At Redeemer, all students participate in a four-week Outdoor Education experience during Year 9 at Mt Binga Outdoor Education Centre, located 2.5 hours north-west of the College. Outdoor Education is an integral part of Redeemer’s Personal Development program and provides unique opportunities and experiences for all students. Mt Binga is a technology-free zone for students, but students are able to communicate with people at home via mailing written letters.
The students experience the preparation and execution of camping and hiking activities including a group hike, a group "survival", and a 24-hour solo camp. Prior to their hiking and camping participation, all students are given extensive instruction in maps and compass skills in conjunction with field work knowledge which includes building bush shelters, food and water conservation and other survival skills. Additional activities throughout their experience will include: dairy (milking the cows), horse riding, farming (including chickens and lambs), gardening, high ropes, baking, washing and cleaning, planning and preparing their own meals, dedicated reflection times and daily devotions.
The Mt Binga experience is one that allows our students to flourish and develop an array of skills including independence, leadership, teamwork and so much more! A selection of students from Group 1 for 2024 have sat down to give short reflections of their time at Mt Binga. We love to hear about the wonderful experiences our students have while on their Outdoor Education experience!
Read their wonderful reflections, below, and flick through the gallery of photos from their experience at the bottom of the page!
Ellie Blake
Binga was a very fun and life-changing experience. What I loved most was all the different activities that we got to do. This included navigation, baking, service learning, horse riding, tree climb, high ropes, initiatives, hike, solo and many more.
I learnt a lot of things during the month and built on a lot of skills such as, responsibility, independence, trust, gratitude, and how to respect the environment. One thing that was key to having a good experience was to have an open mindset and give everything a go. We talked a lot about how what you put in is what you get out, and everything is memorable so give it 100%.
Another thing I learnt was perseverance. Particularly on the hike, we learnt that it was important to have a positive mindset and keep going even though it was challenging. I now know that I can do a lot of things that I didn’t think I could do before, and this gives me confidence to try new things in the future.
Ethan Chiang
At Binga, the activity I love the most is the solo camp. Since it’s been called ‘solo’ camp, it obviously means that you are camping alone for 24 hours straight. You can do whatever you want (without breaking the rules), having the time to think about your life, which you might not think about it in other times, and writing letters. To me, being alone by myself is the most peaceful time because there is no interruption from other people.
The thing I learnt most at Binga is teamwork. I’m a solo player, which means that I would rather be alone than with other people. But after Binga, I saw how working in a team can make things easier than doing it by ourselves.
The thing that challenged me was being in the same cabin with new people. It is very hard to communicate with new people since I don’t know much about them. After Binga, I feel more comfortable interacting with new people.
Emily Reid
Through my Binga experience, the were some fun, challenging, and meaningful times, which is what makes your time so great at Binga. My favourite activity was Horse Riding, this was because it was overall a fun activity and I feel it taught me how to stay in control of my situations or stay calm in situations I don’t know how to control.
Another activity I would like to talk about is the hike. This taught me a lot about perseverance because, even though many people had a negative mindset at the start, it turned out to be one of the highlights at Binga and I am so proud of myself and my peers for completing such a big challenge.
Overall, the memories I made with my friends are something I took away from Binga and are definitely something I will cherish forever.
Eli Rowney
As we arrived at the gates of Binga, a flurry of emotions hit us: excitement, fear, and anticipation. Whilst we had no real idea of what the next month of activities would look like, we were about to find out.
What I loved about Binga was the opportunities for self-reflection. These opportunities really helped me grow my social skills, as well as my whole being. Some skills that I learnt throughout the month included knot-tying, milking a cow, riding a horse, and catching a lamb.
Overall, Binga was such an amazing experience, and I will remember it forever.
Nick To
Binga was an enjoyable experience that will always be a significant part of my Redeemer journey.
The thing that I loved most during my time at Binga, was the capability to experience fun with friends in the open world. I realise that when we bond with each other, we learn new things and create cherished memories along the way.
Some challenges I faced during Binga were the times during cleaning. I found that we needed to be more organised.
Through multiple reflective activities, I learned that in situations, we must persevere, show initiative, and follow the golden rule. From the teachings of Binga staff, these are the three beneficial values I would like to carry forward to the future of my life.
Ishani Wahegaonkar
Mt Binga was absolutely phenomenal! I wish I could live there forever! I am forever grateful for this experience we were given by our school, parents and Mt Binga staff. At my time at Mt Binga, there was so much to discover and learn about myself and everyone around me.
Something that I really enjoyed was how much closer we all became as a community. There were some people who I never thought I would talk to but now, we have started the beginning of a new friendship. Everyday, we were challenging ourselves and I would say the most challenging part for me was solo. I have never spent 24 hours by myself before, and there were many smaller challenges that came in place as well. But now that I reflect back on it, I am so proud of what I achieved and did outside of my comfort zone.
I always loved the night activities as well! They were always so exciting and a great way to end our day, especially Chris and his guitar!
Overall, what I have taken away from Binga is how I should always cherish each and every moment. Every second is important and shapes you to be the human you are today, and I just wish that I could go back to Binga and do it all over again!
Jasper Walkenhorst
During Binga I had many experiences and made many memories that I will never forget.
I loved all the activities, but especially liked the Tree Climb as it challenged my skills the most. This was because we worked as a unit and if one person fell, the rest of the team would either fall with them or take the courage to catch them. I took away from this activity that everyone should stand up and support each other, as it lightens the burden of an individual.
At Binga I learnt many things and expanded my skills in a number of areas, some of these skills included cooking, communication, and teamwork. I also learnt to wake up early in the morning and create good habits such as morning exercise.
Binga was a fun-filled experience which I learned a lot from and would happily take part in again if I had the chance to.
Avah-Jayd Wiremu
Binga is a great once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that not many people get to experience. It’s like having a month sleepover with your friends and getting to do amazing activities and learning life lessons. I learnt the values of friendship, teamwork, communication, responsibility, whether it was team-building games or learning how to care for each other through the highs and lows.
During Binga, we endured a 4-day hike that was 49km long. It was challenging for many, including me, but I was able to keep persevering because I knew I had many support systems around me, and that is a lot of what Binga is about. After cleaning everything everyday, many of us learnt the value of hard work and initiative because we all wanted that 30/30 cleaning score.
At Binga there was a lot of time for reflection, especially when we were on solo for 24 hours. After spending 24 hours by yourself in the woods, there is a lot of time to reflect on yourself, the people around you, and how we act around those people. I enjoyed Binga so much and I wish I could go back so I’m really happy that people can have this experience as well.
