School News
Year 3 Author's Workshop & Design Technology
What an incredible experience our Year 5 students had on camp at Echo Creek! The excitement began with a stop at the Cardwell Historic Museum for morning tea. Students explored the history of Cardwell, learning about the old court system, communication methods, and what kitchens looked like in the olden days. There was plenty of laughter (and a few shocked faces!) when they discovered the old-fashioned dunny outhouses! A huge thank you to the lovely volunteers at the Cardwell Information Centre for their warm hospitality and for allowing us to share morning tea and explore the museum.
After our visit, we jumped back on the bus and made our way to Echo Creek. As we drove in, the rain began to fall, and the adults started to worry about a very wet camp! Luckily, as we arrived and unpacked, the rain eased, and students settled into their quarters and tents for the next two days of adventure.
The fun kicked off quickly, with students divided into three groups to begin their activities. On day one, they completed two exciting challenges. The first was raft building, where students used their newly learned rope-tying skills and design thinking to create a raft capable of transporting them across the dam and back. This activity was as entertaining as it was challenging, with students showing leadership, teamwork, and resilience throughout.
Next came the abseiling and rock wall! During our evening reflection, this was the most talked-about activity of the day. Many students overcame their fears of heights, supported by the amazing and encouraging Echo Creek staff.
The final activity of camp was the Challenge Course—and it certainly lived up to its name! Students climbed, jumped, carried, crawled, and slid their way through the muddy obstacle course, showing impressive teamwork and determination as they worked together to conquer each challenge.
Our first night ended beautifully with a special liturgy, where we reflected on our experiences and looked ahead to an exciting year to come. The evening continued with trivia, music, night-time volleyball, and lots of laughter—a perfect way to unwind after a big day.
The next morning began with a fitness session led by Mr Sheahan, followed by the most delicious pancakes cooked by the talented in-house chefs. Echo Creek Camp was a true adventure filled with laughter, learning, teamwork, and unforgettable memories. Our Year 5 students returned home a little muddier, a little braver, and a whole lot prouder of what they achieved together!
We would like to sincerely thank our families for their support in making this experience possible for our students. A heartfelt thank you also goes to our amazing teachers, Mrs Sheahan, Mrs Venturato, Ms Kimberley, and Mrs Dunn for all their hard work in preparing for camp and for giving up their time to be with our students. To Mrs Giliberto, our wonderful Chaplain, thank you for your constant guidance and encouragement and for also giving up your personal time to be with us. And of course, a huge thank you to our parent helpers—Mr Sheahan, Mr Kernke, Mrs Torrisi, and Mrs Venturato for your incredible support and encouragement throughout the camp.
A special mention to our Year 5 students who are to be congratulated on their amazing behaviour, manners and engagement with all camp activities. You kids were AMAZING!
Our Year 5 Campers said:
Chloe Celotto:
I loved everything, especially the challenge course and volleyball. Thank you, Mrs Sheahan and teachers! We had a good time.
Georgia Myles:
My favourite thing at camp was rock climbing and having fun with my friends.
Matisse Scovazzi:
The best part of camp was abseiling and rock climbing for sure! I went up the rock wall about 15 times!
Parker Sheahan:
The most memorable part of camp was when the raft broke in the raft building because we were all laughing, stuck in the mud at the bottom of the dam and it was chaos.
Kadence Torrisi:
The most memorable part of camp was watching my friends climb the rock wall, and they were three rocks away from the top, and they just flopped down.
Mitch Roati:
My favourite memory at camp was going on the challenge course and getting sprayed with the hose by Mrs Sheahan and crawling under the ropes.
Nico Li:
I loved everything, from the start of the day to the end.
Jasmine Gianotti:
I loved the rock wall, the raft building and the challenge course. I had an amazing time!
Lotti Duffy:
My favourite part of our camp was getting all muddy on the challenge course with my friends.
Jethro Accendere:
Frank Fraser Lecturette Finals
Congratulations to Cianne who was awarded the 2026 Frank Fraser Lecturette competition winner, with her speech “The Power of Positive Thinking”.
