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Bringing Dampier’s magical Archipelago to city students |
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Written by Alan Richardson
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 Ecstatic faces of Swanbourne Primary Students after a Week in the Archipelago Reduced air fares are proving a boom for Department of education Schools in Perth seeking to experience the 42 islands that comprise the Dampier Archipelago.
Last week year seven students from Swanbourne Primary made the trip of a lifetime to experience five full days at the Pilbara Camp School.
For the cost almost equivalent to the hire of a coach, students were able to circumvent hours of travel – settling into the camp school 2 ½ hours after leaving Perth.
Swanbourne Principal Lincoln Day said the camp was the culmination of a strategic approach in the development of lighthouse outdoor education activities for students.
Rather than being a one-off activity, the camp was an extension of nautical themes at the school, complemented with weekly sailing lessons at the DPI’s Expedition Boatshed in Fremantle.
Armed with a sound foundation in basic boat handling skills, the students worked independently in small groups, navigating Hampton Harbor in challenging easterly winds. Sailing activities were supplemented with the ‘discovery’ of ancient thylacine engravings, orienteering and a study of the extraordinary history of Sam’s Tidepole Island. The camp culminated in an overnight stay and expedition to Dolphin Island where students demonstrated tremendous teamwork and self-reliance by taking complete responsibility for their food preparation and shelter.
Pilbara Camp School Manager Des Prizmic stated that in 20 years of education he had never before seen children as ecstatic.
Whether passage making in the camp schools Universal 15 sailing vessels or in their beloved NAIAD Rigid Inflatable several of the students were hoarse after the constant screaming and loud chattering that accompanied most activities.
He stated that the camp brought home the extraordinary natural resource that is our back-yard and the importance in utilising the Archipelago to win children over to the wonders of the environment so that they may both enjoy and protect it for future generations.
He added that the feedback of the students themselves was what really counted with students stating that “I realized I don’t need to have all the technology around me and that its about working with others and fitting-into the environment.” Another stated that “Camp rocks more than Adventure World!”
Des stated that while demand growing for camp school activities was growing exponentially, there still remained scope to take-on more local and inland schools and even adult groups.
While school camps have always been a big part of camp school operations the advantages of location for Pilbara Schools provide scope for greater creativity.
With numerous options in the Archipelago, weather conditions rarely spoil a camp and ongoing day-programs are another fantastic option for schools and other organizations wishing to provide problem based and experiential learning throughout the year. |
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