Brisbane Boys’ College

The Brisbane Boys' College Outdoor Education program provides an environment where every boy has the opportunity to explore his natural outdoor surrounding with a key set of personal goals that lead to self-discovery, imagination, leadership and humility.

This holistic approach is specifically designed to fulfill the College’s commitment to educate the whole man. Outdoor Education expands on the student’s current knowledge so that he has a better understanding of himself and others in the outdoor environment; what he is capable of and how he can utilise those skills in the future; and how he can further his leadership, communication and other life skills.
Years 4 to 6
Students in Years 4 to 6 first experience Outdoor Education on their respective school camps. These camps are held in Term 1 of the school year and introduce students to a new outdoor environment.
Year 7
Students in Year 7 commence their adventure with bushwalking around the Mount Barney National Park and Bellthorpe State Forest areas in teams. The teams complete initiative and regaining activities on site and participate in environmental awareness pursuits. To give focus to the importance of leadership and communication, students finish their journey with rock climbing, abseiling, high ropes courses and tree climbs.
Year 8
Students in Year 8 experience a team environment to develop a sense of friendship and trust; demonstrate communication and leadership skills for life inside and outside of school; and discover how to accomplish goals by working as a team.
Two overnight stays mark the beginning of the students’ bush walking journey where they participate in navigation activities and sustainability awareness projects to better understand the outdoor environment. The students enjoy rock climbing and abseiling at Mount Gilles National Park to experience the significance of leadership, communication and selflessness in all aspects of life.
Year 9
The Outward Bound program is an expedition based journey for Year 9 students. Through guided instruction and their own endeavour, students undertake various outdoor activities in the wilderness with groups moving independently of one another. The journey creates a sense of self-reliance and adventure driving students to use their initiative, resourcefulness and the group’s diverse set of skills and attributes.
The students experience a journey whereby they gain enhanced self-awareness and self esteem through personal development; develop an understanding of the positive attributes of an effective team through teamwork, trust and communication; are provided group leadership opportunities in challenging and unfamiliar settings; model and practice acts of service to others and/or the environment; and develop an appreciation for and awareness of the natural environment.
Year 10
Students in Year 10 nominate their own adventure – from rock climbing and mountain biking, to river journeys, walking and sea kayaking. Students are challenged during their five days in the field, planning for and participating in a self-discovery expedition camp. The Senior students are given the opportunity to further their interest and knowledge in the outdoor environment and their chosen activity; and experience a skill in which they have not yet tried or feel they will accelerate in.

Sustainability
In 2012, Brisbane Boys’ College made a commitment that, as an innovative and relevant educational institution, sustainability be embedded to ensure that we strive to create a better world in which we all live. The Outdoor Education program is a driving force for sustainable practices with a number of projects to be carried out to 2016.

• Engage camp providers with strong eco-tourism and published sustainable practices
• Maintain vehicle carbon emissions via the use of other transport means during camps such as bikes and on foot
• Limit all camp waste to recycling and composted waste only
• Promote critical reflection on the ecological consequences of both local and global behaviours
• Personally model culturally and environmentally sensitive behaviours
• Encourage a greater understanding of the natural and constructed environments through quality interpretation
• Maintain a positive balance between the learning goals of the program and the environmental impact

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