Ten students from Bulman School Middle Years class, along with four staff, were lucky enough to take part in an amazing excursion to Canberra, ACT, and Moruya and Braidwood in October.
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The excitement really began when we hopped on the plane in Darwin, the first time for all the students ever in a large plane, and their politeness, friendliness and sheer excitement earned them a visit to the cockpit on landing!
We spent three very busy days in Canberra, seeing all the educational and entertaining sites it has to offer, like Questacon, the National Zoo and Aquarium, Old Parliament House, Parliament House and the National Museum. We also had a spontaneous visit up Telstra Tower on Black Mountain, where the NT mob experienced cold wind like they’d never felt before. We also had a visit to the cinema to see a 3D film, and a lovely walk and some kite-flying on the foreshore.
Everywhere we visited in Canberra our students charmed and enchanted everyone they met. They were so well behaved, polite and confident, striking up conversations with people in the Canberra Centre, or the YHA where we stayed. And more than one guide told us they were the best behaved school group ever!
After an entertaining, educational and exhausting three days we headed down the Clyde Mountain to Rob’s parent’s place in Moruya. Rob’s parents Deb and Gary Donoghue, his sister Lily, and two visiting travellers from Holland, Emma and Ava (both PE teachers!) did a huge amount of work making sure we were well-fed and looked after. We spent hours at Broulee Beach, where Deb, Emma and Ava taught our kids how to surf! We walked along the Moruya River where they kids collected some wild oysters and Rob discovered a stingray to show them.
After two nights in Moruya we headed back up the Clyde to Braidwood and a visit to Braidwood Central School, where Mr Clarke’s 5/6 class showed us around and put on morning tea for us, including some home grown oranges from one of the student’s farms. Our kids were pretty interesting visitors to BCS and several students came up to ask us about where we were from. After a quick kick of the footy on the oval we had to head off. I’ve never known so many kids to say ‘we don’t want to go, can’t we stay at school’ before!
After a milkshake at the Albion Café, and a trip up the main street on some scooters Mel Heycox rounded up for us, plus a stopover at the Boiled Lolly, we headed out to Majors Creek to Irene’s parents, Maureen and Peter Gillespie. We went for a walk to Majors Creek Falls, visited Andy Cassim’s farm, and the kids spent any spare time kicking the footy around.
After too short a visit we were heading back to the airport for the long flight home to NT. None of the students were ready to come home; they all wanted to stay longer in Moruya or Majors Creek. The students had the most exciting, amazing and educational trip. Everyone we met and stayed with were so warm and welcoming and went to so much effort to make us feel at home. Thank you to everyone who has played a part in sending these students on such a trip of lifetime.
We are already talking about fundraising for next year.
