31/10/2025
🌿 Term 3 Camp – Elbenjo Campground 🌄
This term’s camp focused on teaching our Young Rangers valuable life skills — teamwork, leadership, and dedication — all while embracing the great outdoors.
Day 1
Surrounded by open paddocks and towering mesas, we arrived at Elbenjo Campground late in the afternoon just as the rain began to ease. The Rangers wasted no time setting up tents and showed fantastic teamwork — even solving the small hiccup of a missing hammer by using natural resources to drive in the pegs!
Firewood was gathered, the bus was freed from a patch of slick mud, and soon the camp was alive with laughter and problem-solving. For some of the Rangers, it was their first time using a Trangia, but you wouldn’t have known it — they worked brilliantly together to cook up a delicious “poor man’s stir fry”.
Day 2
Perfect weather greeted us for an action-packed day. After cooking up hearty egg and sausage muffins (and passing tent inspection with flying colours), it was time to shoulder the hiking packs.
To align with Term 3’s Physical Performance Evaluation, the plan was for a “short 5km hike.”
(Or so they thought 😉)
In true Ranger spirit, the team powered through an incredible 13.5km hike! Along the way, they tackled challenges like navigation, identifying edible plants, and even making rope from natural fibres — an age-old survival skill once used to repair fishing nets.
Their efforts were rewarded at a private dam, where they learned how to responsibly catch, handle and humanely kill marron — a real privilege. For many, it was a first-time experience, and the courage shown was truly impressive.
After a well-earned rest, the Rangers prepared a delicious dinner of curried sausages and grilled marron before winding down for the night — with noticeably quieter tents after such a big day!
Day 3
Our senior Rangers stepped up once again, leading breakfast preparations and helping pack up camp in record time. Before heading home, the group took a short “train” ride (more like a lawnmower with attached seats!) to the on-site animal park.
There, the Rangers met rescued emus and ostriches, fed flocks of colourful birds, and made some new furry friends — including baby goats, euros, and western grey kangaroos.
In Conclusion
Despite a bit of rain (and the occasional reminder to “simmer down” 😄), this camp was a huge success. The instructors couldn’t be prouder of how the Rangers overcame challenges, pushed through the long hike, faced the pinchers of marron, and supported each other every step of the way.
A special commendation goes to our senior Rangers, who showed outstanding leadership and determination throughout the camp.
Well done, Rangers — you’ve shown what teamwork, resilience, and a love for adventure really look like! 👏💚
