Back when I was an administrator in a public elementary school in Australia, I organised and accompanied sixth grade students, along with several teachers, including Carole MacDonald, to a 5 day outdoor camp. I lived in Sydney, which is a very sophisticated and cosmopolitan city, and was not really familiar with the bush. After the camp, I put this account together to give you some idea of how it felt to be in the bush with 12/13 year olds.
MONDAY
It’s only 5 days. Anyone can survive the Great Aussie Bush Camp with twelve year olds for a mere 5 days. Nothing to it. A piece of cake.
MRS CIOCCO, MARKING THE ROLE, COUNTING HEADS AND CHECKING FOR CONTRABAND LOLLIES AS STUDENTS BOARD THE BUSES.
Dear Mom
We sang “99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall” eight times on the bus on the way up here. Excellent. And the camp is really neat. We sleep in these cool tents and everyone has a bunk. Some are on top but I got a bottom one. And we have these really cool instructors who tell us about great stuff we’re going to do. And they told use how to remove leeches, just in case we see some. Aaron and Ryan are in my tent and we all brought our torches. I can’t wait to go to bed. Tomorrow we’re going to absiel. Dan, our group’s instructor, said teachers are allowed to do this stuff, too.
LUKE, AGED 12, TESTING HIS TORCH.
Oh, my God,l this is as close to the Outback that anyone can get in NSW. Tents! Tents? Oh, obviously they’re for students. My accommodation must be over there in those caravans. Hmmm…looks too small to have a bathroom. Or shower. Oh, well, it’s only four nights.
MRS CIOCCO, TEACHER, AGED 50 AND SHOWING SOME AP[REHENSION
Well, here comes a fresh group of Small Humans. The teacher looks a little wary but the little ones seem enthusiastic. Wait until she finds out about the communal shower and portable toilets. Hope this lot doesn’t want a campfire under my tree —-all that smoke drifting up here is bad for my sinuses.
POSSUM HIGH UP IN A GUM TREE
Dear Mom
Nobody slept last night—we talked all night and Peter knows a lot of rude jokes. He is so funny. Mrs Ciocco yelled at him to be quiet. Ryan’s battery in his torch went flat and I forgot my Aerogard and got a few mozzie bites, but I don’t care. This is so much fun.
The best thing we did today was the DFF — that’s double flying fox. You have to wear this harness and hold a rope. Then you go across the lake on a wire and Mrs Ciocco was on the other side to climb up the ladder and clip me off. It was so cool. Our whole group got three goes. Mrs Ciocco let Peter dangle for a long time. I got a wedgie from the harness.
LUKE, at camp
So far, no campfire. ‘But they are a noisy lot with no consideration for the natural inhabitants. After all, I am a permanent resident. Ah, well, as always, I remain impervious to the silliness of Small Humans.
POSSUM, CHANGING POSITIONS IN THE FORK OF THE GUM TREE
Mosquitoes obviously flourish in the bush. Swarms, clouds, masses of mozzies followed up everywhere from abseiling to the Double Flying Fox. They darken the sky, they enveloped us, they descended upon us, finding teen-weeny openings in jackets, shirts, and socks, burrowing, buzzing, nesting, and reproducing between bites of human flesh. The Stingo is gone. Funny, I never noticed before but we don’t have many mozzies in Manly. Only four days to go and so far, no REAL blood. However, 4 leeches were discovered.
MRS CIOCCO, SCRATCHING HER ANKLES
It rained really hard tonight when we went on the night hike. We couldn’t go up Mt Yaccabba because it was too dangerous so we walked through the bush instead. It was cool sliding along the path, sort of like skate boarding without a board. My shoes are pretty muddy and my socks are wet, but don’t worry, I have lots of dry socks left because I haven’t changed clothes yet. Mrs Ciocco thinks we shower and put on clean underwear, but we don’t. We just go to the boys shower and fool around for a while because the tank water is a yucky brown. The other teachers don’t care. They just stand around with big glasses of red cordial and smile at us.
My torch is still working. I had a leech on my leg after the hike but Mrs Ciocco flipped it off and it landed on Mrs MacDonald who screamed and ran to the sick bay. Peter laughed really hard.
Luke, still wearing the same T-shirt.
I can’t believe it. Carol got lost last night on the Night Hike, actually lost. What happened was she and I carefuly counted all the kids and after the last one started on the trail behind the leader, I ran ahead to supervise the centre of the line. Carol was suppose to bring up the rear. When we arrived at the shelter for cocoa, someone noticed that she wasn’t with us. The camp director drove around the camp and found her. She never did say what happened but personally, I think she was hiding somewhere dry. Rain continues to pelt down. Leech count is now 9. No blood yet.
Mrs Ciocco, reaching for a late night glass of red
This rain is very refreshing. And it may well serve to discourage all that intrusive screeching and clamouring from the Small Humans tonight. And, of coure, a campfire is not possible. Very restful. I will enjoy a good sleep.
Possume, curled up with closed eyes.
Dear Mom
Peter cried last night because he was homesick. Mrs Ciocco told him to count leeches instead of sheep. Our tent stinks because the girls sprayed a lot of Vanilla Fields to get back to us for tying Rhoda up to a tree and making her miss dinner. Ryan had an asthma attack and Jeff threw up in the tent. We had to stand outside in the rain to air out the tent. We saw a possum in a tree and used our torches to get a really good look, except a lot of torches are flat by now. But you see him real good. Cool. This is the best camp ever!
Luke, shining his torch through screened tent window.
Aw,, I’m a star, the centre of attention. I always like to give the Little Humans a bit of a thrill. Maybe I’ll bare my teeth and flick my head a little.
Possum, preening
l
Abseiling was less than delightful and I should have resisited the pressure from the kids. But once the harness was on and I had climbed to the top of the wall, there was no turning back. Unfortunately I forgot to keep my feet flat against the wall and ended up spinning around, dangling in mid-air, much to Dan’s dismay. Of course, I knew there was no real danger, but I was glad to be lowered to the ground. Carol is doing better sticking to the group and only disappears for short periods during the day. Leech count 14.
Mrs Ciocco, searching through duffle bag for cream to apply to grazed knees.
There is excellent entertainment value in these camping experiences. Many unique things happen.
Possum, reflecting on the scene of the day.
Dominic woke up with marks on his neck. Peter said there was snake in the tent last night and when he told Dominic , Dom started to cry. Mrs Ciocco said there was no snake and that Dominic just got a few possum bites and not to worry about it and pack up.
Luke, rolling up his sleeping bag.
Can you imagine such an accusation? Bites from possums? We are peace lovimg and non-violent animals who contribute to the ecosystem in a positive way, despite interference from Small Humans. Possum bites, indeed!!!
Possume glaring towards busses.
We’re on the bus and Mrs Ciocco is humming a song.
Luke, curled up in the back seat, eyes closing.
No blood, 18 leeches, a few mozzie bites, some swollen bits here and there, a suspected possum bite and Carol safely on the other bus. Need to make a hair appointment, get a mani and pedi. We survived another Great Aussie Bush Camp. Why is that seat empty? Where is Peter? Hopefully not at the last pit stop. Damn. I should have counted more carefully. Yes, I booked the camp for next year.