The Year 9 Outward Bound Expedition will be taking place from Saturday 1 March to Friday 7 March 2025.
The 2025 Outward Bound Expedition is a 7-day program based around the Buchan and Snowy River region.
The program will be journey-based that allows students to connect to themselves, their peers and the natural world as they disconnect from technology and immerse themselves in adventurous outdoor learning.
The journey includes adventure activities such as hiking, rafting, abseiling and/or climbing and of course camping in the outdoors.
Each day, leaders will have a focus for students to work towards which helps to build their self-determination, resilience, communication, problem solving, goal setting, expanding their comfort zones and questioning their own intrinsic values.
Each program includes time for students to have a solo experience, to sit quietly in nature, taking in their surroundings and self-reflect. Leaders will guide students in this experience so that they get the most out of this valuable time.
To ensure the smooth running of the program we need to make sure that staff working on the program have access to up to date medical and dietary information. This profile will be accessible to specific Outward-Bound coordinators and leaders to ensure that staff can support your child in the field. Thank-you to those of you who have already updated their child’s Operoo medical profiles. Please make this a priority if you haven’t already done so.
In this booklet you will find further information regarding the camp so please read through this carefully.
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 Lucy Clapham Outward Bound Camp Coordinator.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Outward Bound Camp is being held on the lands of the Snowy River system which includes the Gunai Kurnai people and we wish to acknowledge them as Traditional Owners.
We also pay our respects to their Elders, past and present and emerging, and Aboriginal Elders of other communities who may be on this land we are travelling to.
PARTICIPATION
Participation by students in Year 9 Outward Bound Expedition is a compulsory part of the school curriculum and all students are expected to attend.
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 EFORM
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 for the school nurse. 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 with the unpredictability of weather patterns within Australia, this camp will be held during fire season times. In the case of a dry season, it is important that students should:
• Bring fire ready clothes (longs made of natural fibres).
YEAR 9 OUTWARD BOUND EXPEDITION INFORMATION
CAMP STAFF
Woodleigh camp coordinator: Ms Clapham. Additional Woodleigh and Outward Bound staff to be confirmed.
CAMP DATES
Saturday 1 March until Friday 7 March, 2025.
MEDICATION ON CAMP
Students taking medication to 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 this Operoo e-Form below.
PLEASE NOTE: Some students will be required to provide 2 sets of medication. One to be carried with the group, and the other to be left onsite at the Outward Bound base camp. These students will be contacted by Outward Bound prior to camp.
COST
All transport, staffing and group equipment costs will be met by the school. Equipment hire has been organised as detailed below. The cost of this equipment hire is $165 which will automatically be charged to your account (unless you have met the Opt-Out process).
TRANSPORT
Departure: Students to arrive at Woodleigh by no later than 5:30am for a 6:00am bus departure Saturday 1 March and bring a packed lunch for the first day and a full water bottle. All items are to be kept in your personal bag - loose items can get misplaced easily.
Return: Returning to Woodleigh at approximately 7:00pm on Friday 7 March.
LOCATION
The camp is located around the Buchan and Snowy River region.
ACCOMMODATION
The camp accommodation for the week will be under tarps.
MEALS
All meals and snacks will be provided by Outward Bound. No food should be brought on camp except for the first day lunch. Please provide a packed lunch for the travel day on Saturday in a paper bag. All dietary requirements should be recorded and updated on Operoo so that Outward Bound can cater for all students needs.
CLOTHING/EQUIPMENT
Please note there are THREE separate lists of equipment that you should be aware of:
1. Outward Bound Provided Gear.
2 Essential Hired items or ‘Opt-Out Form’.
3 Recommended Student Packing List.
1. OUTWARD BOUND PROVIDED GEAR
Outward Bound will provide… All group and specialist equipment such as:
• Bivvies (an a-frame tarp for sleeping under. Lighter to carry and easier to erect than tents).
• Backpacks.
• Sleeping mats.
• Cooking stoves and fuel.
• Helmets required for climbing, abseiling, and paddling.
• Lifejackets for paddling.
• All safety and communication equipment.
Outward Bound no longer supply sleeping bags or rain wear.
2. ESSENTIAL HIRED ITEMS OR ‘OPT-OUT FORM’.
HIRING - SLEEPING BAG, WATERPROOF JACKET AND PANTS
As part of the preparation process for Outward Bound, students need to start getting together the gear and clothing requirements for the trip. Most of the specialised camping equipment is provided by Outward Bound including hiking packs, sleeping mats, cooking equipment, and sleeping shelters.
However, Outward Bound do not provide sleeping bags, waterproof rain jacket (Japara type) or waterproof rain pants.
To ensure that all students have this equipment, the following gear has been hired on behalf of every student from Outsports Pty Ltd for the week:
• $75 for the hire of a sleeping bag and inner sheet suitable for the conditions of the Snowy River region.
• $55 for the hire of a Waterproof Rain Jacket (long Japara style with hood).
• $35 for the hire of a Waterproof Rain pants.
Total $165 for hire, will be charged to your school account.
PLEASE NOTE: All gear will be finalised with the gear hiring company on Friday 21 February. Any cancellations after this date will still be charged for gear hire as it has already been packed and processed for delivery. Any hire gear items missing upon return will be charged an additional fee to student accounts to cover the replacement cost of the lost gear.
OPT-OUT OF HIRE PROCESS
We recognise that some families may have equivalent appropriate equipment. Should you wish your child to use your own equipment, you may request that we delete items from the hire order. This process needs to be completed by no later than Tuesday 4 February 2025. Your child needs to come and speak with Mr Peach or Ms Clapham and collect an ‘Equipment Hire Opt-Out Form’. The relevant piece/s of equipment need to be checked by Outdoor Ed staff (Mr Peach or Ms Clapham) to ensure students safety and comfort in this remote environment.
IMPORTANT: The items you wish to Opt-Out of hiring should be clearly indicated on the form. Students must bring this “Opt-out form” into school, printed and signed by their parent/guardian, along with the equipment they will be using to get checked off by Ms Clapham on Tuesday 4 February 2025. Students will need to meet at the P2 Portables fire pit at Lunch time on this day.
The value of the non-hired item will be deducted from the total cost of equipment hire charged to your account. We will be unable to extend this Opt-Out option beyond the cut-off date as the gear will have to be processed by Outsports. It is important that parents/guardians read and check all items on the attached equipment list. HIRE GEAR WILL BE DISTRIBUTED AT WOODLEIGH on Friday 28 February 2025.
3. RECOMMENDED STUDENT PACKING LIST.
This is your recommended packing list. You can pack all your personal items into one large duffle bag, you will need to re-pack it into the backpack provided when you arrive. We recommend having only the one, large bag, to avoid losing items. This bag will stay locked up at Outward Bound basecamp.
Wear your expedition clothes on the bus and keep a change of warm, dry and cosy clothes and shoes in your bag for the ride home after your program.
We don’t recommend wearing cotton clothing. It gets wet and cold quickly and stays that way. Thermals, either synthetic or wool, are much better for school expeditions.
Please see list at the end of this booklet.
FOOTWEAR
All students need to supply and wear hiking boots for this Outward Bound experience. Hiking boots should have good ankle support, be well fitted and worn in and be made of breathable, waterproof materials.
If you buy new hiking boots, please make sure that they are worn-in over a few weeks. They should be worn all day and over some different terrain.
DO NOT BRING
Valuables or any articles that you wouldn't want to lose or break, an excessive amount of money, lollies, any electronic/digital devices.
MOBILE PHONES
Mobile phones should be left at home and not brought on camp. They will not be required. Mobile Phones will be confiscated if seen/ heard and locked away. These will be returned at the end of the camp. All care will be taken, however no responsibility will be accepted for confiscated phones.
RISK
There are elements of risk involved in this remote hiking camp, and while safety ratios and requirements will be strictly followed, we believe it is important to make you aware of potential risks. These risks include but are not limited to:
• Exposure to extreme weather conditions, including cold temperatures and high winds.
• Soft tissue injuries, sprains, or fractures due to uneven terrain and elevation changes.
• Limited access to immediate medical support due to remote location.
• Students becoming lost or disoriented.
• Communication delays in emergency situations due to limited network coverage.
• Complications arising from a pre-existing medical condition.
To mitigate these risks, we will:
• Require students to bring appropriate safety clothing and equipment (a detailed list will be provided).
• Use experienced staff familiar with the alpine environment and emergency protocols.
• Monitor weather conditions closely, adjusting the program as needed for safety.
• Conduct route planning and provide orientation to ensure students are prepared for remote conditions.
• Maintain strict supervision and group management to minimize the chance of students becoming lost.
• 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
The Outward Bound program requires 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.
• It is a courtesy to be respectful and positive at all events, even those you personally find less interesting. A good night’s sleep will be essential - being tired will not only affect you but also others on camp.
• Never leave the campsite without the permission of a staff member.
• 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 tent before breakfast or after dark. You will only enter someone else's tent if the people in that group are there, invite you in and you have obtained permission from a staff member.
Students will be rostered into groups to help with organisation which will include such things as setting out breakfast, lunch and washing up. There are also cleaning duties which will be performed every day during the camp along with maintaining individual equipment. Students will have some free time to rest, read and socialise in the designated spaces. We encourage every student to bring a board game or cards etc. to play with their peers during these down times.
The days will be long and tiring and therefore some students may wish to go to sleep earlier, we are living in a close group with peers and staff. Respecting each other’s privacy and being quite in the campsite is of the upmost importance.
Infringement of these policies will result in the student being sent home, at your own expense, suspension and will influence participation in future activities.
2025 OUTWARD BOUND - HIRE GEAR OPT-OUT FORM
Please use this form to indicate the gear that you DO NOT wish Woodleigh to hire for your child.
Please bring this “Opt-out form” printed and signed by your parents to school, along with the equipment you will be using to get checked off by Ms Clapham on Tuesday 4 February 2025. Meet at the P2 Portables fire pit at lunchtime.
Opt-Out cut-off date is Tuesday 4 February 2025. No forms will be able to be accepted after this date.
Hire gear will be distributed at School on Friday 28 February 2025.
GEAR NOT REQUIRED (please mark with an X)
STUDENT'S OWN PERSONAL GEAR CHECKED AND SIGNED HERE BY WOODLEIGH OUTDOOR ED STAFF Down Sleeping Bag & Liner Sheet $75.00 Breathable, Waterproof Rain Jacket with hood
Extended Expedition Program with Water Activity Packing List
Welcome to Outward Bound Australia!
We look forward to you joining us on your Outward Bound Program Please take the time to read through this packing list to help you to prepare for your journey and ensure you have the appropriate clothing and equipment
If you don’t have something on the list below, we recommend borrowing it from friends and family, or buying second hand. Please pack your items in one large, soft bag (i.e. a duffle bag, NOT a hard suitcase), and label your belongings to avoid losing them.
Core Principles of Outdoor Clothing & Equipment
Clothing should be lightweight – no denim, no bulky jackets, no cotton hoodies
Clothing should keep you warm, even when wet – this means NO cotton, as it does not keep you warm once it is wet and becomes very heavy Materials such as wool and polypropylene are recommended
Clothing is more effective when layered – it is more effective to have two lightweight jumpers than one large jacket
Layering traps warm air in between items of clothing and is more effective at keeping you warm.
Footwear needs to be sturdy & comfortable - we recommend breaking in boots to avoid blisters
Space is limited – only bring the items listed below and keep them as light weight as possible
If you have any questions about the packing list, please contact your school coordinator or email mailbox@outwardbound org au
Equipment Outward Bound Supplies
Hiking Backpack
Sleeping Mat
Tent or Sleeping Shelter with ground sheet
Cooking equipment and cooking utensils
All specialist Activity equipment (e g canoes, helmets, climbing harnesses, etc)
All safety equipment including First Aid kit, Communications and GPS
All food for the Program, except for lunch on day 1
Packing Tips & Tricks
Check out these great videos by One Planet to prepare for your program
Layering and Fabrics
Footwear Guide
Waterproofing
Packing a pack
Hygiene
Setting up a tent
Extended Expedition Packing List (with Water) - 7-14+ days - 2024
Clothing Required
2 Long-sleeved collared shirts (quick-dry material recommended)
2 Short-sleeved t-shirt with collar
1-2 Pair of long hiking pants (not jeans or tracksuit pants)
1-2 Pair of quick drying shorts appropriate for outdoor activities
2 Woollen or polypropylene thermal long-sleeved top
2 Woollen or polypropylene thermal long pants
2 Pullover jumpers (polar fleece or wool)
1 Waterproof raincoat
1 Broad brimmed hat
1 Pair of hiking shoes Boots recommended for good ankle support
1 Beanie
Enough underwear and hiking socks for regular changes
1 set of travelling clothes to wear home
Equipment Required
1 Sleeping bag with comfort rating of 0 degrees or below
Synthetic or down fill with compression sack
1 Head torch with 2 sets of spare batteries
1 Whistle on a cord
1 30ml Hand Sanitiser
Toiletries (including personal medication, toothbrush/toothpaste)
2 Water Bottles; minimum 2Lt combined capacity
6 heavy-duty garbage bags (orange Multix ones are the best)
1 SPF 30+ sunscreen and lip balm for personal use
1 Small notebook or journal with pen
1 Bowl, approx 500mL capacity
1 Spoon and Fork
1 Mug
1 Toilet Paper roll in snaplock bag
1 Cleaning Kit - scourer, sponge, tea towel in a snaplock bag
1 Menstrual Hygiene pack
Optional Items
1 Inner sheet for sleeping bag
1 pair of sunglasses and retainer strap
1 Book or playing cards
1 Insect repellent (roll-on or liquid pump only)
1 Pair of gaiters for bushwalking in shorts
1 Pair of waterproof overpants
1 Sports tape
1 Pair of Gloves
Water Activity
Additional heavy-duty garbage bags for waterproofing
1 Pair of water shoes, must be closed toed
No Crocs of thongs
1 Pair of quick dry shorts or bathers
1 extra set of thermals (top and bottom)
Do Not bring
The following items are not permitted in the field If you bring these with you, you will be required to leave them in your soft bag from home
Mobile Phones
Portable Speakers
Alcohol/Cigarettes/Vapes Knives
Cosmetics/excessive toiletries
Food from home, including lollies/sweets
Aerosols (including spray deodorant)
Medication of drugs not declared on your medical forms
MENSTRUAL HYGIENE ON PROGRAM
Welcome to Outward Bound Australia! We are looking forward to having you join us on Program! A common question for those who experience menstruation is how to manage it in the field. This document outlines things you need to know to manage a period in the field.
Hygiene in the Field
There will be different forms of toilets throughout the program including flushing toilets, drop-toilets, an expedition toilet bucket or digging a hole.
Group Leaders will deliver a briefing on managing hygiene on program hand washing, toileting hygiene and managing periods in the field. They’ll remind you to wash your hands frequently, as well as before and after changing a period product.
You can raise any concerns you have directly with your Group Leader when you feel comfortable. Any question you have will be handled with respect and discretion.
Any menstrual pain medications must be handed to the accompanying adult or the Outward Bound Group Leader, as administration of these medications must be recorded whilst on program as per Outward Bound Policy.
Packing List
Period Products: Please bring the products you are most comfortable with (pads, tampons, menstrual cups and period underwear can all be used hygienically in the field), and bring enough for your entire period.
Small Plastic Bags: A good tip is to bring a small garbage bag (small nappie bags work well) to place used items in throughout the day.
Spare Underwear: Pack additional sets of underwear if you are expecting your period.
Hand Sanitiser: it can be helpful to pack a pocket-sized hand sanitiser to clean your hands before and after changing a period item.
PLEASE REMEMBER..
You are not alone!
Many people have managed their periods in the field before you, and many will after you. It is a very common experience in the field so please rest assured that you are not alone in this experience.
Preparation is key
Preparing to have your period in the field is key to properly manage it. Make sure you have packed enough menstrual products, spare underwear and understand your cycle. Even if you’re not expecting your period, it’s not uncommon to sync up with others in the group and get it at irregular times. We suggest packing a few items even if it’s not your time of the month.
Reach out
Please talk with someone you trust to discuss your period before you go on programyour Mum or Dad, a teacher or friend. Of course, please contact your Client Manager if you have further questions or concerns about maintaining menstrual hygiene whilst on Outward Bound.
We’re here to support you
Please rest assured that our Group Leaders are here to support you throughout your program in any way they can. All off our Group Leaders carry spare period products if you need.
