Faith Lutheran College, Redlands

Family Day

2010-08-12T11:10:00.002+10:00

Family Day

2010-08-12T09:04:00.006+10:00

Monday, 9 August 2010

2010-08-10T14:14:00.004+10:00

Hey everyone back at home. Today was a bit of a jumbled up day here at Binga as the activities and survival had to be changed around because of the forecasted rain for the next few days. The girls were meant to be venturing out on their survival camp out and the boys were meant to abseil but instead everyone did horseriding, wood chopping and some gardening in rotations throughout the day. We are not sure on tomorrow's activities as the weather is going to change everything.

So other than that today was everyone's third horseriding session and by the end of the session most people had ventured out of the horse yards on a short trail ride through parts of Binga's land.

Yesterday was Family Day here at Binga and everyone had a great time with their families. Everyone was so keen and excited to show their families around Binga and tell them some of the things we've done over the past two weeks away from home.

Between 6 and 7pm everyone had time to eat their left over food their families left with them. After about half an hour everyone had almost given up on eating and we were trying to give away the food we just couldn't eat to anyone, staff, friends or just someone walking past you. I've never seen so many people reject lollies and chocolate before!

By Jamal, Darcie-Jane and Rachel

August 8

2010-08-10T13:39:00.003+10:00

Staff member Elizabeth Jones visited Mt Binga on Family Day on Sunday August 8. Her reflection on the day follows.

At 6.30am most Sunday mornings I am still asleep, but the 8th of August saw me drinking heaps of coffee and filling up my car with petrol to head up to Mt Binga for the day.
After a VERY long drive, which is actually quite fun for a determined city girl to see the countryside, and a bit more coffee, I arrived at Mt Binga. For the first time ever, I did not get lost!!!
It was an absolute joy to see the Year 9 Coochie kids again. They looked well, sounded so enthused and welcomed me with open arms. To capture a record of the day, I took heaps of photos and would like to thank the parents and the kids for allowing me to act like the local paparazzi!!
After hanging out with the kids and the parents and learning heaps about the psychology of a horse, it was time for worship. The kids all joined together to present a worship about teamwork that was both entertaining and meaningful. My favourite part was the “skit” where Jamal and Bluey were leading a blindfolded Jenni around using only their voices and non-verbal cues.
Another highlight for me was drinking some of the milk that had come from the cows. Sara was very enthusiastic about having me drink some of this milk. Actually, I’m not a big milk drinker and only had it because Sara was so excited about sharing it with me.
As I left everyone was settling down to have lunch and a catch up with their families. The Jones family were very kind, took me under their wings and fed me sushi.
It was such a positive experience to visit the Year 9 Coochie kids and to see the way that they are relaxing into this excellent opportunity. I can’t wait for them to come home in just under 2 weeks.
Speaking of coming home, the drive back was seemingly uneventful apart from almost falling down a hill at the dam and having absolutely no petrol when I got back!

Elizabeth Jones
Head of House Middle School Coochiemudlo

Saturday, 7 August 2010

2010-08-10T08:36:00.002+10:00

Another episode in the life of Binga. Today at Binga we finally had our weekend sleep in until 7 and the day ended up being pretty quiet. We got to wash our clothes and did some jobs like woodchopping and gardening. We also did some work for Family Day which everyone is looking forward to.

The boys are going abseiling on Monday while the girls are going on a 3 day survival which the boys will tackle on Tuesday. Everyone seems pretty excited for those events and hopefully everyone has a great time and learns more about camping and the people around them.

Also during our time here at Binga 2 calves have been born, one to Ozzy and one to Lily but they haven't been named yet.

From Bea, Joel and Mollie

Friday, 6 August 2010

2010-08-10T08:28:00.003+10:00

Today the Coochie kids chilled around the campsite. We split into two groups. One did some much needed washing and the other did various jobs such as weeding, wood chopping and collecting wood from the forest.

The second half of the day was dedicated to preparing the worship service for Family Day. Everyone did well in contributing ideas. Now only two days away, the Coochie kids are very excited about Family Day. Many are crossing their fingers and toes for the treats to come. Some of the treats wanted are chocoate, chips, lollies and soft drink. Although the treats are wanted many (actually all) people are just excited to see mum and dad.

Tomorrow we will be doing the same as today with the groups swapping. We will also have a sleep in. Yay! Other than that the final preparations for Family Day will be made.

See you soon and God bless!

Max, Andy and Maddie

6 August 2010

2010-08-06T11:48:00.003+10:00

Today was a massive day. The boys finished off the daunting three day hike with Jamal and Jake tying in to be the first of the group to complete the hike. Meanwhile the girls had their second crack at horseriding which is by far one of the popular activities.

The three day hike was one of the harder challenges. It requires the allocated groups to cross 15kms of hills, creeks and bushland relying on their own navigational abilities to traverse the neighbouring terrain with only a little assistance from staff.

We believe all people who have been to Mt Binga or are experiencing it now agree that horseriding is extremely popular. Each student is allocated a horse for a session and you find that you bond with the animal. In the next weeks we will all be participating in a trail ride to show off our newly acquired skills in horsemanship.

Everybody is in high spirits at Mt Binga enjoying all aspects of what it has to offer.

By Aaron and Jake

Day 8 2 August 2010

2010-08-05T10:08:00.003+10:00

This morning everyone was woken up nice and early, walked out the front for the raising of the flags and morning devotion and then everyone started morning jobs. Everyone was very happy that we got some Milo and cordial. Today all the guys rode the horses while the girls hiked out for the start of their three day hike.

Everyone enjoyed the horseriding although the Rugby boys had to catch up on all the things they missed out on as they were away on the first lesson of horseriding. The others continued on from what they already learnt.

Mitch, Joel and Luke

Girls Three Day Hike

2010-08-05T09:57:00.003+10:00

Hi, just the girls here.

The last three days have been so much fun because we did the three day hike. There were so many fun times but there were also the moments where you got to experience time to yourself which was good. There were a few trips and falls but everyone was so determined that they just got back up and kept on going.

Many new friendships were formed on the hike and we all learned how to get along with each other. Camping was great and everyone enjoyed it but once we got back to Mt Binga everyone was just so glad that we all started running to the cabin.

All up the hike was fun and everyone enjoyed it. All the girls were grateful for the time they got to spend with their friends but at the end of the day we all liked that little bit of time to ourselves.

By Sara, Amy B and Tessa

1 August 2010

2010-08-02T15:01:00.003+10:00

Hello to everyone back in Brisbane.

Today at Mt Binga was a pretty chilled day.
Since it was the weekend, we had plenty of spare time and could relax for most of the day.
We pretty much had free time for the whole day, except in the afternoon, which is when we got the opportunity to do our washing....which was rather interesting.
We also did some preparation for Family Day devotion. We are working on our group work skills.
Another day at Mt Binga.

Brendan
Josh
Devonn

30 July 2010

2010-08-02T13:46:00.003+10:00

Today was a pretty cruisy day at Mt Binga. We woke up at 6.15 and got started on our jobs. Then the cooks, with a few struggles, made us pancakes. We are still getting the hang of lighting the fires to cook on!

After the hard, yet successful breaky of pancakes, we were told that we would be doing our first lesson of horse riding.

We all learnt about the horses and were split into our groups.

Next, we were assigned our horses, groomed them, saddled them and put the reigns on them.

After a lot of preparing, we shared the riding so that everyone had a turn.

Once we had finished our riding and packed the gear away, we did our afternoon jobs.

We had taco's for dinner.

Most of us had a great day today.

Bye for now.

Darcie

Luke

Jonesia

29 July 2010

2010-08-02T09:28:00.004+10:00

Following a late breakfast and some excited preparation for horse riding, we were dissapointed to find out, that for safety reasons, there had been a change to plans becuase of the amount of rain we had received at Mt Binga.

Instead of riding, we were split into groups and assigned some activities such as; initiative games, low ropes and chopping wood for the fire.

After an opportunity to do some journal writing, we were pumped because we knew that we would have hot showers in the afternoon after we had done our jobs.

A big shout out to Mrs Nissen. Happy Birthday, we all miss you.

Belinda

Max

Jaiden

26 July 2010

2010-07-27T12:21:00.006+10:00

We left Faith after packing the bus full of everyone's oversized luggage!

After a long bus trip the bus came to a stop, but we were not at Mt Binga, we were only half way at Wivenhoe Dam.

We all forgot how long the trip was when the Tim-Tams, Coke and chips were brought out.

After morning tea, we hopped back on the bus and started the even longer journey to Mt Binga.

We eventually started up a dirt road and arrived at Mt Binga.

We quickly settled in to our rooms and assembled in the ....Assembly area, for an introduction and an explanation of the rules.

After a while, we got free time and also had some afternoon tea.

Everyone is now doing chores, which includes our duty to attend to the fire, raising the flag and devotion amongst other things.

Our thoughts on Mt Binga so far.....

Mollie - "I'll live!"

Mitchell - "The fire is awesome! It is pretty sweet."

Rosie - "This is SO MUCH FUN ALREADY! I am so happy we are here.

2010-07-27T09:31:00.003+10:00

Mrs Courtney Nissen accompanied our Coochie students to Mt Binga on Monday and has written a reflection on her experience on the day.

Coochie students arrived to school today with mixed emotions as their Mt Binga experience was about to begin. Before we departed the students and their families shared a devotion together followed by an emotional farewell. The bus trip was an exciting one with the students on the edge of their seats, constantly asking how much longer it would take to get there. The energy on the bus indicated that the students could hardly wait to see their new home for the next 4 weeks.

We stopped halfway at the Wivenhoe Dam to share a morning tea that consisted of coke, chips and tim tams. Each student savoured every last crumb as it would be their last for at least 2 weeks. After the sugar hit we attempted to get a lovely group photo but the excitement was too much and they just couldn't sit still. I think the photos say it all.

As we got closer the noise in the bus lowered as the students peered outside their windows to see their accommodation. There were many horses and cows, and a lot of red dirt that would surely ruin their white shoes. They got off the bus and were welcomed immediately with friendly, smiling faces who told them where their cabins were so they could settle in. The rooms were small but had heaps of character with lounges on their verandahs, and a fireplace in the middle of their camp site. Challenges were certainly going to be had in the kitchen.....even I couldn't work out how to operate the oven!

I felt confident and proud of the students as I said goodbye, however they didn't seem too fazed about my departure, as lunch was about to be served.

Mrs Courtney Nissen PCG Teacher

Coochiemudlo - Camp 1 26 July, 2010

2010-07-26T10:03:00.004+10:00

Wednesday, 25 November

2009-11-26T08:39:00.001+10:00

Wow, what a day! The boys returned from solo in the morning, most of the boys enjoyed it much more than they thought they would. We all set off to Coomba Falls for abseiling and a swim. The abseiling was tough at first but with a little encouragement everyone gave it a go. The wall was 18 metres. Tomorrow is Binga Challenge which is going to be great and will be one of the highlights of the last week of Binga.

Christiaan, Jacob H and Tom S.

Tuesday, 24 November

2009-11-25T09:48:00.002+10:00

This morning the girls returned from their solo camp nice and early as the boys were preparing for theirs. The girls went on their first proper horse riding trail ride and also finalised the 9D Mt Binga T-shirts. We got to successfully complete our 9D compost bay. Miss Von Berky had to go out especially for two of the boys who had left their campout food behind.

Tanya, Kate and Genevieve

2009-11-24T09:34:00.000+10:00

2009-11-24T09:32:00.000+10:00

2009-11-24T09:30:00.000+10:00

Version 2 Monday 23 November

2009-11-24T08:50:00.003+10:00

Hello everyone back home, hope you're all having loads of fun back home without us.

Early this morning the girls set out for a lone adventure into the world of solos while us boys back at camp saddled up our horses and began our last horse riding session for the camp.

With our horses saddled up and ready to go, the boys set out on an adventure into the vast bush scrub that surrounds the camp. While some may have been intimidated by the large animal carrying them, we persevered and came out the other end, happy and proud with the achievement we just made.

After horse riding, the boys tore into their lunch, leaving nothing uneaten. Full and ready, we gathered in the quadrangle. Separated into groups and assigned to a job and a teacher to work with. Some students drove large block splitters into wood, others cleaned out the chook pen and the lucky ones got to work on the compost bay our class is building.

Overall it was a great day and the boys had a load of fun. There were some tough times throughout the day but we all prevailed.

Jacob, Nic and Andrew

Monday, 23 November

2009-11-24T08:47:00.002+10:00

Greetings fellow earthlings, hope you're having fun in the normal world.

By the time all the girls had gone out on their solos the guys had already started their last horse riding session.

On the horse ride the guys went on through vicious fighting bush scrub and wild trees. After the amazing battle all the guys were forced to do some hard project work, cutting wood, cleaning the chook pen and making another compost bay to finish Faith's 2009 contribution to the vegie garden.

Jacob, Nic and Andrew

Sunday, 22 November

2009-11-23T08:29:00.002+10:00

Today was a very hot day, while people were finishing off their washing, the rest were enjoying their free time. As it was very hot and most of us were out in the sun, Mr Greiger treated us by bringing out the sprinkler. Most of us went to get wet. To make things more fun we brought a tarp out and made it really wet and started sliding down it. Today was a fun and exciting day.

Emily, Mikayla and Nic.

Saturday, 21 November

2009-11-23T08:28:00.002+10:00

Today we started off the day with a Saturday cleanup. The rest of the day was spent relaxing after a fun but challenging week. We also had time to write letters and wash clothes. Overall, it was a very relaxing day.

Jess, Rick and Michael

Friday, 20 November

2009-11-23T08:24:00.003+10:00

Today the boys started off with saddling up their horses and getting ready to ride. In pairs they chose who was riding first and who was riding second. After a 15 minute break the first group of riders headed off while the second group of riders did wood chopping and gardening.

After morning tea the second group of riders went off while the first group did the same jobs. After riding around the circuit we finished off with a trail ride through the bush.

The girls started off the day getting introduced to the low ropes and then going around the circuit. After low ropes the girls had to face Adrian's wall but managed to get everyone over quickly.

Ashley, Taylor and Thomas

Thursday, 19 November

2009-11-20T11:08:00.002+10:00

Today the girls went on their trail ride while the boys did the low ropes course and project work. The trail ride was a new experience for most of the girls and they had a great time. The boys also had a great experience and although it was a challenge as some of us struggled, in the end we all worked together as a team.

Sean, Thomas and Letitia

Wednesday, 18 November

2009-11-20T08:30:00.002+10:00

Today the girls went abseiling and rock climbing. A few fears were overcome and over all it was largely enjoyed by everyone. Also the boys went for a refreshing swim at Coomba Falls after returning home this morning from survival.

Kate, Tom S and Nic C

Tuesday, 17 November

2009-11-20T08:25:00.002+10:00

Yesterday was survival for the girls. We all built rather stable shelters out of sticks and tarps. The fire to make our dinner was lit nice and early. Dinner was sausages and damper that was actually quite filling. A shower of rain fell over us so we all went into out communal area which was also made using a tarp. After the rain had passed we all went and had an early night.

Early the next morning we were told that survival for us was over due to the weather and that the boys were to come out for their survival. Mr H and Miss D took the girls to Coomba Falls and Bunya Mountains. We had a very good time and enjoyed the troopie ride. At the moment the boys are on their survival and have already been through heavy rain and hail.

Emily, Tanya and Mikayla

Monday, 16 November

2009-11-17T08:39:00.001+10:00

Today the boys started off on the abseiling activity. Most of us accomplished the goal of climbing and abseiling the 8 metre rock face. Everyone found it challenging but most of us felt nervous when we were about to clip the ropes onto our harnesses. Only a few people decided not to participate because they were feeling sick in the stomach.

Today the girls set off on their survival which will go for three days. It will be hard for them as the forecast for the weather is rain with a slight chance of a thunderstorm. The girls will have to show confidence and use a lot of teamwork.

Jacob H., Christiaan and Thomas

2009-11-16T15:05:00.001+10:00

2009-11-16T15:03:00.000+10:00

2009-11-16T15:01:00.000+10:00

2009-11-16T14:52:00.000+10:00

Family Day

2009-11-16T11:17:00.003+10:00

Today was Family Day. The day was filled with happiness, excitement, grief and mixed nerves as we all waited early for our families to arrive. Our worship commenced at 11am. The theme was perseverance as it has played a major role throughout the Binga experience. The worship ran smoothly with an interesting message from Mr Grieger. As the worship finished, everyone ran back to their parents (and the junk food) and everyone got their picnic blankets out under a nice shady tree. Everyone was sharing lollies, chips, chocolate, soft drink and you name it!

We didn't think it would ever end. With so many stories to tell and lots of catching up to do, time flew by. Cricket, Football, even Chess was played throughout the day, along with a tour of the Mt Binga campus. Many parents and siblings were interested to see what we had been doing over the past two weeks and some were also surprised to see the size of Otis and were interested in the other animals. All of a sudden it hit 4pm and it was time for families to leave. While this brought sadness to see everyone's families leave, it also brought excitement for what was to come over the next two weeks.

Mieka, Nick K. and Gen

Preparation for Family Day

2009-11-16T08:55:00.001+10:00

Today the class of 9D prepared worship for Family Day. After that the class split into two different groups. One did washing, played cards and sport and wrote letters while the other group went out and did wood chopping, mowing, project work and then made dirt roads.

Ashley, Rick and Michael

Friday, 13 November

2009-11-16T08:53:00.002+10:00

As usual we kicked off with a morning devotion, then moved onto the morning jobs. After a tasty breakfast, we began to prepare for Family Day on Sunday. We completed the day with washing clothes and project work, which included lawn mowing, wood chopping and filling holes in the dirt tracks.

Sean, Arron and Jess

3 Day Hike

2009-11-13T16:07:00.003+10:00

Today we got back from our three day hike and all of us were exhausted. The boys started it off with a 7km walk to their first campsite. It was nice and sunny when they got there but after a couple of hours it started pouring down rain and they were all in their tents. After a bad night's sleep they were off again to their next campsite. It was only a 2.5km walk but it still took a long time as the navigators had no idea where they were going. When they got there Mr W and Mr H told them they were doing duo and that they were not allowed communication with any other pairs. After a very boring afternoon and a long sleep they were off again for a 5.5km walk back to Binga.

The girls started off to a great start until the boys caught up singing their chants. We parted from the boys and continued on with our hike. The first night was good apart from the toilet paper was left out during the night meaning we had none left. As we walked to our next campsite Kate fell over and split her stitches. The second day was duo and it was silence between all the groups. There wasn't much to do and we didn't have a group fire. With an early start to the morning, we packed up and left for Binga. With the many hills the girls were challenged but we all got there in the end feeling good.

Emily, Taylor and Nic

Rewards!

2009-11-13T16:03:00.001+10:00

Today was our second horse riding lesson which was widely anticipated throughout the group. It was very enjoyable for everyone. The lawn mowers were also introduced as we had to prepare for Family Day.

We were congratulated with our long awaited Mars Bars because of our fantastic work with the horses.

Kate, Thomas and Jacob C

Sunday, 8 November 2009

2009-11-09T11:59:00.002+10:00

Today was just another day of rest after a busy week. We started the day at 7am except for Parker cabin who earnt not only a sleep in but a day free of jobs. Today was our last day to relax and prepare for our big 3 day hike leaving tomorrow. With a few of the instructors still out fighting the fire,they needed our full cooperation. Some students either finished any last minute washing, played card games or cricket on the oval while others just read books, wrote letters or simply relaxed.

Mieka, Letitia, Tanya, Tom S.

Saturday, 7 November 2009

2009-11-09T11:48:00.002+10:00

Today was our first relaxing day where we had free time and got to do our washing for the week. We were happy to hear that we had an extra hour to sleep in. Everyone appreciated this time to finally lay back and write letters to family and friends. While a couple of staff members ran off to help put out a fire down the road, many games were played throughout the day including chess, uno, spades and poker. Overall everyone enjoyed the chance to relax.

Jess, Nick K and Tom R

Friday, 6 November 2009

2009-11-09T11:20:00.002+10:00

We started the day off with a foggy assembly, moved onto the morning jobs and then had breakfast. Low ropes got cancelled due to heavy rain and a blackout last night so we did more initiative games.

After work we had a little bit of morning tea then back to the games. We had lunch and went off to the rotations for the afternoon. Activities included rope tying, sock hockey, baking and designing the Mt Binga t-shirt.

We had afternoon tea and got onto the afternoon jobs then had tacos for dinner. That was followed by dessert. After that we received our mail and played a game.

Sean, Emily and Arron

Day 4

2009-11-06T13:04:00.003+10:00

Students in 9D had a very exciting day at Mt Binga camp. We started off with horse riding, getting told how to ride and saddle up a horse. After the exciting horse experience, we moved onto project work which included things such as baking biscuits and making delicious bread. We all got in and got the job done.

Last night students received mail from their loved ones. Some of the 9D students were touched by their letters. Tomorrow morning 9D will start on low ropes which will probably be the highlight of the day.

Genevieve, Rick and Jacob H.

Day 3

2009-11-06T12:48:00.005+10:00

Yesterday we did navigational skills and initiative games. After that the girls and boys set off in separate groups into the bush for our first evening campout of our 2009 Mt Binga experience.

On the way out to campout the students were blindfolded, driven out by a couple of troopies and dumped in the middle of nowhere. We then had to sleep out there and hike back. Lucky it was only 3 kilometres.

Today after we arrived back at home base, we had an introductory class to the horses. We learnt a number of valuable things, including how to handle horses and how to communicate with them. The last activity was an orienteering competition where we had to find markers placed all around the Mt Binga campus. The competition was very challenging but we had a lot of fun.

Kate, Christiaan and Michael

Day 1

2009-11-06T12:38:00.002+10:00

Today we got on the bus and said goodbye to all our families just to get to the middle of nowhere. On the bus trip Taylor started blowing his nose and continued until Sean felt sick.

After we got off the bus everyone was grateful to get their feet back on ground. Soon we all were given jobs for the afternoon. Mikayla thought the chickens were going to eat her and Letitia said she was scared of wood and fire!

Letitia, Jacob and Taylor

2009-11-06T08:37:00.009+10:00

4 November 2009 - 9D Mt Binga

2009-11-04T09:44:00.003+10:00

9D Trip to Mount Binga

After months of anticipation and seeing all their friends go off on their Mt Binga adventures, the moment for 9D to venture into the unknown had arrived. Arriving to school on a fine and sunny morning, the students packed their luggage on the bus, were joined by their parents in a motivating devotion led by Mr Pope, said their tearful goodbyes and jumped onto the bus to begin their trip west. Any feelings of anxiety were quickly taken away as the laughs began on the bus, assisted by the never-ending supply of lollies handed out by Mieka.

Following an hour and a half of boisterous travelling, we stopped off at the picturesque Wivenhoe Dam for a morning tea consisting of the last junk food that 9D would eat for two weeks. Students enjoyed kicking a footy, climbing on the playground and chilling out in the sun. Before we knew it, we were off again, excited about being on the final leg of our trip.

After many terrible songs, cries of ‘are we there yet’, and more lollies, we had finally arrived at Mt Binga. There to greet us were two cows, a huge bull and several horses. Students knew that their time as farmers had begun. All that was left to do was unpack the bus, be allocated to cabins and meet in the courtyard, where the students were met by the leaders. Following a short introduction, students were taught the Binga grace, where they received a mark of seven out of ten; an impressive grade for a first time. After this, students went off to make sandwiches for their lunches.

This is where Sarah Day and I left the gang, confident that they would be extremely successful as a group, and hoping that their adventures would be full of fun, self-empowerment and character building. I look forward to visiting them on Family Day on the 15th.

Mr Rosenblatt

29 October 2009

2009-10-30T08:36:00.003+10:00

Today has been one of the best days of our entire stay here at Mt Binga.

Today has been the Mt Binga Challenge day.

We all had a really good time.

There wasn't one main highlight, as it was all one big highlight.

In the end, Schultz won, with parker coming 2nd, Richter 3rd and Greasley 4th, but one thing is for sure, everyone will sleep soundly tonight!

Lachlan

Nelson

Matt D

28 October 2009

2009-10-30T08:32:00.002+10:00

Today we went to Cooma Falls.

The rock face was 18m high.

After our abseiling, we went swimming in the Cooma Falls waterhole.

Ww saw goats on the cliff and turtles in the water.

Tomorrow is the Mt Binga Challenge....and the suspense is killing us!

Greasley went for their trail ride today and they all enjoyed their last horse rided.

That is the update from Mt Binga.

Alex

Kaytlin

Bonny

28 October 2009

2009-10-29T08:03:00.003+10:00

All the girls arrived back from their Solo Camp today.

After a few peaceful hours on their Solo, the girls were sadly pulled into the Emu Creek hall due to heavy rainfall. We all spent the night rugged up together and were very grateful that we were out of the rain.

The boys are out on their Solo at the moment.

We are all hoping for fine weather, as we are heading to Cooma Falls for an adventure filled day.

We are all willing to conquer the 18 metre abseiling cliff, and at the end of our abseiling, have a relaxing swim in the water hole.

We are having 'gourmet' hotdogs for dinner!

Everyone is upset that our camp is coming to an end.

Nicole

Julia

Bridget

27 October 2009

2009-10-27T14:22:00.003+10:00

Today as the girls were out on their Solo Camps, the boys got to go horse riding and then did a couple of jobs.

As we were doing horse riding, we got to go for a 60 minute trail ride which was lots of fun for everyone. While the first couple of people went riding the other boys did jobs like wood chopping and baking the hotdog rolls for our dinner tonight.

At around 2pm a huge thunderstorm with really heavy rain came to Mt Binga. The rain was really needed and Mr and Mrs Grieger were really happy about the rain.

Tomorrow the boys are going out on their Solo's and people are getting their gear ready to go in the morning.

Sam

Jackson

Matt G

25 October 2009

2009-10-27T07:50:00.003+10:00

Another lazy Sunday at Mt Binga and the last of those for 9C.

Outward relaxation betrays inward jolts of excitement for the trip home next Friday.....and our massive clean up!

In any event, we are all chilled out and have had a lot of fun....with laughter at and with each other.

The girls had fun with the make up they should not have brought...using the boys as mannequins.

After a bout of laughing and face washing for the victims, we were left to enjoy our last Sunday at Mt Binga along with all of it's simple pleasures that include a barbecue...thanks Mr Grieger!

Amy

Matt P

Orin

24 October 2009

2009-10-27T07:37:00.005+10:00

Today has just been a nice and relaxing day. The majority of us have been playing cards or Ping Pong, reading and throwing the Vortex. There was a big scramble to see who could get their washing done today because it has been forecast to rain for the next few days.

Every now and then we from the Quad, we can see storm clouds slowly taking over the sky and it is making the people with their clothes on the line a little nervous.

Although there is an up side....it is horribly dry up here and the rain is much needed to help our water supplies and grazing lands.

As it is the start of the last week, we have all realised how fast it has gone and how much we will miss this place when we go.

Chloe

Lachlan

Tim

23 October 2009

2009-10-27T07:27:00.002+10:00

Today we did abseiling and rock climbing on an 8 metre cliff and a lot of people were out of their comfort zone.

Everyone had a great time and it was a challenging but fun day.

Next week we go to Cooma Falls to face an 18 metre abseil....some people are scared and some people are excited about this event.

Upon returning to camp, we found that Barney the horse had opened the gate and got in to a new place and people were amazed that Barney knew how to open gates.

Sam

Nelson

Ellen

23 October 2009

2009-10-23T11:41:00.003+10:00

The boys have been out on their Survival campout.

It was tricky because they needed to build their own tent, but it didn't turn out as it was intended.

After all that, the Survival turned out well and was a fun experience.

The girls had a quiet and relaxing night without the boys.

The girls have been on a trail ride.

The boys went to The Palms for a walk where a bat pooped on Orin and Joel took a photo of every single tree!

Phoebe

Kaytlin

Matt D

23 October 2009

2009-10-23T09:27:00.006+10:00

Mrs Grech drops in on 9C at Mt Binga
When I arrived, 9C was right in the swing of completing their daily duties. Many of the boys helped clean up the breakfast area before they departed to The Palms. I have been told watch out for the bats!!!

The girls were hard at work chopping wood for the fires and stacking the hay for the cows and horses. I think the girls’ efforts and quickness to complete their tasks would have definitely given the boys a run for their money.

The girls looked like they were mastering their horse riding skills and were grateful to go on a short trail ride.

The quick hustle and bustle of Binga life finally slowed down at lunch. It was great to see every one relaxed and sharing their stories over lunch. Apparently during the girls Survival camp, the Greasley girls had a gate crasher, a pademelon kept trying to jump into their tent. The Richter girls were given an early wakeup call by some very vocal Koalas.
During the boys Survival camp, Matt Duthie found the remains of a kangaroo foot. Some of the hazards on camp voiced by the boys: watch out for the man made swings, Joel learnt the hard way and of course the burnt cooking (tacos) strongly advocated by the Shultz cabin.

When the rosters came out there was a mad rush to see who was allocated what. To Lachlan’s dismay he discovered he had 3 duties.

It was great to see that Bonny had taken up my advice and there have been no more scrapes (hee hee hee).

Alas, it was time to say farewell to 9C who loaded me down with letters for people back at school. 9C says thanks for the encouragement , sorry some of us have been slack and please send more letters.

21 October 2009

2009-10-22T11:27:00.002+10:00

The girls Survival camp went well despite being woken up by angry koalas and crazy possums.

Our cooking talents were put to the test and Greasley is proud of their cake that they invented.

Richter made enough cupcakes to feed a small European country for 5 days!

It is very quiet without the boys but the peace is appreciated.

Nicole

Meghan

Amy

20 October 2009

2009-10-22T11:17:00.003+10:00

Todays adventures included making the best Duty Fire.

Today the boys improved a great deal in their horse riding skills and were able to go on a nice, peaceful trail ride.

We are all now regular Horsemen!

The girls left for their Survival today.

Most of the boys are finding it tough, but some are coping with the 'peace and quiet'!

Guys go on Survival tomorrow and most of us are looking forward to it.

The boys are planning to have a poker tournament tonight, using cardboard boxes as chips.

Lachlan

Joel

Jackson

19 October 2009

2009-10-22T11:14:00.002+10:00

We all enjoyed Family Day yesterday, although some of us ate too much!!

The worship prepared by us went according to plan.

It was hard to say goodbye at the end.

Tomorrow the girls go on Survival and the boys are doing horse riding.

The boys go on Survival on Wednesday.

Today we did the preparation for abseiling and we also did project work.

Hopefully we will all do well on Survival.

Bridget

Ashleigh

Jack

18 October 2009

2009-10-21T14:43:00.009+10:00

Today was Family Day.

Everyone enjoyed stuffing their faces with yummy food and we were very excited to see our families.

Everyone was very sad when their families had to leave.

We are all extremely excitied about our Survival Camps in the coming week.

Tim

Nelson

Chloe

17 October 2009

2009-10-21T14:36:00.004+10:00

Today was a typical Saturday at Mt Binga apart from practicing for Family Day which we are all looking forward to.

We have all asked our parents to bring along chocolate and take-away as well as anything that we left at home.

Last night we received mail and it was a very special time as we are missing you all.

As for the rest of the day, we just chillaxed and drank Milo.

Alex

Matthew P

Bonny

16 October 2009

2009-10-21T14:29:00.003+10:00

We are all very excited for Family Day coming up. We have been preparing the devotion for parents and designing the t-shirt to take home.

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday night are more exciting because we are all waiting for our mail.

We are all missing you at home.

Bridget

Julia

Orin

9C’s Mt Binga Family Day – Sunday 18th October

2009-10-19T13:49:00.006+10:00

There was a wonderful turnout of family and friends for 9C’s Family Day at Mt Binga.
Well done 9C on your participation and contribution with the Sunday worship service, a very talented group of students.

Congratulations to Alex T and Matthew P for their musical contribution during worship.

Steve shared an inspirational message and it was great to see this in action through the students sharing their own insights in their experiences of being supportive and getting on with others in such a diverse and close knit community.

Families were keen to catch up with their sons and daughters during the lunch period. I think the students were keen to consume all the goodies their families had brought along ...ahh.... chocolate, lollies, toasted marshmallows and assorted desserts. It was great to see everyone in such a relaxed state and enjoying the moment.

Thanks to Mr Hodgson and Mr Grech for all the candid family snapshots (watch out for these in upcoming blog entries).

9C’s morale was at an all time high, with many positive comments and experiences being shared by all. Phew!!! No major catastrophes, well with the exception of a ‘crashing slide’ by Bonny and some practical jokes, one involving the ‘frozen pillow caper’.

A very big ‘Thankyou’ to the Mt Binga staff for their hospitality and the excellent work they are doing with 9C.

Mrs Tammylee Grech

9C PCG Teacher

16 October 2009

2009-10-16T11:54:00.005+10:00

Yesterday was our second horse riding lesson. It was kicked off in the morning by grooming and saddling our horses. There was a short break before the first of the riders headed off for their 1 1/2 hour riding lesson.

In the lesson we started to show more control over our horses (well some of us did!!). We performed exercises to improve our balance, such as walking in a figure 8 and reaching down to touch our toes as we were still walking and controlling our horses.

While the others were out riding, the remainder of us were helping with chore around the camp. These jobs included; collecting wood from the forest, checking the fences, baking and cleaning the chook yard.

Everyone seems to take it in their stride s they work together.

We are really looking forward to Family Day and seeing family is on all of our minds.

Lachlan

Sam

Phoebe

15 October 2009

2009-10-15T10:22:00.003+10:00

We just got back from our three day hikes.

Wet, dripping tents, 2 minute noodles and a heap of salada crackers were all part of the challenging experience!

Step by step we got to the top of every hill, every new campsite...and a campsite closer to hot showers!!

On the third day of the girls hike, we were nearly home when Bridget decided to tell us that she had lost our map. Miss Dyce told us to put down our bags and walk back to find it!!

Thankfully she was joking.

Matt P, the panda, kept eating and eating. We assume that he has four stomachs like a cow....this is the only possible explanation for where it all goes.....

We can't wait for Sunday, only a few days to go!

Nicole

Ashleigh H

Alex

13 October 2009

2009-10-15T09:50:00.002+10:00

We started our day off with a loud ring of the bell!
It was our first weekend and our first chance to take a break from the daily routine.
Our first Sunday brought our first Sunday worship.
This was presented in a really informal way by Mr Grieger and that made it ok.
We also got a lot of rain!
The rain was nice, but it wasn't great timing for us as we were getting ready to go out on our three day hikes!
We also had a cabin inspection and the girls from Richter had the tidiest cabin for the week, so they got the right to sleep in.
All good here at Mt Binga.

Jackson
Ellen
Matt G

11 October 2009

2009-10-12T07:51:00.002+10:00

Today we did the low ropes course. It was really hard.

There were lots of different stages to it and Matt P did the best on the course with a time of 2 minutes 15 seconds.

We also did 'Adrians Wall' where we had to get everyone over a massive wall and work as a team.

We have also been horse riding and that was really enjoyable.

For tea we had tacos. It is good tucker and we are allowed to have 3 each.

We have some musicians with on camp with us.....Lachlan has a bag pipe chanter practice thingy and plays it all the time....it seems to be attracting turkeys not snakes like in the movies and Alex loves to play 'Sweet Home Alabama' on his guitar....think someone might remove his strings unless he learns a new song soon!!

We would love to receive some letters, so please write to us.

Matt D
Kaitlin A
Bonny

10 October 2009

2009-10-12T07:45:00.002+10:00

Today was our first free day to get some cleaning done and chill around camp. We started the day by learning how to use the Mt Binga washing machines....which we thought were majorly outdated by the Flintstones family car!

Later on we needed to volunteer to chop some wood for our stoves and to make hot water....while everyone else was having fun around camp.....guess that we need to be more efficient with using our wood!

Jack

Joel

Chloe

8 October 2009

2009-10-09T12:42:00.002+10:00

Today we did horse riding.
Everyone in the class joined in and gave it a shot.
Everyone loved their designated horse.
'Guy' the horse was a bit slow!!
Everyone enjoyed getting to know their horses a bit more.
The food here is nice, even though we have to cook it ourselves and clean up afterwards!
We are enjoying our time up here.

Tim
Amy
Nelson

7 October 2009

2009-10-09T12:29:00.002+10:00

Yesterday, we all set out to go and camp out.
When we got there we all set up our tents and prepared for the night out.
This morning we all got up and packed up everything into hiking packs for the steep hike back to Mt Binga.
We took our time and the boys arrived home first!
After that we went orienteering.
We got some scratches from the thick scrub around the Mt Binga grounds but we all arrived back safely and had big smiles on our faces when we were greeted by all sorts of sweet biscuits on the table.

Meg
Ellen
Orin

5 October 2009

2009-10-09T09:39:00.003+10:00

Hello everyone back at home.
We have arrived safely and settled into our new cabins.
We have adjusted to our new rules and jobs.
On the bus there was lots of singing and talking.
We can't wait to start our new activities.

Bridget
Julia
Matt P

9C Mt Binga Camp 3

2009-10-08T12:05:00.004+10:00

Well done 9C for being organised by 8:40am.

It was great to see all the family support and thanks to Mr Pope for the inspirational devotion before the big trip.

Our thanks to the bus driver Rob, who was able to safely get us to Wivenhoe Dam for morning tea. What a beautiful place. Students were able to expend some of their pent up energy from all the lollies and chocolates by playing some football.

Yes, after some exuberant singing by the students, led by Alex Taylor and a few ‘Are we there yet?’, we safely arrived at Mt Binga.

The students were greeted by the eager staff and soon were having fun unpacking and setting up their rooms.

The Greigers have reported that all is well and the campers are working happily together! Check the blog for further updates and photos.

Tammylee Grech - 9C PCG Teacher

Thursday, 17 September 2009

2009-09-18T12:06:00.002+10:00

Hello Back at Home!

Today the boys returned from their solo camp and surprisingly they all survived.

After they finished cleaning up and unpacking, which took forever, we all set off for abseiling at Coomba Falls.

The rock we all abseiled down was 18m high. After everyone but Rory, Matt and Hayden had completed one abseil they let us start swimming in the water hole which was really cold.

Everyone had a great day and we are all excited about the Binga Challenge tomorrow.

See you soon!

Jadon, Jasmine and Bri

Thursday, 17 September 2009

2009-09-18T12:02:00.002+10:00

Binga Challenge Day

Today was Binga Challenge Day where cabin versus cabin. We started off on low ropes and Adrian's wall with Schultz clearly in the lead. We began the next challenge, the speed camp out where we had to use navigation and camping skills to find a hike pack and set up tents and make a fire.

The next activity was the troopy pull, it was our most challenging activity. Everyone got involved and helped out the other cabins. At the end of the day we all had fun and Schultz was victorious.

Jemma, Sana and Jason

Thursday, 17 September 2009

2009-09-18T12:01:00.001+10:00

Tuesday, 15 September 2009

2009-09-18T11:55:00.002+10:00

Return from Solo Camp

Today the girls came back from their solo camp while the boys departed for theirs. We were all scared of the wallabies and pademelons.

We had our last horse riding lesson today and we are going abseiling at Coomba Falls tomorrow. Today we also officially finished our Mt Binga t-shirts.

We are hoping the bus trip goes well on Friday and that the bus doesn't break down again!

Erika, Jackie and Alex

2009-09-16T11:48:00.006+10:00

Monday, 14 September 2009

2009-09-16T11:26:00.002+10:00

Solo Camp

Today the girls set off for their 24 hour solo camp while the boys stayed back at camp and cooked hotdogs for dinner. Later on in the day the boys set out to go trail riding on their horses which tested their ability. Special thanks to Mr Grieger for the time and effort he puts into the horses and the rides.

Only 5 days until everyone reunites with their family.

Adam, Jordan and Matt

Sunday, 13 September 2009

2009-09-16T10:46:00.002+10:00

Rest Time

This weekend we enjoyed a long awaited rest after survival camp. It is also the last weekend we have at Binga and the last time we have to wash our clothes!

This Sunday we watched how the cattle were branded and how they dehorned them. It looked very painful. Overall it was a very relaxing weekend.

Tim and Brandon

2009-09-14T09:53:00.006+10:00

Friday, 11 September 2009

2009-09-14T09:38:00.002+10:00

Hey Everyone!

Today the boys returned from their 3 day survival camp. While the girls went on a trail ride with their horses, the guys had to clean and do project work. Later on in the day, the boys finally had their horse riding lesson which was enjoyable.

Mr Fukuda also visited today which was exciting.

While we delivered rubbish to the tip, we rummaged through the waste and looked for valuables.

We also visited the swinging bridge which we tried to walk across with our eyes closed. After that we made a quick visit to the swinging skateboards which was quite challenging.

Overall we had an enjoyable day.

From the hearts of Hayden, Jason and Bri

Sunday, 6 September 2009

2009-09-14T09:25:00.002+10:00

Family Day

Today was Family Day! Everyone was really excited when we saw cars driving into Mt Binga.

With almost everyone's families here we started our worship on 'Family Love'. After that we looked forward to our junkfood. Everyone was excited getting their 'KFC' or 'Pizza'.

Whether families were playing footy or just sitting talking, Family Day was an experience we will always remember.

Sana, Jemma, Jason

Saturday, 5 September 2009

2009-09-14T09:04:00.002+10:00

Redecorating

Today was our first (and hopefully last) Saturday clean up. This is the most thorough cleaning any of us have ever done! Jobs included scrubbing the showers and walls, mopping every inch of flooring and redecorating the kitchen.

After we were well rested we welcomed our surprise visitor, Mr McIntosh. He arrived just in time to watch our rehearsal for Family Day worship.

Rory, Brandon and Holly

Saturday, 5 September 2009

2009-09-14T08:38:00.002+10:00

Clean Up

Today we didn't do much but clean our clothes and have some free time. We were supposed to be doing Saturday cleanup but we were let off because on Friday we are supposed to be doing a major cleanup.

We are all excited for our trail ride on Monday then the solo camp on Tuesday.

From the hearts of Rory, James and Josh

Thursday, 10 September 2009

2009-09-11T09:36:00.002+10:00

Girls Abseiling and Rock Climbing

Today while the boys were on survival, the girls went rock climbing and abseiling. We abseiled down an 8 metre wall. All of the girls gave it a go and by the time they reached the bottom they couldn't wait to do it again!

It was a great experience and everyone is excited about the 18 metre abseil next week.

Jess, Maddie and Jess

Thursday, 10 September 2009

2009-09-10T14:57:00.002+10:00

Rockclimbing

Today we went abseiling and rock climbing down an 8 metre rock face. It was a very challenging task going over the edge but once you were halfway it was easy. Everyone abseiled and everyone had a decent go at the rock climbing.

All of us boys have the camp to ourselves for the next 3 days because the girls have gone out on survival camp for two nights. It will be very quiet with all of them gone.

James, Josh and Matt

Wednesday, 9 September 2009

2009-09-10T13:31:00.002+10:00

Survival Camp

The last two nights the girls have been on survival camp. We had a storm on the first night and two of 'Richter's' (cabin group) tents fell. At 'Griesly' the kitchen fell down and we started singing songs.

On the second night, two of the 'Richter' girls got scared of the pademelons outside their tent but there weren't any there!

At 'Griesly' we made damper and put them on sticks to cook them like marshmallows. Although we had fun we were glad to be back.

Good luck to 'Schultz' boys who left for survival camp this morning!

Alex, Erika and Jasmine

Tuesday, 8 September 2009

2009-09-10T13:14:00.002+10:00

Cabin Inspection Day

Today it was just 'Schultz' (camp group) as the girls were off on survival camp. We had a shocking attempt at cleaning and only got a '4' on cabin inspection which meant we couldn't go horse riding. Instead we moved hay, chopped wood, raked grass and we also did some baking.

Jadon, Jordan and Tim

Sunday, 6 September 2009

2009-09-09T15:49:00.005+10:00

Family Day

It was so wonderful to give our kids a great big hug after 2 weeks apart. We received a fantastic welcome to the camp site. It was really lovely to see all the kids gathered together waiting for their families to arrive. A couple of families had a bit of car trouble, but we all got there in the end and everyone had a great day.

The kids had gone to a lot of trouble to organise a very entertaining service and blessing. The weather was absolutely glorious, guaranteeing a perfect picnic.... all of the kids seem to really enjoy a bit of “home cooking”.

I was very impressed to see how involved the kids are in the day to day workings of Mt Binga! I do hope that work ethic and approach to life comes home with them...

Belinda Peters

Thursday, 3 September 2009

2009-09-04T10:30:00.002+10:00

Mail Day

The fun began last night when the leaders brought in a large box full of mail. Many people were excited as they received lots of letters, parcels and postcards. Tim was extremely lucky and received 6 lots of mail.

Today everyone did their second horse riding lesson. The lesson was mostly based on stopping your horse and keeping it still.

Everyone is looking forward to Family Day and preparations start tomorrow.

Jasmine, Jess and Matt

Wednesday, 2 September 2009

2009-09-03T11:27:00.003+10:00

Return from 3 Day Hike

Today we came back from our very tiring 3 day hike. The girls walked 21kms while the boys walked 19kms and the girls still made it back before the boys on the second night of our 3 day hike. The morning after our duo camp we packed our tents up and set off on our last day of hiking.

By this time everyone's hips and shoulders were aching but we pushed ourselves by singing songs! We were excited when we reached home. For the rest of our day we unpacked our things and just relaxed, apart from our afternoon jobs.

We are all looking forward to Family Day and the rest of our Binga experience.

Jess, Jemma and James

Sunday, 30 August 2009

2009-09-03T11:14:00.002+10:00

Preparation for the 3 Day Hike

G'day friends of Faith and warm welcomes from the hearts of the always fabulous Jordan, the wonderful Hayden and last but certainly not least the NBA Allstar Jadon.

Many of us are preparing for the upcoming 3 day hike. They have decided to make the second day a duo camp so many people are still choosing who they will camp with.

We have just received rations for the hike and everyone grabbed as much food as possible to endure the long trek.

Jordan, Hayden and Jadon

Saturday, 29 August 2009

2009-09-03T11:00:00.002+10:00

Washing Day

Today was great. It was our first real day of just resting and not doing activities, the only things that we had to do was our washing and the regular jobs. Most of our day was spent playing cards, kicking the footy and in James' case picking up horse manure!

It's really great up here. There is a whole new world to explore. Binga offers plenty of new opportunities like horse riding and low ropes.

Most people enjoyed the quiet day but some still had heaps of energy and wanted to keep enjoying all the activities. We still have plenty to look forward to and almost all of us are counting down the days until Family Day when we'll see our parents and siblings again. We are all very excited.

Bye for now

Josh, Matt and Jason

Saturday, 29 August 2009

2009-08-31T11:18:00.004+10:00

Horse Riding

Today everyone was introduced to their horses. We all spent one hour with our horses, learning how to saddle, groom and ride them.

We were divided into three groups. While one group was with the horses, the other two were either baking, woodchopping or picking up grass.

Everything here is going well.

Sana, Maddie and Brendan

Day 3

2009-08-27T14:24:00.002+10:00

Wednesday, 26 August

Today both the boys and girls hiked back from our group's campout. The boys lost to the girls on the hike back to the camp. Once the boys pitched their tents, Matt, Rory and Jadon found a present in their tent - a dead rat!

Tim was named 'the texas chainsaw' due to his loud snores at night.

At the girls' campsite Bri experimented with mixing two minute noodles, continental rice and everyone's left over vegies in a billy - it actually didn't turn out bad! There were a number of pranks pulled including shaking one another's tents, spooky stories and funny remarks and conversations.

After we unpacked, we had an introduction to the horses. We will be having our first riding lesson tomorrow. We are all looking forward to it.

Write to you soon,

Bri, Erika and Rory

Monday August 24 - We started Binga with a Bang!

2009-08-25T14:45:00.004+10:00

Today our trip to Mt Binga started with a BANG!!!!

We were all excited to finally hit the road to Mt Binga, but the bus broke down just after we left Wivenhoe Dam and our delicious morning tea.

We spent a while waiting for the bus to be fixed.

Finally, we set off for the last 45 minutes of the trip.

We got to Mt Binga, had lunch and began to unpack our bags.

The boys struggled with making their beds while the girls found it easy!!!!!

We finished unpacking and everyone set out to begin their first Mt Binga job!!

By for now

Alex

Jackie

Adam

Addendum.

To all my English friends, especially Tom.

Congratulations on the Ashes win.

Tom, for all your dedicated, if not almost fanatical, but good humoured loyalty you probably deserve this one.

Bring on the Down Under Tour.

Regards

Steve Grieger

Monday August 24 - The Way We Start, 9B Camp 2

2009-08-25T14:25:00.005+10:00

On 24 August 2009, it was the hottest winter day in the history in Brisbane and Southeast Queensland.

It was the beginning of our adventure.

After the special time where students were all hugging and kissing good bye with their parents, we departed to the Mount Binga.

It was a nice smooth driving at the beginning.

We have reached Wivenhoe Dam for the morning tea without any troubles.

Everyone of 9B enjoyed the “last supper” (can of drink, potato chips and chocolate) and the moment to kick a ball to each other and play on the playground there.

We left Wivenhoe Dam, and started heading toward Mount Binga.

But... !?

The bus started slowing down... and stopped...

Yes, our bus got broken down in the middle of nowhere!!!!

There was no mobile phone signal either.

Some of us were cheering, some of us were a little concerned, some of the girls started to say, “Sir, can you take us home...”

The bus driver managed to drive the bus to a small town, and pulled off at the service station and a garage.

The problem was, the bus had a worn out hose around the radiator, so our bus was keep losing some water on the way.

While we were waiting for fixing our bus up, some of us were happily playing in the garage shed, some of us were tired.

Then a cattle truck pulled over inside the shed.

Now, we had a choice between, staying in the shed to be cool but survive from the smell, go outside of the shed but survive from the dust or go back to the bus but survive from the heat.

After spending for 30 minutes in this small town, finally we moved on and reached Mount Binga.

Now it was time to settle down, unpacking the bags and eating lunch.

Most of the students were simply happy to be there and looking forward to their adventure for the next four weeks.

But, for me, it was the time to say good bye and leave them behind for now.

......On the way back to the bus, one of the students said “I hope the bus won’t brake down again.”

But guess what!

We had a major broken down bus on the way back to Brisbane.

We had to stop for 1 hour to do a major repairing.

Luckily, it was after we dropped off 9B.

It was a long and hot day for both of us.

However, the main thing is “We Got THERE!”.

I wish all 9B'ers all the best in this once in a lifetime experience.

Sensei

Thursday August 20 - Mt Binga Challenge

2009-08-21T13:21:00.002+10:00

Second last day....Mt Binga Challenge.

The events are for you guys to find out, but let's just say that the war cries were great!

Greasley's was a variation of the school in a Binga context, Parker's was a terrorist routine and Schultz's was just plain awesome!!

We all had fun at the the Mt Binga Challenge and it was awesome.

We all played the best games.

It was challenging for some but it was awesome.

The next camps will have heaps of fun.

See you all soon.

Wednesday August 19 - Just Chillin'

2009-08-20T17:02:00.003+10:00

Today we went to Cooma Falls for some swimming and abseiling.

The water was freezing.

Only a few people went in while others abseiled off an 18 metre rock. Others sat down on the grass and watched.

We stayed there for a couple of hours then came back to camp and started our new jobs.

It had been a fun day and everyone had a laugh.

Holly

Had a fun day today.

I am waiting for tomorrow as we have te Binga Challenge and I am really looking forward to it. We have to pull the Troopie and play many different games.

I am hoping that after we have left Mt Binga, we have learnt something from it.

Hayden

Today the boys got back from Solo which was fun.

Later on we all went to Cooma Falls which was really fun.

Some of us did abseiling and went for a swim.

Although the water was freezing we still hopped in and swam to the other side to warm up!

We all enjoyed today a lot as it was a chance for us to relax.

The highlights of the day would have been the cold water.

Monday August 17 - So proud of ourselves

2009-08-19T09:11:00.006+10:00

Hello to all back at home!

Today, the girls came back from their solo/duo campouts.

This experience was amazing!!

The feeling of actually overcoming our fears and completing the campout made all of the girls feel so proud of ourselves.

Tonight is the boys turn and all of us wish them well and hope that they enjoy it as much as we did.

Throughout the day today the girls did horse riding. We all had the option of going for another trail ride or having a lesson in trotting.

As eager as us girls are for trying new things, we all chose trotting.

Amazingly, we all got up to the expected level and all achieved well by having a go at trotting.

4 days until we are back home!

Sofia

Brook

Christie

Sunday August 16 - Survived on teamwork and honey!

2009-08-17T16:05:00.003+10:00

We recently got back from Survival.

Drama, Drama, Drama!!!

On the Schultz camp, the well made but suprisingly un-wind resistent shelter was decimated by the rain, wind, hail and lightning.

So after it collapsed on us, we spent some time shivering by our tiny fire and gazing up at the stars.

To top it off, our stuff was soaked and worst of all, one of our hats got smashed!!

But, you know what?

It was great.

We survived on teamwork, effort and a ridiculous amount of honey and oats.

Matt

Luke

Brendan