A weekend Well Spent With Our Mentors

A weekend Well Spent With Our Mentors

It was great to see some familiar smiling faces around the Cottage recently when our younger group of year 8 & 9 Mentors came to stay over the weekend. Sadly, it was the last chance for the two groups of Mentors from Werribee and St Albans/Kings Park to hang out together before the end of the year.

After an early pick-up in Melbourne and the usual chatty bus ride back to Queenscliff, we all made our beds and then enjoyed some chill-out time and a delicious lunch together in the dining room. In the afternoon we spent our time by the bay – fishing, swimming and sight-seeing.

Our night time activity was very different and even a little spookier compared to anything else we usually plan for our camps. The Mentors were ready to get their fright-night on when we took them by surprise and went on an official ghost tour at the Old Geelong Gaol. After many jumps, scares and even a few loud screams later, we finished up the tour and the Mentor’s couldn’t be any happier than to get on the bus and drive back to the Cottage for bed.

Saturday morning was an early start for everyone as we woke up, ate our breakfast and wandered down to the Queenscliff Marina for an exciting day out on the boat with our awesome friends from ‘Sea All Dolphin Swims.’ For the rest of the day we snorkeled around the many beautiful treasures of Port Phillip Bay, jumped off the boat into the blue waters below and even attempted to ” hang- ten” when wake-surfing along the side of the boat. By the afternoon we were all watered out and although we didn’t spot any dolphins, we couldn’t have had a better time cruising together in the bay, all thanks to the wonderful, passionate and enthusiastic staff who make up the Sea All Dolphin Swims team. We thank-you kindly for the outstanding effort and experience you gave both our young Mentors and our staff on the tour and appreciate the knowledge and love for the ocean that you have shared with us.

Later that night, once we had all showered and gulped down some scrumptious lasagna, our Mentors had to thoughtfully plan a 3 course menu for their last day of camp (Sunday), as they would be spending it offsite, before being dropped home. Taking responsibilities into their own hands, we drove them to our local Woolworths, so they could pick out all their ingredients and supplies in time for the morning.

After an early night, it was already time to pack the trailers and get on the bus back to Melbourne, with a stop at the You-Yang’s National Park along the way for our last little bit of adventure. Hiking the trails and orienteering around in some slight rain amongst the natural wildlife made it all the more fun, before it was time for the Mentors to get their cooking skills on.

The groups prepared their entree of nachos, followed by a BBQ feast for lunch and lastly a dessert of camp-fire s’mores before saying their farewells and making their ways back home.