Rawa High School trip - Part 2: Down South

Join Rawa students for Part 2: Down South. They travel into the depths of the south west where they were welcomed to Wadandi Boodja by Wadandi family Wayne, Toni and Zac Webb who kept the group culturally safe on Boodjara Boordawah. The students loved talking with Zac, comparing langauges, hunting techniques, and favourite bush foods. Despite the cold and rainy conditions, the group conquered the Margaret Karru (River) on kayaks, learnt to surf the waves of the Indian Ocean, snorkelled, fished and jumped off the Busselton Jetty, explored the depths of Ngilgi cave, and climbed to the heights of the South West forests.

With a sunny weather window finally approaching on the second last day, the group prepared their packs and set off on a hike from Cape Naturalist Lighthouse. Over 5km they endured bush trails, long beach stretches and scrambled over rocky outcrops, stopping along the way to watch whales passing by and inspect rock pools for marine critters.

The varied new and positive experiences on this trip encouraged the students to expand any preconceived concepts they had about who they are and what they are capable of, opening a whole new world of opportunity and possibility. It has been wonderful hearing the students share stories with families and even strangers, proudly telling them of the whole day they spent surfing, or the time they found an octopus in the lagoon that changed colour like a chameleon, or when they were so scared to step on the plane but with some help from friends, they felt brave.