Geography's Big Week Out

Geography's Big Week Out

Group photo of all the GBWO students at Eureka Tower

Give up a week of school holidays to do geography fieldwork? Yes please, say these students ... and can you make it longer next time!

The 2011 Geography's Big Week Out was held from 2 to 7 October on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria. The 16 participating students had won their places through outstanding performances in the National Geographic Channel Australian Geography Competition. On offer was selection into the team which will represent Australia at the International Geography Olympiad in Cologne, Germany, 21-27 August 2012.

Anthony, Sarah G and Rhys field sketching at Eureka Tower

Kate and Sarah N getting their bearings

The students arrived in Melbourne on Sunday 2 October:

First up we went to Eureka Tower, the highest tower in the Southern Hemisphere let alone Melbourne. After ascending over 80 floors, we were able to take a full circle view over Melbourne. In small groups, we walked around the tower taking observations of Melbourne, what had changed and what was currently happening. This was great for providing us with background information about Melbourne and it gave us a glimpse of what else was to follow during the week. Anthony

After our Melbourne Orientation experience in the Eureka Tower's "Skydeck" we made our way to Federation Square which over its short lifespan has evolved to be a significant social focal point. We then boarded the City Circle Tram, a free tourist service (which therefore is always overcrowded). Enroute it gave us a narrated tour of Melbourne and some of the background history which was quite fascinating. With a short stop in the Docklands to have a look at an example of urban renewal we continued around to the Carlton Gardens and after drawing a sketch map we were on our way down to the Peninsula. Daniel

After travelling to Blairgowrie we settled into a comfortable group accommodation lodge, and continued work after dinner with a briefing on the next day's activity.

Rob field sketching from Arthurs Seat

On our first morning on the Peninsula, we drove to Arthur's Seat to draw a field sketch. This vantage point provided breath-taking views of Port Phillip Bay and the adjacent suburbs of Rosebud, Tootgarook, Rye, Blairgowrie, Sorrento and Portsea. Aside from the beautiful view, this activity was a really great way to commence our time on the Mornington Peninsula as it provided us with an opportunity to get our bearings and to establish a special understanding of the area in which we would be working. Lucinda

Daniel and Council member David Gibb

Next, we were lucky enough to visit the Mornington Shire Council office, where we were given talks by guest speakers, Council CEO Dr Michael Kennedy and Strategic Planning Manager Allan Cowley. These speakers gave us an insight into how the Mornington Peninsula was run, and the problems the Shire faced when planning for the future of the region. They really showed us the importance of town planning and the possible career directions geography could take us in the future. A few councilors - Antonella Celi, David Gibb and Bill Goodrem - were kind enough to sacrifice their time to discuss the area with us over a great lunch supplied by the Shire. It was an interesting visit, and a great starting point for us to base the remainder of our fieldwork on. Laura

Gathering data at the source of Main Creek

Anthony testing water quality

In the afternoon the students began their river studies at the source of Main Creek - struggling through the undergrowth to take measurements.

The Main Creek Study was a chance to really get into the activity. If you weren't feeling the chill of the Peninsula's weather yet, this was the perfect opportunity to get your feet wet and freezing. Whether it was using dog biscuits and oranges to find out the speed of the creek's flow, or measuring the wetted perimeter and dimensions of the creek's shape, most were brave enough to get into the water for a bit of fun. Everyone also had a chance to do some sampling and tests on the creek's water condition at different points of the creek with Lisa Kordus, a Waterwatch coordinator with Melbourne Water. Observing the surrounding vegetation was interesting as well as seeing the changes at different spots down the creek. Everyone learned something new here and it was also a good time to bond through team work. Carmen

Natalie getting ready to record data

The Peninsula Hot Springs

Tuesday morning started with an early visit to the Peninsula Hot Springs.

The Peninsula Hot Springs was a great activity that we were lucky enough to enjoy, and I speak for many in saying it was one of the highlights of the trip. These man-made pools of water are filled every morning with 38 °- 42°EC water that is naturally warmed by a geothermal zone in the earth's crust. As there is no natural surface spring, the water is extracted from an artesian bore on the premises. It is later pumped back into the ground so the use is sustainable. Relaxing in these hot pools of water was a welcome escape from the intense field work and long debriefs that we had been experiencing, and gave us a chance to enjoy one of the Mornington Peninsula's most renowned tourist attractions. Apart from enjoying the water temperature we were also able to gain an insight into the functions and difficulties of running a developing tourism venture by talking with the business manager. Nicholas F

Brodie checking his position using GPS

Most of the day was then taken up with comparing the sand dune systems on Rosebud Beach and St Andrews Beach. This included measuring dune transects using very sophisticated GPS units - lent by Ultimate Positioning, along with Jamie Portman and Naomi Witham to teach us how to use them.

On Tuesday, the group undertook studies of the sand dunes at Rosebud and St Andrews Beach. The field work involved vegetation transects and the collection of abiotic data such as wind speed and height above sea level. We took away from this study a greater appreciation of how the human population can impact native ecosystems. The dune system at Rosebud was significantly degraded due to the extensive human activity in the area. In contrast, the dune system at St Andrews Beach was more natural and relatively untouched. It was great to be able to apply the theory I had learned in the classroom in such a beautiful place. Rhys

Beach vegetation transect

Laura shopping for cooking competition

On the way back to the accommodation, the students shopped for the international cooking competition, a favourite tradition of Big Week Out. The Mexican and Thai groups cooked the first night while the other half of the students prepared a presentation on the dunes. The next night the Italian and Indian cooks provided the feast, while the other students prepared their residential and retail presentations.

Four teams, four different cuisines, a shopping trip to Woolworths, a budget of $180, held over two nights, let the battle commence. The international cooking challenge was definitely a highlight for me as everyone's culinary skills were put to the test and our creativity was tested. In my group (Thai) the two girls took charge and the boys diligently followed our instructions, with some help, in how to julienne carrots, grill chicken and cut an onion. Overall it was good fun and there were no kitchen disasters with all teams producing some very fine tasting (and looking) food. While each team were certain they were going to win, Team Italy were announced the winners. Sarah N

Aleks cooking up a storm

Oliver undertaking a residential survey in Sorrento

On Wednesday each student surveyed five houses, in both Rosebud West and Sorrento, as well as examining the retail areas. We also did overall neighbourhood assessments, and compared the data accumulated in the field with our expectations of the two areas. We developed these expectations from examining a variety of statistics, graphs and maps prior to entering the field. It was surprising for the group to realise that our preconceived notions of Rosebud and Sorrento were, in fact, incorrect in many areas. We spoke with Kathy Hefferman from Mornington Peninsula Shire's Rosebud West Community Renewal Program, who discussed many plans in place for Rosebud. It was an engaging and interesting activity, which challenged many of the group's misconceptions, and made us think about how we judge areas sight unseen, and are often incorrect. Kate

Nick B, Lucinda and Nick F on Storm Bay

Later than afternoon we boarded Storm Bay for a great trip on Port Phillip Bay. Its captain, Tim Phillips from the Wooden Boat Shop in Sorrento, was a mine of local information.

The sailing was a real highlight of the trip, as it was both incredibly interesting and enjoyable to experience. We boarded a 1920s fishing smack in Sorrento to experience Portsea, Point Nepean, and the Rip from a different perspective, all with a running commentary from our captain Tim. We saw a variety of wildlife, ranging from some dolphins swimming alongside the boat to a seal jumping out of the water as it struggled with a large fish, as well as some of the most expensive houses in Australia, and the old quarantine station and leper colony, not to mention the staggering coastline of Point Nepean National Park. It was also a great time to get to know some of the other students; the sailing being more laid back than the intensive fieldwork activities we had completed over the previous few days. Overall, it was a very entertaining experience. Oliver

Carmen collecting a water sample at Balcombe Creek

Thursday morning we conducted more river studies, this time on Balcombe Creek. This flows through more developed areas than Main Creek and so provided a useful comparison.

This study involved similar practices to those used during the Main Creek study. However, Balcombe Creek was much bigger in parts of its route which flows out to Port Philip Bay. I thought that this was a good study to do, because it provided a contrast between two major creeks on the Mornington Peninsula, and we were able to practice our habitat and vegetation assessments on the creek, and our water testing skills with Lisa from Melbourne Water. I particularly enjoyed the water testing because, it was something I had never done before, and it provides a general summary of the area around the creek, based on its oxygen levels, turbidity and pH. I found the testing interesting in the different methods that are used to gain the information needed. This aspect of physical geography was one of the activities that I enjoyed learning about. Natalie

Nick F analysing the sample using the water testing kit

Sarah G and Natalie cycling at Nepean Point

On Thursday afternoon we cycled through the beautiful Point Nepean National Park. The cycling itself was very tough, with lots of hills and steep sections, but it was worth it as the views over Port Phillip Bay and Bass Strait were spectacular! We stopped along the way at some historical sites, such as Fort Nepean, Pearce Barracks and the site of the disappearance of former Prime Minister Harold Holt. The scenery was breathtaking and although most of us felt very sore afterwards, it was a lot of fun and definitely one of the highlights of the week. Sarah G

The op shop team, Carmen, Aleks, Lucinda and Daniel

Products of the great "Cook Off"

For dinner on the final night we went to a local restaurant.

During the week we drew out the name of another student and while we were doing the retail studies, purchased clothes from an op-shop for that student to wear at our final dinner on Thursday night. We all tried to keep the name of our student secret as we searched the op-shop for the oldest, brightest and daggiest clothes for them to wear. On Thursday night we revealed who our lucky recipients were and clad in our new clothes we enjoyed a beautiful dinner in a restaurant at Blairgowrie overlooking the bay. With such a strange array of clothing on display, we received lots of funny looks from fellow diners! Special mention must be made of Carmen for her bright pink outfit, Aleks for her incredibly daggy jumper and skirt, Nick B for looking like he had come from the 80s, and Shirley for her new handbag. It was a great night and lots of fun! Sarah G

I believe that I can speak on behalf of everyone when I say that we were pleasantly surprised with the variety and quality of the food that we enjoyed during the week. On Monday night after a day of trekking through creeks we were treated with pizza which was followed by pavlova. Over the following two nights we enjoyed the food prepared by the four International Cook Off groups: Thai, Italian, Mexican and Indian. I think that of all the people, Aleks enjoyed the Mexican the most due to her love of jalapeños and all foods spicy! As Thursday night was our last night together as a group we went out to a local Italian restaurant all decked out in our Op Shop clothes. I think we were all overwhelmed by the size of the dishes we were presented with. Eating out at a restaurant was a great way to spend our last night together. Brodie

Concentrating on the quizz

Back from dinner, the students were presented with letters from the Lord Mayor of Melbourne, and their official certificates. This was followed by a fun quiz.

On the last night the students were divided into four teams, with the teachers in a single team. The quiz was seven rounds long, each round consisting of 10 questions that challenged students' knowledge of Australia and the rest of the world and one clue to the baffler. In the end, the competition was extremely close. Kath announced that the "Pink Ladies" (made up of three girls and one boy) had drawn with the "Jalapenos" with a score of 63, followed extremely closely by another team and embarrassingly the teachers on 62, and "Team" on 61. However it turned out that apparently Kath had made a mistake in the adding up (she blamed tiredness) and maybe the Jalapenos had won after all. Nick B

Sarah N taking the test

The final morning the students sat a test.

The test was a measurement of the skills we learnt during the week. It lasted for 2 hours and was part of the selection process for the team of 4 that's going to Cologne, Germany for the Geography Olympiad. The test was pretty interesting. It wasn't too hard, but it required you to think a lot. I certainly believe it was a good test for the selection of the team. It really drew upon the skills that would be required in Germany. Rob

After the test was over we departed for the airport and home, travelling via the Sorrento-Queenscliff ferry and thus completing our circumnavigation of Port Phillip Bay.

What makes a camp amazing, and not just good, isn't so much the things you do and the places you go, but the people you share those experiences with; and I can safely say that the people at the Big Week Out made the week exceptional. Even though we were all from different parts of Australia and had different interests, we all managed to fit in together through our common love of geography. It wasn't just the students who made the week special, but the organisers who made it possible, the fantastic teachers who challenged us and pushed our knowledge of geography, and the people who gave up their time to teach us about their jobs and the area. Aleks

The fantastic, knowledgeable leaders were:

Pat Beeson
Kath Berg
Samantha Davis
Tanya Grace
Libby Hillman
Robin Irvine
Claire Jones
Shirley Lahtinen
Margaret McIvor
Terry McMeekin
Judy McPherson
Adam Nash
Emma O'Dowd
John Ramsdale
Gerry Smith
Lyn Terrett
Karoline Walter

The students who enjoyed it all so much were:

Nick Booth, Pembroke School, Adelaide
Laura Butler, Penrith High School, Sydney
Anthony Chen, Radford College, Canberra
Natalie Cvitanovich, Glenunga International High School, Adelaide
Lucinda Everson, St Margaret's Anglican Girls' School, Brisbane
Nicholas Forrester, Hale School, Perth
Sarah Godman, Cootamundra High School, NSW
Daniel King, Distance Education Centre Victoria
Sarah Naco, Canberra Girls' Grammar School
Kate Parrott, Hobart College
Brodie Petrolo, Woonona High School, Wollongong
Carmen Schoenjahn, St Mary's Anglican Girls' School, Perth
Rhys Sharry, Smithfield State High School, Cairns
Oliver Vasak, Sydney Grammar School
Aleksandra Vasic, John Monash Science School, Melbourne
Rob Wilson, Wynyard High School, Tas

We'll leave it to Rhys to sum up the experience:

Geography's Big Week Out was a fantastic experience and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The combination of interesting, yet challenging geographical tasks and relaxing leisure activities made the week a really fun learning experience that I will never forget. It was fantastic meeting people from all around the country who shared my keen interest in geography.

To give your students the opportunity to benefit from the 2012 Geography's Big Week Out, enter your Year 10/11 students (16 years or over on 31 August 2012) in the National Geographic Channel Australian Geography Competition.

We'll announce in February who has made the Olympiad team.

Thanks to Robin Irvine, Margaret McIvor and Kath Berg for the photos.

Last updated 1 November 2011. For more information email admin@rgsq.org.au
Return to home


Geography's Big Week Out
Group photo of all the GBWO students at Eureka Tower	Give up a week of school holidays to do geography fieldwork? Yes please, say these students ... and can you make it longer next time! The 2011 Geography's Big Week Out was held from 2 to 7 October on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria. The 16 participating students had won their places through outstanding performances in the National Geographic Channel Australian Geography Competition. On offer was selection into the team which will represent Australia at the International Geography Olympiad in Cologne, Germany, 21-27 August 2012.
Anthony, Sarah G and Rhys field sketching at Eureka Tower Kate and Sarah N getting their bearings	The students arrived in Melbourne on Sunday 2 October: First up we went to Eureka Tower, the highest tower in the Southern Hemisphere let alone Melbourne. After ascending over 80 floors, we were able to take a full circle view over Melbourne. In small groups, we walked around the tower taking observations of Melbourne, what had changed and what was currently happening. This was great for providing us with background information about Melbourne and it gave us a glimpse of what else was to follow during the week. Anthony After our Melbourne Orientation experience in the Eureka Tower's "Skydeck" we made our way to Federation Square which over its short lifespan has evolved to be a significant social focal point. We then boarded the City Circle Tram, a free tourist service (which therefore is always overcrowded). Enroute it gave us a narrated tour of Melbourne and some of the background history which was quite fascinating. With a short stop in the Docklands to have a look at an example of urban renewal we continued around to the Carlton Gardens and after drawing a sketch map we were on our way down to the Peninsula. Daniel After travelling to Blairgowrie we settled into a comfortable group accommodation lodge, and continued work after dinner with a briefing on the next day's activity.
Rob field sketching from Arthurs Seat	On our first morning on the Peninsula, we drove to Arthur's Seat to draw a field sketch. This vantage point provided breath-taking views of Port Phillip Bay and the adjacent suburbs of Rosebud, Tootgarook, Rye, Blairgowrie, Sorrento and Portsea. Aside from the beautiful view, this activity was a really great way to commence our time on the Mornington Peninsula as it provided us with an opportunity to get our bearings and to establish a special understanding of the area in which we would be working. Lucinda
Daniel and Council member David Gibb	Next, we were lucky enough to visit the Mornington Shire Council office, where we were given talks by guest speakers, Council CEO Dr Michael Kennedy and Strategic Planning Manager Allan Cowley. These speakers gave us an insight into how the Mornington Peninsula was run, and the problems the Shire faced when planning for the future of the region. They really showed us the importance of town planning and the possible career directions geography could take us in the future. A few councilors - Antonella Celi, David Gibb and Bill Goodrem - were kind enough to sacrifice their time to discuss the area with us over a great lunch supplied by the Shire. It was an interesting visit, and a great starting point for us to base the remainder of our fieldwork on. Laura
Gathering data at the source of Main Creek Anthony testing water quality	In the afternoon the students began their river studies at the source of Main Creek - struggling through the undergrowth to take measurements. The Main Creek Study was a chance to really get into the activity. If you weren't feeling the chill of the Peninsula's weather yet, this was the perfect opportunity to get your feet wet and freezing. Whether it was using dog biscuits and oranges to find out the speed of the creek's flow, or measuring the wetted perimeter and dimensions of the creek's shape, most were brave enough to get into the water for a bit of fun. Everyone also had a chance to do some sampling and tests on the creek's water condition at different points of the creek with Lisa Kordus, a Waterwatch coordinator with Melbourne Water. Observing the surrounding vegetation was interesting as well as seeing the changes at different spots down the creek. Everyone learned something new here and it was also a good time to bond through team work. Carmen Natalie getting ready to record data
The Peninsula Hot Springs	Tuesday morning started with an early visit to the Peninsula Hot Springs. The Peninsula Hot Springs was a great activity that we were lucky enough to enjoy, and I speak for many in saying it was one of the highlights of the trip. These man-made pools of water are filled every morning with 38 °- 42°EC water that is naturally warmed by a geothermal zone in the earth's crust. As there is no natural surface spring, the water is extracted from an artesian bore on the premises. It is later pumped back into the ground so the use is sustainable. Relaxing in these hot pools of water was a welcome escape from the intense field work and long debriefs that we had been experiencing, and gave us a chance to enjoy one of the Mornington Peninsula's most renowned tourist attractions. Apart from enjoying the water temperature we were also able to gain an insight into the functions and difficulties of running a developing tourism venture by talking with the business manager. Nicholas F
Brodie checking his position using GPS	Most of the day was then taken up with comparing the sand dune systems on Rosebud Beach and St Andrews Beach. This included measuring dune transects using very sophisticated GPS units - lent by Ultimate Positioning, along with Jamie Portman and Naomi Witham to teach us how to use them. On Tuesday, the group undertook studies of the sand dunes at Rosebud and St Andrews Beach. The field work involved vegetation transects and the collection of abiotic data such as wind speed and height above sea level. We took away from this study a greater appreciation of how the human population can impact native ecosystems. The dune system at Rosebud was significantly degraded due to the extensive human activity in the area. In contrast, the dune system at St Andrews Beach was more natural and relatively untouched. It was great to be able to apply the theory I had learned in the classroom in such a beautiful place. Rhys Beach vegetation transect
Laura shopping for cooking competition	On the way back to the accommodation, the students shopped for the international cooking competition, a favourite tradition of Big Week Out. The Mexican and Thai groups cooked the first night while the other half of the students prepared a presentation on the dunes. The next night the Italian and Indian cooks provided the feast, while the other students prepared their residential and retail presentations. Four teams, four different cuisines, a shopping trip to Woolworths, a budget of $180, held over two nights, let the battle commence. The international cooking challenge was definitely a highlight for me as everyone's culinary skills were put to the test and our creativity was tested. In my group (Thai) the two girls took charge and the boys diligently followed our instructions, with some help, in how to julienne carrots, grill chicken and cut an onion. Overall it was good fun and there were no kitchen disasters with all teams producing some very fine tasting (and looking) food. While each team were certain they were going to win, Team Italy were announced the winners. Sarah N Aleks cooking up a storm
Oliver undertaking a residential survey in Sorrento	On Wednesday each student surveyed five houses, in both Rosebud West and Sorrento, as well as examining the retail areas. We also did overall neighbourhood assessments, and compared the data accumulated in the field with our expectations of the two areas. We developed these expectations from examining a variety of statistics, graphs and maps prior to entering the field. It was surprising for the group to realise that our preconceived notions of Rosebud and Sorrento were, in fact, incorrect in many areas. We spoke with Kathy Hefferman from Mornington Peninsula Shire's Rosebud West Community Renewal Program, who discussed many plans in place for Rosebud. It was an engaging and interesting activity, which challenged many of the group's misconceptions, and made us think about how we judge areas sight unseen, and are often incorrect. Kate
Nick B, Lucinda and Nick F on Storm Bay	Later than afternoon we boarded Storm Bay for a great trip on Port Phillip Bay. Its captain, Tim Phillips from the Wooden Boat Shop in Sorrento, was a mine of local information. The sailing was a real highlight of the trip, as it was both incredibly interesting and enjoyable to experience. We boarded a 1920s fishing smack in Sorrento to experience Portsea, Point Nepean, and the Rip from a different perspective, all with a running commentary from our captain Tim. We saw a variety of wildlife, ranging from some dolphins swimming alongside the boat to a seal jumping out of the water as it struggled with a large fish, as well as some of the most expensive houses in Australia, and the old quarantine station and leper colony, not to mention the staggering coastline of Point Nepean National Park. It was also a great time to get to know some of the other students; the sailing being more laid back than the intensive fieldwork activities we had completed over the previous few days. Overall, it was a very entertaining experience. Oliver
Carmen collecting a water sample at Balcombe Creek	Thursday morning we conducted more river studies, this time on Balcombe Creek. This flows through more developed areas than Main Creek and so provided a useful comparison. This study involved similar practices to those used during the Main Creek study. However, Balcombe Creek was much bigger in parts of its route which flows out to Port Philip Bay. I thought that this was a good study to do, because it provided a contrast between two major creeks on the Mornington Peninsula, and we were able to practice our habitat and vegetation assessments on the creek, and our water testing skills with Lisa from Melbourne Water. I particularly enjoyed the water testing because, it was something I had never done before, and it provides a general summary of the area around the creek, based on its oxygen levels, turbidity and pH. I found the testing interesting in the different methods that are used to gain the information needed. This aspect of physical geography was one of the activities that I enjoyed learning about. Natalie Nick F analysing the sample using the water testing kit
Sarah G and Natalie cycling at Nepean Point	On Thursday afternoon we cycled through the beautiful Point Nepean National Park. The cycling itself was very tough, with lots of hills and steep sections, but it was worth it as the views over Port Phillip Bay and Bass Strait were spectacular! We stopped along the way at some historical sites, such as Fort Nepean, Pearce Barracks and the site of the disappearance of former Prime Minister Harold Holt. The scenery was breathtaking and although most of us felt very sore afterwards, it was a lot of fun and definitely one of the highlights of the week. Sarah G
The op shop team, Carmen, Aleks, Lucinda and Daniel Products of the great "Cook Off"	For dinner on the final night we went to a local restaurant. During the week we drew out the name of another student and while we were doing the retail studies, purchased clothes from an op-shop for that student to wear at our final dinner on Thursday night. We all tried to keep the name of our student secret as we searched the op-shop for the oldest, brightest and daggiest clothes for them to wear. On Thursday night we revealed who our lucky recipients were and clad in our new clothes we enjoyed a beautiful dinner in a restaurant at Blairgowrie overlooking the bay. With such a strange array of clothing on display, we received lots of funny looks from fellow diners! Special mention must be made of Carmen for her bright pink outfit, Aleks for her incredibly daggy jumper and skirt, Nick B for looking like he had come from the 80s, and Shirley for her new handbag. It was a great night and lots of fun! Sarah G I believe that I can speak on behalf of everyone when I say that we were pleasantly surprised with the variety and quality of the food that we enjoyed during the week. On Monday night after a day of trekking through creeks we were treated with pizza which was followed by pavlova. Over the following two nights we enjoyed the food prepared by the four International Cook Off groups: Thai, Italian, Mexican and Indian. I think that of all the people, Aleks enjoyed the Mexican the most due to her love of jalapeños and all foods spicy! As Thursday night was our last night together as a group we went out to a local Italian restaurant all decked out in our Op Shop clothes. I think we were all overwhelmed by the size of the dishes we were presented with. Eating out at a restaurant was a great way to spend our last night together. Brodie
Concentrating on the quizz	Back from dinner, the students were presented with letters from the Lord Mayor of Melbourne, and their official certificates. This was followed by a fun quiz. On the last night the students were divided into four teams, with the teachers in a single team. The quiz was seven rounds long, each round consisting of 10 questions that challenged students' knowledge of Australia and the rest of the world and one clue to the baffler. In the end, the competition was extremely close. Kath announced that the "Pink Ladies" (made up of three girls and one boy) had drawn with the "Jalapenos" with a score of 63, followed extremely closely by another team and embarrassingly the teachers on 62, and "Team" on 61. However it turned out that apparently Kath had made a mistake in the adding up (she blamed tiredness) and maybe the Jalapenos had won after all. Nick B
Sarah N taking the test	The final morning the students sat a test. The test was a measurement of the skills we learnt during the week. It lasted for 2 hours and was part of the selection process for the team of 4 that's going to Cologne, Germany for the Geography Olympiad. The test was pretty interesting. It wasn't too hard, but it required you to think a lot. I certainly believe it was a good test for the selection of the team. It really drew upon the skills that would be required in Germany. Rob After the test was over we departed for the airport and home, travelling via the Sorrento-Queenscliff ferry and thus completing our circumnavigation of Port Phillip Bay. What makes a camp amazing, and not just good, isn't so much the things you do and the places you go, but the people you share those experiences with; and I can safely say that the people at the Big Week Out made the week exceptional. Even though we were all from different parts of Australia and had different interests, we all managed to fit in together through our common love of geography. It wasn't just the students who made the week special, but the organisers who made it possible, the fantastic teachers who challenged us and pushed our knowledge of geography, and the people who gave up their time to teach us about their jobs and the area. Aleks
The fantastic, knowledgeable leaders were: Pat Beeson Kath Berg Samantha Davis Tanya Grace Libby Hillman Robin Irvine Claire Jones Shirley Lahtinen Margaret McIvor Terry McMeekin Judy McPherson Adam Nash Emma O'Dowd John Ramsdale Gerry Smith Lyn Terrett Karoline Walter	The students who enjoyed it all so much were: Nick Booth, Pembroke School, Adelaide Laura Butler, Penrith High School, Sydney Anthony Chen, Radford College, Canberra Natalie Cvitanovich, Glenunga International High School, Adelaide Lucinda Everson, St Margaret's Anglican Girls' School, Brisbane Nicholas Forrester, Hale School, Perth Sarah Godman, Cootamundra High School, NSW Daniel King, Distance Education Centre Victoria Sarah Naco, Canberra Girls' Grammar School Kate Parrott, Hobart College Brodie Petrolo, Woonona High School, Wollongong Carmen Schoenjahn, St Mary's Anglican Girls' School, Perth Rhys Sharry, Smithfield State High School, Cairns Oliver Vasak, Sydney Grammar School Aleksandra Vasic, John Monash Science School, Melbourne Rob Wilson, Wynyard High School, Tas
We'll leave it to Rhys to sum up the experience: Geography's Big Week Out was a fantastic experience and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The combination of interesting, yet challenging geographical tasks and relaxing leisure activities made the week a really fun learning experience that I will never forget. It was fantastic meeting people from all around the country who shared my keen interest in geography. To give your students the opportunity to benefit from the 2012 Geography's Big Week Out, enter your Year 10/11 students (16 years or over on 31 August 2012) in the National Geographic Channel Australian Geography Competition. We'll announce in February who has made the Olympiad team. Thanks to Robin Irvine, Margaret McIvor and Kath Berg for the photos.
Last updated 1 November 2011. For more information email admin@rgsq.org.au Return to home