As sixty eager,excited,talkative children and three harrassed teachers
along with many happy, smiling parents converged on our normally quiet
classroom there was a feeling of great anticipation in the air. We were off
to camp! By the look of the luggage piled haphazardly all over the floor
and desks it was to be more than a three day stay.

Finally the buses arrived and we piled inside with much chattering and
pushing and shoving and of course finding the last minute lost sleeping bag
or hat. On the buses we sang lots of lively songs at the top of our voices
and chattered like a flock of budgerigars. We watched out the window as the
houses gradually disappeared into the distance and we were in the quiet
Australian bushland. The road was bumpy  with scattered puddles along the
verges from recent rain and lined with the scraggy gum trees in which were
many black and white magpies,some pink and grey galahs and white, sulpher crested cockatoos. The paddocks were still green from the winter rains and
we could see the cows and sheep quietly grazing and little lambs skipping
and jumping. Spring in the Australian bush! On many of the closer hills
were pine plantations with stark empty sections where the trees had been
harvested As we approached our camp area we could see small patches of snow
on the high mountains . There were some kangaroos to be seen hopping along
the roadside and an eagle soaring on the currents of air searching for a
baby lamb or rabbit.

The silence of the bush was shattered as we tumbled out of the buses and
were directed to our cabins, These were not the rough shearer's huts that
we expected but modern bunk style cabins with clean, white showering
facilities and carpet on the floor. With lots of chattering and racing
around we selected our beds and then set off on a tour of our new
surroundings. We found ourselves in a peaceful valley with rolling hills in
the forground and craggy mountains at the back. These were covered with the
inevitable eucalypt trees and wattles just begining to be covered in a
yellow haze.


The camp is situated in a quiet valley at the foot of the rugged mountain
range. It is on the site of one of the old homesteads that was settled
about 150 years ago as a sheep grazing property. On the hillside is the
grave of a baby who died because the doctor couldn't get there in time, in
the days of horseback. Up in the mountains there are caves which the
Aboriginal people lived in many thousands of years ago and there are
special aboriginal paintings in them.

The mornings were cold and the country around was very pretty early in the
morning with heavy white frost and a thick misty fog covering the valley.
As the sun eventually came shining through it formed small rainbows in the
air. Following the line of a dried creek bed could vaguely be seen the
weeping willows with their new Spring shoots just starting to show through.
What a wonderful shade of green! The rabbits, kangaroos and emus came right
down to our cabins nibbling on the moist, lush grass. Up on the hillside
was the body of a dead kangaroo that had been eaten by the foxes.


We took part in many interesting and varied activities all to do with us
being more aware of the environment and how we can preserve it, The camp
was called The Earthkeepers. One of our activities was called A Magic Spot
where we each found an isolated place up the mountain side where we could
make no eye or voice contact with anybody else. While sitting there we were
really communing with nature and hearing, seeing, smelling and feeling
things as we never have time for in our normal busy, hectic lifestyle. In
the silence we could hear the drone of far away traffic on the highway and
the roar of a jet flying overhead. There were many quieter sounds also,
like the birds twittering and the flapping of the big black crow's wings.
Many of us were actually amazed to hear the wind soughing in the leaves and
the cracking and creaking of the limbs of the trees.  One of us saw a snake
slithering through the dry grass and we watched birds building their nests
and ants busily rushing on their well worn track.  We could see kangaroos
grazing and because we were so quiet the little joeys emerged from their
mother's pouch.  We could actually smell the various trees and flowering bush
plants which covered the ground.  Some of these were very delicate.  As we
sat; either on the pebbley ground, on a lichen covered volcanic rock or a
tussock of long dry grass our hands felt the many different textures, the
cracks on the rock surface, the smoothness of the grass and pebbles and we
really felt the sun on our faces.

One night we went stargazing and realised just how brilliant the night sky
is once we were away from city lights.We were able to see the Southern
Cross (which can only be seen in the southern sky and is depicted on our
Australian flag.) Also we saw the Mir space station as it passed overhead,
the Milky Way and Venus. We were also shown the dark areas of the sky and
told some of the wonderful Aboriginal stories that they made up, to explain
the universe, as they sat around their campfires so many years ago.

We returned from camp having enjoyed our time there, bringing with us a new
awareness of nature and hoping to do our part in saving Planet Earth. A
tired group of children returned minus a few articles of clothing or
toothbrush etc.and we were all looking forward to our own comfy beds.

We hope you enjoyed reading about our wonderful experiences in the country
in Australia.  

5H and Mrs. Hewitt. 

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