HALLS GAP WELCOME TO
Discover the natural heart of the Grampians
Plan your perfect Grampians experience
WILDLIFE UP CLOSE
WALK AMONG NATIVE AND EXOTIC ANIMALS IN THE GRAMPIANS
» Home to Victoria’s Largest Privately Owned Zoo
» Easy walk-through zoo with spacious enclosures
» Ideal for families, school groups and Grampians visitors
» Hands-on encounters and feeding experiences with select animals
» Focus on education, conservation and wildlife care
4061 Ararat-Halls Gap Rd Halls Gap, Halls Gap hallsgapzoo.com.au
STAY AMONGST NATURE
COMFORTABLE GROUP ACCOMMODATION IN THE GRAMPIANS
» A ccommodation for school camps, community groups, families and corporate retreats
» Quality Tourism Accredited, leading outdoor education provider – half day to week long programs available
» Indoor facilities for 15 to 230 guests with ensuited rooms, dining areas, and catered or self-catered options
» Onsite recreation: pool, high-ropes, courts, archery, fire pit and bush cooking
204–232 Grampians Rd, Halls Gap silverbandlodge.com.au
ADVENTURE IN THE GRAMPIANS
GUIDED OUTDOOR EXPERIENCES FOR ALL ABILITIES
» Expert-led outdoor adventures at the base of Gariwerd (The Grampians)
» A ctivities for all levels: canoeing, climbing, abseiling and hiking
» A ward-winning operator with gear shop and outdoor skills courses
» Half, full and multi-day trips for individuals, families and groups
» Owner and operator of Stoney Creek Lodge for a complete camp solution
105 Grampians Rd, Halls Gap www.absoluteoutdoors.com.au
LEARN IN THE LANDSCAPE
IMMERSIVE PROGRAMS GROUNDED IN NATURE AND CULTURE
» Australia’s first environmental art precinct on 16 hectares at the Grampians’ foothills
» Gallery, garden and café featuring art inspired by the natural world
» Endemic Botanic Garden and Jallukar Native Grasslands with rare plants and wildlife
» Interactive programs, workshops and seasonal events for all ages
4000 Ararat-Halls Gap Rd, Halls Gap wama.au
Northern Territory Learning Adventures
The Territory is the education tourism destination of choice. From the majesty of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park to the NT’s rich WWII military history, school groups have unrivalled cultural immersion, are captivated with the natural world and have a truly immersive military heritage experience.
To make it simpler for you to choose the best options for your students and bring the Australian curriculum to life, Tourism NT has created NT Learning Adventures (NTLA).
A collaboration of tour, transport, attraction and accommodation providers, NTLA connects you with businesses that provide specialised services for school groups.
Committed to working with schools to design and deliver student journeys that meet the needs of educators, NTLA businesses provide quality experiences and peace of mind, with risk assessments and emergency action plans available upon request.
Download the comprehensive and practical NTLA guide and find suggested itineraries, school travel tips and other useful teacher resources online at www.ntlearningadventures.com
Katherine River, Nitmiluk National Park
What is Save and Learn?
Australian school groups are invited to submit an application for funding in 2026 to support their NT school tour!
The planned excursion simply needs to meet the terms and conditions available online.
Application forms and list of current NTLA partners can be found at ntlearningadventures.com
For help planning your NT Learning Adventure and to register for the NTLA Save and Learn program, or request a copy of the NTLA guide, please contact Tourism NT.
W ntlearningadventures.com E education.tourismnt@nt.gov.au
Cultural Tours, Darwin
Darwin Military Museum
MANAGING EDITOR
GRANT QUARRY
EDITOR
SARAH DUGGAN
DESIGN
BEN NICOL
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
MANAGER
SANDRA COLLI
CONTRIBUTOR
ANNE VIZE
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher.
Privacy Policy: To receive a copy of our privacy policy, write to the address below.
Schools Excursion, Incursion & Camp Guide is published by Tempo Media Pty Ltd ACN 100 789 848
+61 3 9229 6200
PO Box 250
Brunswick West VIC 3055
editorial@educationhq.com art@educationhq.com advertising@educationhq.com
To read the digital edition of this publication, visit au.educationhq.com
WDIVING INTO ADVENTURES HOME & AWAY
hile you might be done and dusted with the well-worn ‘bring learning to life’ phrase, it really does capture the magic that unfolds when you break routine and usher students out of the classroom and into the so-called ‘real world’ (schools are real, too?).
Whether it be building critical bush survival skills out in the glorious thick of nature, absorbing the world in a new, mind-altering way via AI, or soaking up the moving life lessons direct from some of our treasured Olympians, the options are essentially endless when it comes to planning the perfect excursion, incursion or camp for your students.
Of course, risk assessment and planning are a huge part of executing a successful learning experience off-campus, and this year’s Guide offers some valuable tips on this front, too.
Let’s get your next learning adventure sorted… 2026
SARAH DUGGAN EDITOR
Learn on Country in Kakadu National Park!
Thriving Indigenous culture, ancient rock art, lush waterfalls and marvellous wildlife.
Yellow Water Cruises & Wildlife Tours
Explore the spectacular wetlands of Kakadu with the Yellow Water Cruise. Spot abundant birdlife, Ginga (saltwater crocodiles), water buffalo and more, while gaining insights into the park’s ecology and culture. Seasonal adventure tours to waterfalls and guided rock art tours offer hands-on learning in Kakadu’s diverse landscapes.
Authentic Cultural Experiences
Connect with Indigenous culture at Warradjan Cultural Centre and on guided Culture of Kakadu tours. Students can engage in storytelling, weaving, damper making, and explore museum collections—learning directly from Traditional Owners.
Affordable Group Accommodation
Stay close to nature at Yellow Water Campground, adjacent to Cooinda Lodge. Pop-up tents include two single stretch-beds with linen and shared bathrooms, while the campground offers powered and unpowered sites and a refurbished camp kitchen. Campground guests can also enjoy facilities at Cooinda Lodge, including restaurants, a lagoon pool, jumping pillow, and general store.
Accessible Learning on Country
Kakadu Tourism makes education groups’ visits meaningful and budget-friendly, with Cooinda Lodge and the Mercure Kakadu Crocodile Hotel offering group accommodation, guided cultural and nature experiences, on-site dining, and free Kakadu National Park entry for school groups (by application).
Traditional Owner Weaving at Warradjan Cultural Centre
30,000 year old Rock Art at Burrungkuy (Nourlangie)
Spotting Saltwater Crocs on the Yellow Water Cruise
Yellow Water Billabong Cruise
Pop-Up Tents at Yellow Water Campground (Cooinda Lodge)
Whether it be sports, the arts, STEM or other international activities and experiences provide unrivalled immersion learning opportunities.
BY SARAH DUGGAN
OVERSEAS MISSION
FEATURING dazzling West End shows and exclusive behind-the-scenes experiences with London’s leading theatre and dance institutions, at first glance the itinerary reads like an all-inclusive VIP package set within one of the world’s most creative cities.
Yet for students who embarked on Caulfield Grammar School’s Theatre and Dance international study tour last winter, the schedule proved to be that and so much more.
Luke Skehan, head of immersion learning at the school, says around eight international study tours are on offer to Caulfield students (and staff) each year. Focussed on sports, the arts, STEM or otherwise, he says the experiences are designed to fit into a broader learning mission outside the classroom.
“It’s just that commitment to internationalism and allowing our students to become good global citizens. So regardless of what the curriculum learning intention of the tour is, it’s that broader aspect of meeting people in different places, and connecting with other young people around the world.
“We find, from our feedback from students, that’s often an unplanned but key kind of memory or learning outcome for those [involved].”
So why is London such a winning location for a dance and theatre tour?
“The attraction there was we could base ourselves at one accommodation place and just be exposed to an array of different dance and theatre opportunities – and that’s pretty unique,” Skehan explains.
“I’d say probably New York is the only other place that might be able to offer that.”
While evenings were spent attending iconic productions such as The Great Gatsby, Hamilton and Les Misérables, students’ days were packed with workshops and backstage interactions with industry professionals at City Academy, Shakespeare’s Globe and Pineapple Studios.
“It’s giving students a place to perform their passion in real-world industry,” Skehan says.
“But also for students, particularly at the senior year level when they’re starting to think about life after Year 12, it’s about seeing those different pathways.
“We’ve got a sports tour that’s going to an American university this year, and yes, it’s about sports,
but it’s also about ‘If I’m 5’2” and want to play NBA, that might not happen, so where else in this industry can I apply for employment opportunities?’”
Skehan says there while there are always aspiring dancers and actors who are committed, for them to spend time backstage or with production crews or seeing how an event was put on us, was hugely important exposure.
Every activity and experience is carefully scaffolded with a clear learning intention too, Skehan says. Follow-up discussions and reflective work are critical, with students analysing everything from stage set-ups to overall production value.
“That’s where it’s not just a one-off event. It’s an opportunity to download the experience and what it means to them and (discuss) their practices and the performance of their discipline,” Skehan says.
For other schools looking at running an international study tour of their own, Skehan has a few words of advice.
Risk management and forward planning are everything, for starters.
“At Caulfield, we made the decision to centralise a body that would help support and provide service for these international tours.
“So you might have a science teacher who wants to take the kids to NASA, but they don’t know about risk or finance or how to assess whether a place is suitable or a learning intention is suitable.
“So, we centralise that and … as a school, you should just develop your processes and make sure you can apply them to every tour.”
There’s an 18-month minimum timeline dedicated to the planning and preparation for each international trip run at Caulfield Grammar School.
“We have schedule of events planned out for the next six years,” Skehan adds.
“If you’re coming in at Year 7, you should be able to [ask] ‘what are the international tours that are going to be available for me at Year 10 and Year 11?’”
This approach also works well when it comes to teacher retention and recruitment, he says.
“You know if you come to Caulfield there’s going to be opportunities for international travel, if what you’re interested in.”
VICTORIA
Sydney Cricket Ground & Allianz Stadium
Educational tours
Get your students out of the classroom and behind the scenes at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground & Allianz Stadium precinct’s engaging educational tours. Each experience is tailored to maximise the educational impact.
Open for bookings
Bookings are essential tours@scgt.nsw.gov.au 02 9380 0377 www.scgtour.com.au www.allianzstadiumtours.com.au
SCG & Allianz Stadium Education Tours | Years 3 - 12
Behind the scenes at the historic Sydney Cricket Ground, SCG Museum and the new Allianz Stadium.
Standing in My Shoes | Years 5 & 6
Standing in My Shoes is a Year 5 & 6 NSW curriculum aligned (history) guided walking tour of the iconic SCG.
Business Studies Tour | Years 10, 11 & 12
Students will go behind the scenes of the iconic SCG or Allianz Stadium and learn about the business of running world class events.
Australian Sporting Identity
Pass Class and Health & Fitness | Years 7 - 12
On these 90-minute tours we explore the interrelationship between sport and culture in Australia and at the SCG.
The Amazing Race
Join us at the iconic SCG or Allianz Stadium for an exciting team building activity in Sydney’s home of sport.
Tours operate Monday - Friday
FREE
IMMERSIVE INCURSION AND
EXCURSION ROAD SAFETY EDUCATION ROGRAMS
INCURSION EXCURSION
ROAD SMART INTERACTIVE IS A HIGHLY ENGAGING, STATE-OF-THE-ART ROAD SAFETY EDUCATION PROGRAM THAT COMES TO YOUR SECONDARY SCHOOL.
Designed for Year 9-11 and VCE VM students, program highlights include:
• Immersive and VR technology to engage students
• Resources for schools and teachers to use before and after
• Capacity to cover multiple year levels over several days
SCAN THE QR CODE TO LEARN MORE OR VISIT ROADSAFETYEDUCATION.VIC.GOV.AU
ROAD TO ZERO IS A WORLD-FIRST EDUCATION COMPLEX AT MELBOURNE MUSEUM. IT OFFERS CURRICULUM-LINKED PROGRAMS FOR YEAR 9 AND 10 HEALTH & PE, SCIENCE AND VCE VM STUDENTS. An excursion to Road to Zero comprises:
• Highly immersive, engaging programs
• Visiting the Road to Zero Experience Space and Learning Studios and using multi-sensory interactive technologies
• Pre- and post-visit lesson resources
SCAN THE QR CODE TO LEARN MORE OR VISIT ROADTOZERO.VIC.GOV.AU
SCHOOL/VACATION CARE GROUPS
The Beaconsfield Mine & Heritage Centre is an exceptional choice for group excursions, offering a dynamic and immersive learning experience for all ages. Acting as a ‘time machine’, our Centre invites students to explore the rich history of gold mining, agriculture, industry, and social heritage, along with the dramatic 2006 mine rescue through engaging, interactive exhibits.
Our exhibits are designed to support play-based and active learning, and align with Australian Curriculum themes across humanities and social sciences, STEM, economics, and business. The historical and modern design and artefacts, also make it a valuable destination for visual arts inspiration.
CURRICULUM ALIGNMENT
The exhibits align with Australian Curriculum themes and subjects for both primary and secondary education, including:
Identity, relationships and culture
• Interactions with the environment Historical enquiry – primary and secondary resources
• Roles, intentions and motives of people in the past and present Earth, physical and chemical sciences
• Communication technologies Human endeavour
• Perspectives and interpretation
TOURS & GROUP PLANNING
Our experienced volunteer guides offer engaging and informative tours, we recommend allowing 1.5 hours. While students are welcome to bring drink bottles, we recommend leaving school bags on the bus. The site includes both indoor and outdoor areas, so make sure your group dress appropriately for the weather.
To accommodate your group, we will work with your teacher or excursion leader to determine manageable group sizes, with a maximum of 100 students per time slot.
ENTRY FEES & BOOKING
Entry fees for students and additional adults will be discussed during your enquiry with us. However, any adults attending at a ratio of 1:10 with students are free of charge. We typically send an invoice following your visit, but we can also accept payment on the day. You can also download our School/Vacation Care Excursion Guidelines and a templated risk assessment below to assist with your planning.
• Explore Australia’s leading crocodile interpretive centre • Learn about sustainable crocodile farming
• The Gallery of Living Art displays colourful snakes and lizards along with a Komodo Dragon and a giant Reticulated Python
• Explore Gondwana Gateway and learn about Australia’s fauna evolution
• Exciting and educational presentations throughout the day supported by informative displays • Student group menus available
HALLOWED MCG TURF A SHRINE TO SPORT
The only thing that almost beats being at ‘The G’ for another magical sporting moment is an excursion to the arena for a deep dive into its place in our national folklore.
BY SARAH DUGGAN
YOU could say Catherine Picioane’s little black address book is worth its weight in gold – Olympic gold, to be more precise.
The education and services coordinator at the MCG’s Australian Sports Museum in Melbourne oversees a powerful (and thrilling) excursion offering that has been connecting primary and secondary students with some of Australia’s greatest sporting heroes, including champions of the pool, ice rink and even the ocean.
Picioane, who comes with 25 years classroom experience, says the beauty of the ‘Meet an Olympian’ excursion is that teachers can really tailor the experience to meet the learning needs of their class.
Whether it be a focus on physics, maths, or an uplifting lesson on goal setting, leadership, perseverance or personal triumph, Picioane says she carefully matches each Olympian with the specific cohort of students coming in.
“We try to encourage teachers to let us know if there’s a particular curriculum area that they’re looking at – it could be STEM,” she shares.
“So, for example, we’ve got (former Olympic ice speed skater) Richard Goerlitz, who presents. So of-
ten, I’ll get him to speak to secondary students and let him know that that’s what they’re focusing on.
“So, students would be looking at the forces, energy, speed and motion involved, the friction on ice and how the skates have changed (over the years).
“Another great one is Dean Hewitt, he’s a curler, which is exciting. He was in the last Olympics and he talks about friction and motion, and shows the two different shoes that they wear – one gets a bit of a slide going, the other one helps them grip.”
Synchronised swimmer Coral Byron is also a regular feature in the program. She explores elements of STEM though the lens of her unique sport.
“She talks all about the weight of the water and having to push up off the ground, off the base, or being able to float and different things. So all the science that is [behind these sports at the elite level] now.”
Former Olympic sailor Tess Lloyd is also available to deliver a gritty message around what it takes to overcome the odds and the reward in backing your dreams even when they might seem totally impossible.
“During training, [Lloyd] got hit by a board and
Let
Where students meet opportunity
Melbourne March 19–21
Adelaide May 7–9
Brisbane May 28–30
Perth July 23–25
Sydney August 28–29
then had to learn how to walk and talk again.
“PRESENTERS DON’T SHY AWAY FROM SHARING THE TOUGH REALITY OF BEING THE VERY BEST...”
“So she’ll even talk to the little primary school kids and say, ‘[my experience was like] when you fell off your bike, but you just love it that much that you just get back on and you try your best…’
Many of the presenters don’t shy away from sharing the tough reality of what it took to become one of the very best in the world.
“They talk about trying to balance their social lives with their commitment to sport. So they do tell the students that, really, if you want to achieve elite level, you have to sacrifice some things, and some of them might be family events…”
Goerlitz also shares the message that it’s all about training to be the best the YOU can be, Picioane adds.
“He talks about how he once went out to ‘try and beat somebody else’ and how if only he’d stuck to his own training, he would have had success.”
Feedback from teachers is very positive, she reports, with educators appreciating the way in which the Olympians frame resilience and the importance of not giving up through their sporting reflections.
“For the kids, they’re just excited to meet a real-
life Olympian, but they like being able to share their story as well.
“So, there’s plenty of time for the students to share what their sporting achievements are or ask questions – we always have a Q&A time at the end.”
The questions issued are usually pointed and highly specific, Picioane laughs.
“A lot of the students ask the Olympians, ‘how much do I have to put in? What do I have to eat?’ They talk about diet and sleep, and trying to balance it with school as well.
“So they get a really good overall understanding of what it’s like to be an elite athlete, whether it’s being an Olympian or just the highest you can achieve at your own level.
“They get a lot of feedback from the Olympian firsthand.”
In acknowledgement of the just-completed 2026 Winter Olympics, MCC offered schools an early bird incentive, with a 20 per cent discount for schools that booked their excursion in Term 1.
“It’s something educators can look out for again in Term 4, when we plan to offer that promotion once more,” Picioane says.
Just 90 minutes from Sydney’s CBD, or 60 minutes from Western Sydney, Scenic World offers unforgettable school excursions for all ages.
• Ride the world’s steepest railway a marvelling of engineering, dating back to the 19th century
• Explore the Scenic Walkway adjacent to the UNESCO World Heritage listed National Park
• Glide above the Jamison Valley on the Skyway & Cableway
• Discover biodiversity, geology, indigenous culture & coal mining history
• Guided tours tailored to curriculum outcomes
• Indigenous guides & Welcome to Country available on request.
KATOOMBA, BLUE MOUNTAINS
For all enquires: reception@scenicworld.com.au
IT TAKES A VILLAGE... THRIVING OUTDOORS
For some lucky schools, their location can mean an unfair advantage when it comes to the creativity and sparked curiosity provided by outdoor learning.
BY SARAH DUGGAN
FOR the nature-loving students at Village School in Melbourne’s outer east, it makes perfect sense that stray pinecones are the prized currency of choice.
“We seize all the opportunities to take the kids outside for learning,” acting principal Melissa Langford explains.
“It might be who can find the deepest puddle – so the kids go out and do a maths lesson on measurement but using nature. We have a big focus on sustainability and the environment.”
An elaborate cubby system sees the children work together to build their own bush nooks.
“It’s a whole system and they’ve got pinecones that they trade as currency.
“There are rules about the cubbies, like when the Year 6s leave, they donate their cubby to a younger child. And if a cubby is abandoned for three months, it’s up for grabs.
“I think using nature in learning – and learning in nature – sparks curiosity and creativity. And the kids get a lot more out of that than structured play,” the school leader says.
Set on eight acres of ‘beautiful bushland’ complete with vibrant wetlands that run right alongside its campus, Village School is well placed to turn the natural world into a classroom.
And with resident ponies, chickens and donkeys to care for, bug samples to examine and recycling/ waste management processes to oversee, students form a strong bond with the land and its menagerie of animals, Langford says.
“We feel that it’s really important for kids to have that connection with nature. I think they’re naturally curious about it, they’re naturally caring. I think it promotes empathy within themselves as well.
“There’s a million ways to tackle the Victorian curriculum and we feel that sitting in the classroom isn’t the most engaging way for kids to learn.”
While mini excursions into the local environment are part of the daily schedule at Village School, once a term all students are treated to a tailored incursion or excursion that is used as a springboard to access a particular theme being explored in the curriculum.
“It gives meaning to the theme,” Langford says.
“For example, two of our groups this term have got a theme called ‘I’ve Got the Power’, and through that they’re looking at government and how government works, but also power in poetry, electrical power –there’s lots of different ways to cover that theme.
“They’re catching the train next week to go to Parliament House and they’re taking part in a role play where they’ll be in the Legislative Council and
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“... SITTING IN THE CLASSROOM ISN’T THE MOST ENGAGING WAY TO LEARN...”
they’re going to be members of Parliament and pass a bill – they’ll also go to the Old Treasury building and explore the vaults…”
Upon returning to school, students might reflect on the learning experience by creating a ‘read all about it’– style newspaper or even short videos that can form a show much like Better Homes and Gardens for the school community, Langford says.
“Rather than coming back and writing just a boring recount, they [produce these publications and shows sharing] their own perspectives.
“And that’s (about) tackling the curriculum in different ways, looking at different writing styles, but making it authentic by creating something that was meaningful to them.”
Each year the entire school heads away on camp as a group and for Langford, witnessing the personal growth in students as they challenge themselves in new ways is a real highlight.
Promoting resilience and responsibility are the focus here, she says.
“We went to Portsea last year and a highlight was when one of the Preps went down the flying fox.
“I showed his mum a photo of it and she said, ‘oh my goodness, he’s scared of heights, there’s no way he would have done that with me, I’m so surprised he did that’.
“And I think that’s what happens when kids go on camp, when they have different experiences away from their family; they try new things and [that student] was so proud of himself, so happy.”
Village School also takes bushcraft very seriously, with local Wurundjeri people often invited to come on-site to share their cultural knowledge and wisdom with the children.
“They might be planting native bush tucker gardens, things like that,” Langford says.
“We’ve also got a ‘bush talk’ program where the kids … might use a flint and steel to light a fire or learn how to split wood or do cordage.
“…it’s [about] promoting resilience and responsibility and resourcefulness – they’re our school values.”
education@southgippsland.vic.gov.au
AI TRANSFORMING OUR GALLERIES AND MUSEUMS
AI is adding a whole new dimension to the excursion experience, with cuttingedge tech breathing new life into art, history and music-related adventures in our institutions.
BY ANNE VIZE
THERE’S little doubt that artificial intelligence has become one of the most powerful game changers in the education landscape in living memory.
School, TAFE and university sectors are all grappling with why, how and under what terms AI will integrate with everyday teaching and learning experiences.
While AI can be a disruptor, causing no end of headaches for teachers trying to instil ethical use of the technology into their students, it can also be a time saving tool that frees teachers up to focus on what really matters in their classroom.
It is an exciting approach that can bring new life to excursions and offer opportunities that broaden the experiences of more students.
In the context of art, museums and galleries, AI can help individualise student experiences and give them access to creative and interpretive tools that bring art, history and music to life.
Let’s explore how you can utilise AI technologies with your students.
AI TO BOOST ACCESSIBILITY
AI tools can be a helpful way of boosting accessibility for students who prefer to access information in
different ways. Generative AI tools can generate text across a range of reading and comprehension levels, quickly and easily.
Use clear, precise prompts to get the best results. You can do this by starting with a few simple sentences related to a topic such as an artwork, creator or piece of music. Then use a clear prompt to direct AI to write a summary of the same text at different reading levels, or in easy English. This is a great way of adding value to an arts-based excursion, with summary texts, question sets and inquiry resources generated at the right level for all students.
As community venues like museums and galleries adopt a more universal design approach, AI can become an important way of making information, history and creative works accessible to all students.
AI AS A CREATIVE SUPPORT
Generative AI tools can also assist students when they are writing or creating a response to an excursion. They can begin with asking questions to help them find information about a topic related to their excursion.
The questions help refine their online searching and speed up the information gathering process.
2026 Professional Learning
School Safety and Wellbeing
Our Core learning topics:
Educator Wellbeing
Student Wellbeing
Trauma
Debriefing
Emotionally
Child
“IT’S IMPORTANT STUDENTS LEARN ABOUT RESPECTING CREATIVE RIGHTS.”
AI can also help with planning and organising information, grouping thoughts together in much the same way as a mind map or graphic organiser.
AI TO INTERPRET HISTORICAL DISPLAYS
In some museums and galleries, AI tools are being used to help students interpret displays.
Students can use iPads or handheld devices to listen to information about the works they are seeing, or to share their own thoughts and responses.
AI can also provide visual storytelling tools to engage students with interactive elements in a gallery or museum.
Virtual guides can tailor a visit to a museum to meet the interests of different students within the same group, reducing the demand for precious inperson guides and making it easier for more students to access a museum.
Some museums are introducing robotic guides which adapt their response based on a student’s interaction with it.
Others are exploring how virtual reality can combine with AI to provide immersive experiences, placing the student in the context of a historical display.
Whereas once a display in a museum was a static piece with a single text written in a display card behind a glass case, now displays can invite the student to become a part of the experience.
They can use hot spots to select features of interest to them, read or listen to information and take a 3D walk through of a scene based on the time and place of the display.
AI AND IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES
AI can help bring the world of music and art to life in new an innovative ways, and some galleries and museums are already discovering how this approach can add value to a student’s experience when they visit.
Helping students become a part of an artwork through interactions, creation and engagement adds a new layer of experience to an arts-based excursion.
Students can explore how their own use of light, colour and movement can change a display and express their own creativity.
RESPECTING CREATORS’ RIGHTS
As students begin to discover new ways of utilising AI in their arts-based excursions, it’s important to also ensure they learn about respecting creative rights.
Around the world, creators, AI companies and legislators alike are battling for control and influence around creative rights.
Whereas once the rights held by a creator were clear cut, now the boundaries are far murkier and unclear. Teaching students to find out about the original source of a creative work and learning about writers, artists, performers and musicians helps students relate more closely to the person behind the work.
Learning about concepts like copyright, trademarks and intellectual property become an important part of the program for older students, so they are aware of how their own actions when they participate in an arts-based excursion can relate to the rights of creators.
SCHOOL TOURS
A CONTEMPORARY ART EXPERIENCE FOR STUDENTS ENCOURAGING CURIOSITY, CREATIVITY & CRITICAL THINKING.
EXHIBITION-LED TOURS GUIDED BY CURATORIAL FACILITATORS, TAILORED TO CURRICULUM OUTCOMES.
GUIDED EXHIBITION TOUR FROM $8 PER STUDENT*
TOUR + CREATIVE WORKSHOP $15 PER STUDENT*
SUITABLE FOR EARLY STAGE 1 – STAGE 6 *MINIMUM CLASS FEE APPLIES.
BOOKINGS & ENQUIRIES
+61 2 4925 2265
INFO@THELOCKUP.ORG.AU
THE LOCK-UP 90 HUNTER STREET, MULOOBINBA/NEWCASTLE NSW 2300 AUSTRALIA
THELOCKUP.ORG.AU
Immerse yourself in the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary the eco friendly way and visit places only kayaks can go. Paddle through peaceful mangrove lined creeks that are part of a 10,000 year old mangrove forest. Enjoy the chance to spot resident dolphins, migratory birds and other marine life along the way.
Our friendly and knowledgeable guides will ensure everyone feels confident and safe on the water. They have extensive knowledge working with marine mammals and wildlife, so they are ready to share plenty of interesting facts and insights during the tour.
The Australia’s education directory for school excursions, incursions and camps, helping teachers find curriculum-aligned learning experiences.
SUPERCHARGED SCHOOL EXPERIENCES
“A great opportunity for kids to put down their screens and reconnect with nature”
Located near the Great Ocean Road in Lorne, Live Wire Park school programs are suited to educational groups of all ages and abilities.
While the park is known for its physical challenges, our trained staff also incorporate educational elements.
We offer a 25% discount for school groups as well as teachers attending free of charge.
– Social skill & teamwork development
– Confidence building away from the formal classroom environment
– Learning about the bio-diverse Otways ecosystem
– Experience native wildlife habitats
– Information on our sustainable off-grid resource approach
– Core sustainability principles and how we implemented them
– A Covid-safe environment
Make the most of the great outdoors, with activity options for primary and secondary students and school groups
We’re also happy to tailor something specific to your school’s needs. We have catering options available and can even help recommend local accommodation for longer trips.
The below 25% discounted pricing includes 1 hour access to the Spring Circuit, and Canopy Circuit Walk.
short circuit high ropes course
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INCURSIONS
THE POWER AND PASSION OF SERVICE LEARNING
‘No one is ever too young to help others’. That’s the guiding philosophy behind service learning being taught in an empathetic and highly effective way.
BY GRANT QUARRY
THIRTEEN years ago, two Sydney mums, having learnt about the power of giving back during their own childhoods, went in search of volunteering opportunities for their teenage kids.
To their surprise, Carole Schlessinger and Ruth Tofler-Riesel found almost nothing available, and so set about organising their own.
From humble beginnings visiting the Newtown Asylum Seeker Centre and inviting friends to cook donatable meals from a kitchen in Bondi, the pair founded not-for-profit Kids Giving Back in 2018, complete with their own industrial kitchen space on the top floor of the Paddington RSL in Sydney’s inner east.
“It’s really grown from there, and since then word has sort of spread like wildfire, really,” Tali Ezekiel, Kids Giving Back’s experiential learning coordinator, says.
The organisation provides volunteering opportunities for children, teens and families and with 119 charity partners and a wide range of volunteering opportunities on offer the charity has to date enabled more than 65,000 kids and families from more than 150 schools to make a difference.
Service learning engages students in real-world activities that address community needs within an educational structure and encourages students to reflect upon their learning and skill development, yet for many schools it is perhaps not as ingrained and prioritised as it could be.
Ezekiel has been a teacher for 16 years and empathises.
“I think that it’s really hard for schools – they have academic standards they’ve got to meet, they’ve got attendance things they’ve got to do, there are all these tick boxes that have got to happen, and it’s a bit unfortunate for a lot of schools that service learning isn’t a priority.
“Some schools have things like ‘you’ve got to make your 10 hours of service learning this year’, but those are generally private schools.”
When Ezekiel first started her education career in 2009 she worked in both the private and public school sectors, and says she felt like kids at that time had plenty of access and exposure to different types of volunteering.
“Purely because, from my understanding, the paperwork was just less, so more teachers were
“[IT’S] DESIGNED TO EDUCATE STUDENTS ON IMPORTANT REAL-WORLD ISSUES...”
inclined to do it – whereas in the last seven years or so, I feel like there’s absolutely no opportunities in schools on a regular basis, and I say that coming from public sector experience for the last five years...”
Kids Giving Back is all about opportunities and offers full and half-day sessions, either in schools or at the organisation’s Paddington HQ, designed to educate students on important real-world issues –while imparting values of compassion and service.
Focussing on critical areas such as homelessness and vulnerable communities, food scarcity, asylum seekers and intergenerational experiences, sessions include structured practical activities, like cooking for people experiencing homelessness, along with showcasing inspiring guest speakers and screening videos to educate students on who and why they’re helping.
“Our standard program is a ‘cook for good’, which is where lead and assistant facilitators conduct incursions into schools, or school groups come into our kitchen, and cook healthy meals.
“We could easily cut costs by providing pasta and
potato-based meals, but we place a huge importance on meals that include at least five or six different vegetables,” Ezekiel says.
Part of the program also involves letter writing, where students include a message with their package that goes to the person receiving the meal.
“The cool thing about that is, and we did this at East Hills Boys High School last year, we then connect with the local charities, and they come in to distribute the food.
“So we connected with Mission Australia and Bankstown, they came out, and that food went back into the kids’ local community.
“… it’s really important for the schools that we connect them with charities important to them.”
If schools are keen for an incursion with a cooking activity, an appropriate industrial level kitchen is required, however there are a range of other options.
“They can put together activity packs, breakfast boxes, lunch boxes – there’s different ones we can tailor to their needs,” Ezekiel explains.
This year the organisation has also kicked off a
new program, particularly targeting girls’ schools.
Domestic and family violence, including a range of abuse, including economic, physical, sexual, emotional, and psychological, toward children, adults and elders, continues to be of major concern nationwide.
“We work with women’s shelters, domestic violence shelters, and we’ve started doing sample packs, which the shelters have specifically requested,” Ezekiel explains.
Another really popular and successful initiative has been Kids Giving Back’s intergenerational program, called ‘Scones and Stories’, where instructors visit schools and run a session with a cohort about interacting with the elderly.
Students are taught a series of games to play, and then later sessions are facilitated, where either a group of older people come to their school or children visit a care facility.
“It’s absolutely taken off with the primary kids, like Years 3 and 4, and we’ve got six or seven aged care facilities that we work with.”
Nurturing a spirit of volunteering from a young
age has seen hundreds of kids aged between 14 and 18 signing up with the charity’s Youth Changemakers Program.
Funded by the Kirby Foundation, the partnering initiative provides connections for like-minded peers and mentors, a means of documenting volunteer hours for things like the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, developing leadership skills through handson experience and a way to create lasting positive change.
Ezekiel firmly believes that service learning can have a major impact on young people suffering through the many mental health issues they’re experiencing in schools.
Volunteering, she says, helps them cultivate empathy, respect, resilience and leadership skills – and connection with their wider community
“I’m not saying it’s going to cure every kid of every mental health issue, but just those social connections that are created as a part of service learning are definitely going to help what we’re seeing with mental health and bullying and so on in schools. That’s where I really see the power in it.”
FLIPPING THE SCRIPT ON BULLYING’S CAUSES
Motivational speaker Jonny Shannon is on a mission to share that “if you can become secure in your insecurities, no one else can use those against you”.
BY SARAH DUGGAN
BEFORE discovering how to disarm bullies for good, Jonny Shannon thought his physical appearance and learning disorder made him an all too easy target throughout his disrupted secondary schooling.
But an hour spent with a school counsellor in his final year blew apart every narrative he’d spun about himself and his perpetrators.
RE-WRITING THE BULLYING NARRATIVE
“She got out this piece of paper and said, ‘why do you think you get bullied so much?’ Shannon, a motivational speaker originally from New Zealand, shares.
“I said, ‘well, I’m an easy target. There’s a big mole on the side of my face. I’ve got glasses that I don’t like. I’m short. I’ve got acne. I’ve got dyslexia.
“I just started going through all these reasons on why I got bullied and why I got picked on and why I overreact.
“She wrote them all down, and then said, ‘Jonny, I don’t think the reason you get bullied is because you have disabilities or any specific failing, I think it’s because you’re hypersensitive.’”
Shannon was stunned.
“I was used to people saying it’s always the bully’s fault,” he reflects.
The counsellor produced a blank piece of paper and drew a line down the middle.
“She said, ‘I’m going to do an exercise with you that I think is going to change your life’. And it really did…”
Working with two prompts ‘things I can change’ and ‘things I can’t change but need to change the way I think about them’, Shannon jotted down a long list of his insecurities.
“She went through them one by one,” he says.
“For instance, [tackling the mole I had] she said, ‘well, when you get older, you can get that cut out if you want to’.
“And I did … the interesting thing was, when I got home, I’ve got five brothers and not one of them noticed that I’d had my mole taken out.
“It made me realise a lot of this stuff was just in my head,” he says.
‘YOU CAN TAKE THE POWER BACK’
That exercise has shaped Shannon’s understanding of bullying and the power relations that play out in schools, revealing one core truth: “if you can become secure in your insecurities, no one else can use those insecurities against you”.
“I memorised the list, went to school, got bullied for the exact same things all over again. But this time, I didn’t react. The [bullies didn’t have] any power,” he says.
Shannon says his unique insights on bullying land well with school students.
This is one of the key insights Shannon now offers to students in a suite of talks that cover topics including mental health, building resilience, drugs and alcohol, sex and relationships, as well as bullying and cyberbullying.
His presentations have also been sought after by youth prisons and influential companies, the likes of Qantas and those in the Fortune 500.
His message to children being targeted is clear.
“They need to know that you can become secure in your insecurities, you can not react in certain situations. You can take the power back – and 95 per cent of the time, it works.”
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So why is it that the vast majority of children will overact when they are handed an insult?
“It’s because it’s like a bruise,” Shannon says.
“…when I go to high schools and say ‘hey, who’s ever had a friend that had a bruise on their arm? How many people here have poked it?’ The vast majority, 99 per cent of people, put their hand up and they don’t know why.”
It’s all about the expected reaction, Shannon adds.
“We think it’s funny because we see a bruise, we tap it and you see a massive reaction. The funniness isn’t necessarily about hurting the person. It’s this idea that I don’t give a lot of energy but I see a huge reaction.
“All a bruise is, is sensitive skin.”
BUILD UP YOUR CASE
In the five per cent of cases where the bullying continues despite receiving no reaction, that is the time to approach an adult, Shannon advises.
“That’s when I tell young people, ‘hey, if they’ve hassled you three times in a row, you haven’t reacted, you’re being calm to the best of your ability, that’s when you then go to a teacher and say ‘look, I’ve asked this guy to stop, it’s happened three times and it keeps happening.’”
Here the child being targeted is actually in a position of power, he notes.
“You have almost like a legal case, you’ve got a case to build, and you’re not getting labelled as a telltale or as a victim or any-
thing else. It’s a very methodical process of figuring out, is it actually bullying?”
BULLYING OR CONFLICT RESOLUTION?
Shannon says he has been approached by large media corporations to speak about bullying, only to be later declined once he outlines his perspective on the problem.
One unpopular argument he stands by is that most of what is deemed bullying in schools is, in fact, a case of conflict resolution.
“If you peel a couple of layers back, you start realising what most kids talk to parents and teachers about isn’t actually bullying, it’s conflict resolution.
“… Einstein did say it: clearly identifying the problem is half the solution.
“… I’m very quick to say, I’ve done a great deal of research on this topic, I’ve interviewed some of the best people in the world [and those in the top echelon agree] that the vast majority of the time when kids go to teachers, it’s not actually bullying.”
Last year an expert called for a national standard to stamp out bullying in Australian schools, warning confusing labels, offthe-mark definitions and programs with hazy evidence are clouding the scene.
Dr Grace Skrzypiec, a school bullying researcher and senior
lecturer at Flinders University, warned many available interventions for schools are based on flimsy evidence at best.
“People rushed into trying out different things when, in fact, they hadn’t done the research to understand the bullying phenomenon, per se, because bullying has a specific definition.
“People talk about bullying, but they don’t actually understand the academic definition that’s used in research, which is that it’s a repeated, deliberate, aggressive act between a perpetrator and a victim, where the perpetrator has more power than the victim, and the victim feels helpless to fight back.
“And unfortunately, there aren’t too many instruments at all that actually measure bullying. That is one of the issues of the research,” Skrzypiec flagged.
Shannon says more than 75 per cent of school bullying in Australia is based on appearance, sexuality or disability.
It’s telling then, he says, that in a survey of more than 9000 young people around the country, some 84 per cent said their experience of bullying did not involve any of these.
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“In other words, it wasn’t targeted, and … one of the first questions I ask is, ‘can you think of anything you’ve done to provoke them?’”
WATCH YOUR ENERGY
The energy children carry around their school matters, and it pays for students to be aware of the subtle ways in which they interact with peers and move about campus, Shannon says.
“[In my case], a counsellor had to have a serious conversation with me and say, ‘Jonny, the way you walk around school is quite intense, it looks like you’re holding a lot of anger; you stare when you look at people.
”One of the biggest reasons I got hassled was … because I had this tendency of looking like I was staring, like I was being aggressive.
“So in an hour-long presentation, I go through that nuance of like, ‘hey, where are you on the scale? If somebody was to see you, would they think that person’s friendly, would they think they’re neutral, or would they think that person is aggressive?’”
For students who believe they have been the target of bullying, it pays to ask some direct questions, Shannon says.
“Can you think of anything you’ve done to provoke them? Are they treating other people the same way?
“Because if that person is being annoying to everybody, well, it’s not targeted then, by definition.”
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WEATHER TO GO? WEIGHING UP THE RISKS
With climate change and extreme weather events becoming a year-by-year proposition, planning your next camp has become a decidely more difficult undertaking.
BY ANNE VIZE
IT’S been a summer of weather extremes across the country, with torrential rain and flooding battering the eastern states while fires put many communities at risk in Victoria and Western Australia.
The year 2024 was the second hottest on record in Australia, with 2025 being the fourth hottest, with average temperatures peaking at 1.23 degrees above the 30 year average to 1990. As the climate warms, extreme weather events become more likely.
Extremes of temperature, rainfall, wind and storm activity will increase. Although our technology tools for measuring and predicting weather are highly sophisticated and accurate, they are not a guarantee. It’s simply not possible to know with complete certainty what the weather will do on any given day, making planning safe outdoor and large group events like camps far more problematic.
Against a rapidly changing weather backdrop, is it time to rethink what we do when we take students away from school to experience new things and spend time in outdoor places?
BALANCING RISK AND BENEFIT
School camps have long been a fundamental part of the curriculum for primary and secondary students. Camps give students the opportunity to spend time away from the school setting, building independence skills and sharing new experiences with their class mates and teachers.
The benefits of attending a camp are many; children build social skills and become more confident and capable at dealing with new experiences, they learn more about managing their daily rou-
tines independently, they find out about places away from their own communities.
Camps can be a wonderful support for both physical and mental health. They help increase connection to school and peers, reduce anxiety and increase problem solving, communication and teamwork skills. In an outdoor education context, students can also build physical skills such as bike riding, swimming, water safety awareness and camp craft.
Yet despite the benefits, it is becoming increasingly challenging for schools to choose a safe location for a camp, at a time when the weather is suitable for the activities and it is safe to travel.
HEALTHY OUTCOMES
Depending on the location and timing of a camp, climate related health risks can become a significant issue for schools to consider when they plan a camp. Young children can be very susceptible to extremes of temperature, experiencing difficulties in both very hot and very cold weather.
Dehydration during physical activities, as well as risks from sunburn, heat stroke and fatigue can affect wellbeing and safety in hot weather. Very cold weather can also have an impact on children, making some activities challenging to complete in cold, wet or windy weather.
Some infections and diseases are becoming more prevalent in places where they were previously less known, such as those spread by mosquitoes or ticks.
TRANSPORT ISSUES
Most camps involve transport to and from the site,
“IT’S NOT POSSIBLE TO KNOW WITH COMPLETE CERTAINTY WHAT THE WEATHER WILL DO.”
often by bus. While this is usually a safe and enjoyable way of getting children to and from a camp, it becomes far more challenging in extreme weather. Roads can close with little advance warning, requiring a change of route or timing. Wind and rain can make road travel more dangerous, and significant events like fires or floods can make roads impassable.
Managing transport risks with large groups of children and staff can become a significant challenge, particularly if rapid decisions are needed by teachers in charge to manage situations as they unfold on the ground.
MITIGATING THE RISKS
In the face of weather and climate challenges, it’s possible that schools may need to make some hard decisions about whether and how they plan camps. In some scenarios it may simply become more realistic to change tacks and explore other alternatives instead of camps.
Options like overnight school based camps, ex-
cursions and incursions may be a preferable option that need less risk management and are more likely to go ahead rather than being cancelled if the weather is not suitable. If schools do decide to plan camps, it becomes more important to think about how to predict and mitigate the potential risks.
While some risks are knowable and can be readily mitigated with equipment, training, safety planning and inductions, other risks are far harder to predict. This makes it much harder to complete a risk management plan that covers all the likely eventualities.
Mitigating risks may need to include thinking about the timing of activities to avoid extremes of heat, cold and UV exposure during the day, requiring long sleeved tops, hats and long pants to reduce contact with mosquitos and planning travel on roads which are less likely to be impacted by closures from rising water levels or fire.
Ultimately it may become a question for schools and their communities about whether they believe the benefits of camps outweigh the risks.
SAMPLING VICTORIA’S INCREDIBLE WILDERNESS
Camp destinations should always offer those lucky enough to experience them a uniquely different adventure, and for Cave Hill Creek visitors, there is nothing quite like it.
BY GRANT QUARRY
LOCATED less than an hour’s drive west of Ballarat, and nestled on 100 acres of stunning Victoria wilderness at the base of the Mount Coles State Forest, Cave Hill Creek is an award-winning, familyoperated camp featuring its own private lake, lush bushland and abundant wildlife.
“It opened in 1988, but before that was nothing but a bare sheep paddock,” the camp’s operations manager Darren Stomilovic says.
“Ian and Julie Chandler had an amazing vision to build a venue that would cater for school groups, but it’s morphed and transformed over almost 40 years to become a multi-purpose venue.”
A farmer and a teacher, the pair visualised a spectacular lake, group accommodation and function venue on a picturesque parcel of land at the top of the Raglan Valley – and today it is realised quite spectacularly.
Stomilovic started working at the site as a casual
in 2019, after moving from his family home in Caroline Springs to study outdoor education at Federation University in Ballarat.
After graduating, he worked casually for different camp providers across Victoria in a range of locations, in the high country, along the coast and in the Grampians.
Stomilovic moved quickly into a full-time activity instructor role and activity and grounds maintenance, before assuming the operations manager role in late 2020 at Cave Hill Creek.
He has a passion for his position and the team he leads.
“My main responsibility is to plan, coordinate and deliver outdoor experiences at Cave Hill Creek, whether that be with school groups, community groups or the family groups that are 35 people plus, and we run activities for them.
“It’s really planning and liaising with the school
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“IT’S A PLACE TO DISCONNECT AND JUST ABSORB WHAT’S AROUND YOU.”
groups around what their activity programs look like, how we can cater for their students, and I then have a team of activity instructors under me that I have to manage and support and mentor through delivering our product and our program to the standard that we hold ourselves to.”
The outdoor expert wouldn’t be anywhere else.
“There’s not a day where I don’t walk out the front of the building and look out across the lake and across camp and think, ‘wow, this is just beautiful’,” he shares.
“It’s a place where you can come, you can disconnect, you can just absorb what’s around you. And there’s so much power in that to relax, recharge, but also inspire.”
The lake is predominantly used for canoeing and raft building, with a number of surrounding hiking and walking trails that range from easy walking to really challenging.
“We’ve got Raglan Falls, that’s about a 40-minute walk away from camp, and we tend to take out groups for bushwalking, but we also run abseiling from there as well,” Stomilovic says.
“To be able to give kids an opportunity to abseil down a 25-metre cliff next to a gorgeous waterfall is a pretty cool experience.”
The site offers school groups three flexible options – Residential, Base and Journey Camps – each catering to a range of ages and abilities. Overall, on site, there are 130 beds across the entire venue.
“Our overnight residential programs involve kids staying on Cave Hill Creek grounds, and taking part in activities in and around the place,” Stomilovic says.
Students stay in the site’s superb Lakeview Lodge, which includes 10 rooms, four with ensuites and six rooms with bunk-style offerings, along with two main toilet blocks, and attached to the Lodge is a main dining and recreation space.
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“THIS AREA IS A MEETING PLACE FOR THREE FIRST NATIONS GROUPS.”
Aimed as an introductory experience, the Residential camp is a short, fun and action-packed group of outdoor activities, with glamping village accommodation if desired, and with healthy, chefprepared meals to match.
Base camp is a level up, where students venture beyond creature comforts and into a few nights in tents under the stars, cooking their own meals on trangias and focussing on developing confidence and teamwork without the distraction of moving camp.
“We take them bushwalking around the forest and on mountain bike rides, with plenty of opportunity to explore,” Stomilovic says.
For the Journey camps, students need to work as a team in an immersive expedition that helps build resilience and leadership skills.
“The Journey program is where we really utilise the Mount Coal State Forest and the Mount Buangor National Park and a trail called the Beeripmo Trail, which is a lovely 21 kilometre loop.
“We tend to have either Year 7s or Year 9s partici-
pate in this one, and we teach them everything they need to know, including how to pack, what gear they might need when they do it again, how to set up tents and so on.
“We teach them navigation and map work. It just gives them an ability and confidence to head out into beautiful environments and to connect with nature.”
While the site prioritises environmental consciousness and sustainability, building Indigenous and cultural awareness is also a major inclusion.
“It’s an important part about our identity. We’re really lucky, this area was and still is, a meeting place for three different First Nations groups.
“We sit right on the border of the Wadawurrung people and the Dja Dja Wurrungg, and then on the western side of the range, we have the Djab Wurrung border as well.
“We always do an acknowledgement of country on arrival, and at present we’re looking to create a reconciliation action plan, and to focus and work on that relationship.”
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