being held on the lands of the Taungurung People and we acknowledge them as Traditional Owners. We pay respect to their Elders, past and present, and Aboriginal Elders of other communities who may be here today. We recognise their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of this land.
POLICY RELATING TO STUDENTS WITHDRAWING FROM SENIOR HOMESTEAD CAMP/ABSENTEE CHARGEBACK POST CAMP
Homestead Week Camp is a compulsory part of the school curriculum and all students are expected to participate. Bookings and arrangements are made on this expectation.
In the event that a student withdraws from the camp due to medical reasons, the school requires prior written notice accompanied by a valid medical certificate. In such cases, families will be responsible for all non-refundable costs incurred, including but not limited to flights, accommodation, and other pre-paid expenses.
For cancellations due to a change of mind or any non-medical reasons, families will be charged the full camp fee.
SUNSMART POLICY
In keeping with the school’s “SunSmart” approach to outdoor activities, students are required to bring sunscreen, a protective hat (with a wide brim) and to wear tops which adequately cover the skin of the shoulders and back. In the event of swimming activities, students will need “rashies” or t-shirts. Sunscreen is an additional protection - it does not take the place of clothing or shade.
NUT POLICY
On Camp, we request that parents/students avoid bringing food products that contain nuts of any kind. In order to minimise the risk to students with severe allergies.
The school cannot guarantee that the camp environment will be 100% allergen free, hence students with allergies need to remain vigilant in their decisions around any food that they ingest.
EMERGENCY SCHOOL CONTACT
In the event of an emergency, or if you need to urgently contact your child, please do not ring the camp (or your child) directly but rather contact the school during office hours on (03) 5971 6100 or contact after hours on mobile 0482 888 022
RESPOND TO OPEROO E-FORM
To enable staff to fulfil their duty of care to students, we need accurate and up-to-date information about medical and personal issues for all students. Please respond to the Operoo eForm and ensure that your child’s medical information is up to date. Any last-minute changes should be communicated directly to the leader of the camp as well as updated on Operoo. We do rely on this information, and parents do have a duty of disclosure, to ensure all relevant information is known.
INFORMATION COLLECTION POLICY
Confidential medical and other sensitive information collected and used for the running of these camps will be handled in line with the School’s Privacy Policy.
POLICY RELATING TO STUDENTS SENT HOME FROM CAMP
Where a student does need to be sent home, for medical, personal, or discipline reasons, they will need to be collected from the camp by their parent/guardian (at their own expense) - they cannot travel unaccompanied. In all cases, arrangements must be made with school and special arrangements may need to be in place for remote camps, ie. 3 or more hours from school.
EXTREME WEATHER POLICY
We will modify our program based on weather forecasts - we will be in contact with Woodleigh School to review the week’s weather as it unfolds. In the event of a day being forecast to be Extreme (under the CFA Fire Danger Rating system) the program will be modified at the least, to ensure safety in the heat, and evacuation plans in readiness. In the event of a day being forecast to be Code Red (Catastrophic), the program will be cancelled in advance and students evacuated the day before. The School will use SMS and email to communicate with parents in such cases.
FIRE SEASON SAFETY
Please be aware this camp will be held within fire season times. It is important that students should:
• Plan at least one non-cook meal for Total Fire Ban days.
• Bring fire ready clothes (longs made of natural fibres, non-rubber sole shoes, head protection).
HORSE RIDING HIGH COUNTRY
CAMP
INFORMATION
CAMP DATES
Monday 3 March until Friday 7 March 2025.
MEDICATION ON CAMP
Any students taking medication on camp will need to provide all medication (in original packaging) to school by no later than Tuesday 18 February 2025. You can drop off the medication to reception anytime between 8am-4.30pm. Before handing in your child's medication, you are required to answer all the questions within the Operoo e-Form.
COST
The cost of this Senior Homestead Camp is approximately $1,000, which will be charged to student accounts. Students to bring money for our lunch stop in Yea on Friday ($10-$15 should be sufficient).
TRANSPORT
Departure: Students to arrive at Woodleigh at 8.30am on Monday 3 March, meeting next to Cruden Oval to load gear. (Please refer to the bus location map at the end of this booklet). The bus will depart Woodleigh at 9am, so please be on time.
Return: Students will return to Woodleigh by 3.30pm/4pm on Friday 7 March and can be collected at the same location as drop-off.
We will be travelling in a Rosa bus (with a trailer) driven by Woodleigh staff.
LOCATION
We camp at two different locations during the week. Nights 1 & 4, we will camp at the McCormack's farm in the Buttercup Valley and nights 2 & 3 we camp at ‘Razorback’ hut near the base of Mt Stirling.
ACCOMMODATION
We will sleep in bunk beds in the huts.
MEALS
The McCormacks provide delicious hot home cooked evening meals (with dessert!). Bring your own plate, bowl, cup, knife, fork and spoon (clearly named) in a pillowcase or drawstring bag. The McCormacks provide hot soapy water for you to wash up with. Please let us know if you have any special food requirements.
Please note that breakfast & lunch is not provided.
• Breakfast (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday)
We will not be cooking breakfast, so please bring healthy cereals and fruit and milk powder or small long-life milk packets.
• Riding Lunch (Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday)
You will need to select a non-perishable, lightweight, nutritious and portable diet, which you bring pre-packed to camp and you will carry in the saddle bags. Suggestions include tinned tuna, flat bread, dried biscuits, salami, cheese, dried fruit and juice. Include enough tetra pack-sized fruit juices for 2 to 3 each day as well as 2 x 600ml water bottles. Make sure the water bottles are not too wide because they need to fit in the water bottle holders that hang off the saddle.
• Bus Lunch (Monday), Shop Stop (Friday)
Bring your lunch for Monday (eaten when we arrive at Merrijig) & bring money for our lunch stop in Yea on Friday ($10-$15 should be sufficient).
• Snacks
You may like to bring some nutritious snack food to keep you going in between finishing riding and dinner time each day. Avoid junk food please.
CLOTHING/EQUIPMENT
Try to pack all your gear into one bag if possible, as we will have limited space.
• Sleeping Bag, Sheet & Pillow - The sleeping bag must be a good warm one because it could get very cold at night. The sheet is to put over the mattresses in the huts as they are very ‘rustic’ to say the least. A liner inside the bag is a good idea for extra warmth. Pillows are not provided, so you need to bring your own.
• A torch is a must! (Please also bring spare batteries).
• Long Oilskin Coat - A full length ‘Driza-Bone’ type coat is compulsory. (Waterproof overpants are not suitable as they are slippery and dangerous to ride in.) A reasonable number of oilskin coats will be available to borrow from the McCormacks. There is no need to purchase one.
• Footwear - Riding boots with a heel or narrow gumboots with a heel (this stops the foot slipping through the stirrup). Bring a change of comfortable, warm shoes for around the camp in the evening.
Clothing
The weather could be very cold or very warm, so come prepared for both. Be prepared to wear the same clothes for most of the week. It is best to wear layers, starting with a thermal layer closest to your skin.
• Comfortable trousers or jodhpurs for riding in (2 pairs).
• Multiple underwear & warm woollen socks.
• Thermal tops & bottoms (thermal bottoms under jodhpurs are useful as they help to prevent chafing - as long as the weather is not too hot!).
• 2 warm woollen jumpers/polar fleece tops.
• Tracksuit to sleep in.
• 2 lightweight, long-sleeved shirts (with a collar is a good idea as you do warm up while riding). The long sleeves are for protection against sun and blackberry bushes!
• Riding gloves, normal gloves for warmth, beanie & scarf in case it gets cold at night.
• A non-bulky (short) waterproof jacket to wear under the driza-bone can be useful in heavy rain to assist with staying dry!
• A clean set of clothing and shoes in a separate bag is to be left on the bus to travel home in.
• Towel & Toiletries - Depending on the amount of water in the McCormacks water tanks, we occasionally have the luxury of a shower on the Thursday night, so it’s a good idea to pack some soap, shampoo, etc., and a towel for a shower just in case.
Essential items to be carried in the saddle bag: Purse packs of tissues (or portions of toilet paper), small bottle of hand sanitising gel or sanitising hand wipes, sunscreen, lunch, snacks and water bottle.
The saddle bags are not particularly waterproof, therefore it is advisable to bring several zip lock bags to place items in such as cameras, tissues and an extra-large one for a spare polar fleece or thermal top.
Optional: Dencorub (as your muscles can get sore), cards or other games to play around the campfire and camera (no mobile phones). Guitarists are welcome to bring an acoustic guitar.
DO NOT BRING
Valuables, cameras or any articles that you don't want to lose or break, an excessive amount of money, lollies, electronic devices, laptops or iPads.
MOBILE PHONES
Mobile phones should be left at home and not brought on camp. They will not be required.
RISK
There are elements of risk involved in this horse-riding camp, which includes daily riding and overnight stays in remote huts. While safety ratios and requirements will be adhered to, we believe it is important to make you aware of potential risks. These risks include but are not limited to:
• Falls from horses, which could result in bruising, sprains, fractures, or other injuries.
• Injuries from horse behavior, such as kicks, bites, or sudden movements.
• Risks associated with rough terrain, including soft tissue injuries or strains.
• Limited access to immediate medical assistance due to the remote location.
• Exposure to changing weather conditions, which may include sunburn, heat exhaustion, or hypothermia.
• Allergic reactions to insect bites or other environmental factors.
• Complications arising from a pre-existing medical condition.
• Risk of students becoming disoriented or separated from the group in remote areas.
To mitigate these risks, we will:
• Require students to have appropriate safety clothing and riding gear, including helmets and boots (a detailed list will be provided).
• Work with experienced and qualified riding instructors who will oversee all riding activities and provide guidance on horse handling and safety.
• Check the Working With Children Check (WWCC) status of all instructors and guides.
• Monitor weather conditions daily and adjust the program as needed for safety.
• Conduct regular safety briefings on handling horses, managing risk on uneven terrain, and emergency protocols.
• Check student medical records prior to the camp and ask parents to update health information on Operoo. Parents will be contacted before camp if there are any questions or concerns.
BEHAVIOURAL EXPECTATIONS
• As a Senior Student at Woodleigh School participating in the Homestead Camps Program, there is a high level of responsibility and expectation with respect to behaviour. All normal school policies apply, in particular:
• Involvement with sex, drugs, smoking, vaping or alcohol is prohibited.
• A preparedness to participate wherever appropriate.
• Safety of all participants is paramount.
Infringement of these policies may result in the student being sent home, at your own expense.
• The safety of all participants is paramount. Particular adherence to the advice of the McCormack staff (while on and around the horses) is required.
• Never leave the campsite during downtime. We encourage every student to bring a board game or cards etc. to play with their peers during downtimes.
• Each student is responsible for the immediate environment and must keep it tidy and not damage any of the surroundings.
• No-one is to enter anyone else's cabin before breakfast or after dark. You will only enter someone else's cabin if the people in that group are there, invite you in and you have obtained permission from a staff member.
• The days will be long and tiring and therefore some students may wish to go to sleep earlier. Respecting each other’s privacy and being quiet around the camp in the evening is of the upmost importance.
HORSE RIDING HIGH COUNTRY PROGRAM
DAY Program
8.30am - Meet next to Cruden Oval where we pack the Rosa bus. You need to wear your riding gear and also bring onto the bus: lunch, water bottle, pillow, drizabone & helmet (if bringing your own), toilet paper/tissues, hand sanitising gel/wipes, sunscreen and your bag of clean clothing/shoes for the return trip. You will pack your main bag into the trailer, where it will stay until the evening. Make sure you have everything you need for your afternoon ride easily accessible on the bus with you (water bottle, snack, toilet paper, riding gear, driza-bone). The clean clothes will be left on the bus at the farmhouse.
9.00am - Depart Woodleigh.
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
11.00am (approx) - 30-minute toilet/morning tea stop at Yea.
12.45 pm - Arrive Merrijig, unpack bus, eat lunch.
We meet our hosts Debra and Bruce McCormack, then riders are matched with horses. After a safety briefing, including demonstration of how to saddle up and outlining safe handling of horses on the ground and in the saddle, you are given some basic riding instruction in the yards. Then we ride from the Merrijig property where the McCormack family has farmed for generations into the bush where you may well recognise the views from the 'Man from Snowy River' films. On the way we take in the views of Mt Buller and Mt Stirling as we head further into the foothills, traversing the ridges, into the natural bush. The base camp is located on the McCormack’s 360-acre property in the Buttercup Valley. You will be sleeping in bunk beds in their hut at Buttercup.
Pack up gear, eat breakfast, safety briefing, saddle and off we go. We depart Buttercup early, riding up the Plain Creek track stopping at the Delatite River for lunch. After lunch we follow the track along the beautiful river, enjoying numerous river crossings on the way to the Razorback Hut, where we set up camp for the night. The evening meal of good bush tucker is provided by the McCormacks - but we all help - every night!
From Razorback hut we ride up through the snow gums, over the Mt Stirling summit where (on a fine day) we will experience panoramic views of the Alpine National Park - a view you won’t forget. Depending on the weather and level of riding experience, we may ride to Craig’s Hut, made famous by the movie ‘The Man from Snowy River’. The afternoon ride takes us back to Razorback Hut where we spend a second night.
Thursday’s ride takes us back down over Mt No. 3 and Burnt Hut Knob back to Buttercup where we spend our last night.
Friday
Our last day. We pack up all our gear and saddle our horses for the last trek home, arriving back at Merrijig at approximately 11.30am
A quick change into our clean travel clothing and sadly we leave our much-loved horses and our new friends.
We stop at Yea for lunch on the way home and then continue on to Woodleigh, arriving at approximately 3.30pm / 4.00pm. (Bring money for lunch).
Note: In the interest of student/staff safety, the program may be subject to change, depending on weather and track conditions.
BARRETTS ROAD
WOODLEIGH SCHOOL SENIOR CAMPUS
2025 HOMESTEAD WEEK CAMP BUS LOCATIONS
Please make sure you refer to your camp booklet for departure and return dates and times.
Parents, for safety reasons, please park in designated parking areas. These are located around Cruden Oval and the Gym.
Woodleigh School is located on the estate of the Mayone Balug clan of the Boon Wurrung/Bunurong people, who have cared for the land for millennia.
MY CAMP CHECKLIST
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