Tuesday, 1 July 2025 | Term 1 | Week

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Day | Views 860

Yr 13 experience the Great Barrier Island in 2012.

Thursday 2nd of Feb 10:30pm saw 114 extremely exhausted and disheveled students, staff and parents stumble onto the Sandspit wharf to reclaim their packs, after five days on Great Barrier Island. Despite appearances all were in high spirits and quick to regale loved ones with exaggerated stories of woe and high adventure. The number and size of the blisters got bigger and bigger, the hills became mountains and the staff leaders more maniacal, with each retelling. The source of the fevered angst was the endless hiking from dawn to dusk and the back to basics camping with nary a comfy sofa, TV, hot shower or computer game so necessary in todays teen world.

From the school's point of view it is a much valued and beneficial part of the programme. It builds character, breeds resilient and independent young men and women - who quickly bond, to collectively rise to the tough physical challenge before them and the academic and leadership challenges ahead of them. Well, that's the theory. It's a hard sell to a disgruntled 17 year old who is collapsing under the weight of their pack, sweating blood at 1pm, in the blistering sun at about the 1,500th step of the 2,006 that lead to the 621m summit of Mt Hirakimata (Hobson).

Besides tramping across and around the northern part of the island each of the five parties stayed at department of conservation campsites and at Okiwi School and the sports club at Claris. Along the way there were some stunning beaches and rivers to swim in. With a lucky few also able to kayak the Kaitoke Stream and play in a touch rugby tournament with the locals.

Because of the close relationship that has developed between Mahurangi College and Okiwi School the students happily agreed to pitch in and collectively shoveled and raked over ten truck loads of sand into the adventure playground thats being refurbished - which was hugely appreciated by the local community. Mr Winiana's group also took three Okiwi students with them along the Haratoanga Walkway.

Of course such a time consuming and taxing extra curricula activity wouldn't be possible without the passion and drive of the staff that lead it and the parent volunteers who accompany the student groups.