In the September Spring Break, 30 students and 3 staff embarked on a magic, life-time experience in Queenstown, New Zealand.
Students had the opportunity of spring skiing at the Remarkables, Coronet Peak and Cardrona, (with some locals suggesting we had experienced the best snow days in 5 years!); as well as experiencing the adrenaline-charged activities on offer in and around the beautiful city. They students savored many invaluable life-long memories together.
As with any overseas adventure, we encountered some unpredictable weather, however we were able to be flexible with the program to suit the weather conditions, allowing for a wonderful Dart River Jet Boat Experience, exploring the snow-capped Mountains from Glenorchy along the Dart River. The unpredictable weather also provided us with a blessing of 40 cm plus of fresh snow for our days on the slopes!
Our unique experience encouraged students to challenge themselves skiing or snowboarding and through other challenge by choice activities, improving their self-esteem, developing team work and leadership qualities, as well as forming positive relationships with their peers.
The following student reflections capture their highlights from the experience. We aim to offer the ski trip for Year 10 and Year 11 students again in September 2025 (more detail to be distributed in Term 1, 2024).
Everett Mellare - Year 11 Student
I went into the ski trip not really knowing anyone and feeling very nervous for the week to come. However, during the trip I made many new friends and engaged with people I had never talked to before. I Highly recommend this trip!!
Some highlights include:
- Matthew doing a front-flip by accident whilst skiing
- going on black runs (and feeling close to dying in the process)
- beating Mr Chalker at luge (and Mrs Lee cheating)
- everyone singing 'feliz cumpleanos' to Gemma for her birthday
- the buffet on the second day at the top of the Skyline Gondola!!!!! I would sell my soul to eat there again.
- learning new ski tricks (skiing backwards, going over jumps, and skiing off-terrain).
While everything seemed very daunting at first, throwing myself into it regardless, knowing that we would all support each other was a great feeling. The memories we made on this trip were amazing. Thanks everyone!
Vivienne Le - Year 10 Student
The 2024 Ski Trip was a really great experience which allowed me to experience new opportunities and activities. I really enjoyed walking around Queenstown, trying new food places, and purchasing souvenirs. The highlight of my trip was skiing at 'The Remarkables' ski slope as it was the first time I had seen snow.
Nicole Yuan - Year 10 Student
The ski trip to Queenstown was a memorable trip that offered much more than just skiing and snowboarding. From the early morning meet-up at the airport to our first day exploring the town, the trip was full of opportunities to bond with classmates and push ourselves outside of our comfort zones. The five days on the slopes with daily lessons helped us improve, and the free time allowed us to enjoy the stunning mountain views. Overall, it was an incredibly fun and unforgettable experience!
Alita Lee
Deputy Principal