Warrdagga Year 9 Camp 2008

On Monday September 1st to Friday September 5th I had the priviledge to go on the year 9 camp to Warrdagga. Warrdagga is a rock on a station situated approximately 430 km northeast of Perth in the middle of absolutely nowhere!! There are no facilities there, no running water (although there is a well, with freezing cold water...) just a rock and bush. So here we travel with 110 people to spend a week in the bush to learn about rocks, and gold mining in the area and various other school related activities. My hat goes off to those who did the bulk of the organising and the prep work for this yearly expedition... the logistics to make it work for so many people is pretty incredible!! And we had a wonderful week.

Monday was spent travelling to Warrdagga, leaving at 8:30 in the morning to meet up with the Albany group in Northam, then doing some educational activities along the way, both in the bus and at Wubin. Once we got to camp everyone set up there tents quickly and efficiently - except Mr Bruning who had made his class bring their tents to school and set them up to be sure they had everything... he forgot to check his tent and came to camp minus the tent poles!!! What a laugh!

We've arrived!!

Our camp set up in the middle of nowhere!
These showers were set up and the kids had the opportunity to shower twice during the week. The water was from the well in the background and freezing cold. You should have heard the squeals coming out of there!!
Tuesday morning we went for a lovely 5 km walk around the rock. It's amazing how everywhere you go you see God's hand at work. Here, in the middle of nowhere is this big rock with boulders plonked on top, we could see some of the effects of the Flood. Along our walk we stopped off at some interesting places like circumcision cave (with a gruesome tool hanging from the ceiling), an aboriginal site, past a rock that is very similar to wave rock, past the king and queen's spot and finally to a rock pool where some of the kids splashed about and cooled off.

Why play in water when there are mud puddles around!!

In the afternoon I had to take my group of kids back up the rock where they all did an orienteering activity using a compass. I was told they all knew how to use a compass...yeah right!! But we made it back all right, with only 1 wrong turn so I didn't think we did too badly! Then it was time for me to help finish dinner preparations and serve up the food. Why is it that when you're outdoors food always tastes delicious? This camp was no exception. We might have been out in the bush, but we sure ate like kings!!

Wednesday we went to Payne's Find, a small "town" (blink and you miss it sort of a town) where

we got to check out the gold battery (the only one owned and operated by a woman!!),

panning for gold,

learn about Pilot Binder, an old Aboriginal hero,

go rock collecting and find treasures like amethyst, jasper... then we travelled on to Field's Find Cemetery for some more "educational information" and a site of jasper. Unfortunately,

when we got to the cemetery, our bus "died"; twas a very appropriate place I must say!! The starter motor was kaput. And of course it was the big bus! While the leaders were deciding what to do with a broken down bus in the middle of nowhere, the kids were kept busy with the beginning of their Warrlympics with a rock throwing competition.

Winding up for a big throw!!

Rather scary because not everyone had very good aim!! With evening coming along, and no hope of repairing the bus, we all piled into the other bus and headed back to camp crowded, cramped but thankful we could all make it back. Thankfully dinner was nearly ready when we got back, so it was back into the swing of things straight away. That evening they continued with the Warrlympics, with lots of fun competitions!

Thursday morning was spent taking photos, both group photos and photos for a photographic competition.

I think Cody should win the prize for the sweetest flower!!

In the meantime 2 of the men went back to the bus, after obtaining a new starter motor, and managed to fix it up and at 5 o'clock the bus was finally back. Yippee!! Thursday evening was the final evening for the Warrlympics; Cody did us proud (????) by winning the spitting competition! Go figure! My kid can spit a marshmallow the furthest out of all the year 9's!! But he did well, because his team received the Gold for their efforts!! And then of course they had to go on their long-awaited night walk! Cody sang at the top of his lungs all the way. Not much consideration for those hoping for a more romantic setting but hey, they just about jogged the track anyway because it was getting rather late!! It was good for a smile anyway.

All packed up and ready to go

Good-bye Warrdagga

Friday morning was pack up time, and we were on the road at 9 am, yes, it was a rather early start!! We took a slight detour off the beaten track to have a look at the wreath flowers,

which were really neat to see and quite special as they don't alway bloom, and they only grow in this small area out in the middle of nowhere!!

Admiring and learning!

On the road again!

We had lunch in New Norcia and then straight home to Armadale. By the time we got back to school at 5pm, my ears were ringing because I ended up in the noisiest bus. The kids sang at the top of their lungs for over an hour. We had the camp CD playing, and they had a ball. Some passing motorists joined in on the fun, even starting a water fight, throwing water into the windows, while others quickly wound their window closed...

All in all it was a great camp. The kids thoroughly enjoyed themselves, and we were very thankful that God took care of us and kept us all safe. Now we've had a week to recuperate, and I'm slowly getting back into the swng of things again here at home.