New path in life

By Mara Pattison-Sowden
LUGGING a 20-kilogram pack through dense, isolated bushland has been a life-changing experience for Upper Yarra Secondary School students.
The group of 20 students were dropped in the middle of Murray Sunset National Park for seven days last month with little more than a compass and map to navigate through the bushland.
They went into hiking groups of 10 boys and 10 girls, each supported by teachers David Timmermans and Bronwen Foley, and professional guides.
But it was left to the students to make sure they were right on track, all 80 kilometres of it. Year 9 students Amanda Capper and David Bedggood said it was a life-changing experience.
“Hiking for seven days is a lot harder than sleeping in a tent,” David said.
“The first day we went through the bush was the hardest and we wanted to take our packs off after 500 metres.”
Amanda said she didn’t think it would be so difficult.
“We got a lot of blisters and us girls were complaining the whole time,” she said.
The students had to carry everything they needed and received daily water drops and a food drop on day four.
David said getting back into camp on the last day was like “walking on water. We kept thinking we were lost and thinking ‘screw it, let’s die here’ but it felt so good when we got back,” he said.
“Mr Timmermans tells us ‘teamwork makes the dream work’.”
Amanda said her group had a last-minute burst of energy as they realised they were close to camp.
“It was such an achievement and we’re all really close now,” she said.
“We lived as a big family and all had to look out for everyone.”
David said there was a lot of “male bonding”. “I don’t look at people the same as before, everyone’s the same and we’re all equal,” he said.