On the 21 April, Mr Fogarty’s PDHPE class departed for a two night excursion into the Budawang Ranges, west of Milton. The plan was to scale the mighty “Castle” or Cooyoyo (traditional Indigenous name) Mountain. Cooyoyo is widely known as one of the best and most challenging hikes in all of Australia. 

The students were keen to depart the college after carefully packing their hiking packs with all the essentials that they would need over the 2 days. Students would be carrying all their equipment on their backs so packing lightly was the key. With Mr Mulally behind the wheel of the CCB Bus, the students were loaded up and eager for the 2 hour journey out into the wilderness. After a rough ride, we finally arrived at our campsite at Longully Flat at the base of the Cooyoyo. Students were quick to set up camp and get the campfire raging. After a gourmet dinner, we settled in for some campfire games, bonding activities and roasting marshmallows. The group turned in reasonably early in their cosy tents as they knew they would need the rest for tomorrow's big hike. 

After a reasonably good night sleep (some more than others!) we arose bright and early to have breakfast, pack up camp and get ready for the day ahead. Many were very nervous as they were unsure of what was ahead of them. Our guide Chris arrived and after a quick safety brief we were off and walking. Many students got an early shock when they were told they had to take their shoes off and wade across the icy yet refreshing waters of Yadboro Creek before we barely had even started the hike. 

From there we made our way slowly through the lush undergrowth as the track started to increase in gradient. Many students were starting to wish they had packed a bit lighter as their packs felt heavier and heavier with each step. 

After a couple of hours of setting a slow but steady pace, we stopped for morning tea on a beautiful rocky ledge that gave us a great view of how far we had come and the valley below. Many students were in awe and more than a few jaws dropped when our guide said “That’s where we will be this time tomorrow” as we all craned our necks to look straight up at Cooyoyo’s summit. 

After a bit of complaining and a few negative vibes, the group soldiered on towards our goal of reaching the Cooyoyo Creek Campsite where we would set up camp for the evening. The group really lifted each other up, providing supportive comments to those struggling to cope and we really worked as a team. 

Just after midday, we finally reached our goal of the saddle at Cooyoyo where we would finally get to lay our packs down and do a bit of exploring. The group got to walk into Monolith Valley and marvel at majestic peaks such as the Shrouded Gods which surround Cooyoyo. Ms Hopkins decided to take some of the group down to the campsite who had had enough hiking for the day and Ms Hancock, Mr Mulally and I decided to walk on and explore more of the amazing scenery in the Monolith Valley under the guidance of Chris who has many years of exploring this region under his belt. Entering the “Green Room” was a trip highlight. We could have walked straight into a Lord of the Rings movie and many expected Gollum to pop his head out as we rounded the next bend. What a treat!

After a bit of exploring we called it a day and headed back to the campsite. When we arrived the others had started a campfire and we sat down for a cuppa and a much needed rest. We relaxed by the campfire and enjoyed another gourmet meal whilst we played 50 questions with Mr Mulally, charades, heads up and many other entertaining activities by the campfire. Slowly students started to take themselves off to bed (some as early as 7:30pm) as most were totally exhausted and we had a big day to come tomorrow. The only person reluctant to go to sleep was myself as I knew I would be in for a long night due to a disappearing sleeping bag which never made it onto the bus. Let's just say I didn’t get much sleep that night as overnight temperatures were a chilly 7 degrees with a howling wind. 

We rose bright and early to catch the sunrise. Cooyoyo Creek Campsite would have to offer one of the best sunset views we have ever seen. Students sat stunned as the bright orange sun rose over the mountains, reflecting the sunlight off the walls of Cooyoyo mountain. It was surely a sight to behold! After breakfast we packed up and loaded up our packs for the final challenge of our trip - The summit of Cooyoyo! 

Things started off fine as we traversed across the base of the summit. Things started to get interesting as we came to the first set of ropes that we had to climb as our ascent truly began. Many students experienced a wide range of emotions at once like fear, excitement and anxiety. All the students dug deep and supported each other as we made it up one by one. Chris’ extensive climbing experience paid off as many students required belaying up the steep rock face for extra safety and peace of mind. 

It was slow going up the mountain as we had many small spaces to navigate and squeeze through. There were a number of difficult rope climbs that required belaying and steady hands and feet. Some students really faced their fears head on and with support of the group we all made it to the tadpoles tail of Cooyoyo for a quick rest. We were so close now!! Some students were physically and emotionally exhausted by this stage but they all dug deep and we progressed to the very top of Cooyoyo as a group. What an achievement!! 

The look of relief on the students faces was evident when they had just realised what they had achieved. We had a rest, took in the amazing views, snapped some selfies and basked in the glorious midday sun. That sense of achievement was short lived as many students realised they had to get back down (which is often as daunting as climbing up). Once again the group stuck together and supported each other through the difficult sections of the climb and after around 3 1/2 hours we had finally arrived back at the saddle. After a nice break and a bite to eat, the hard part was done as we started the final descent back to Long Gully Flat and the safety of the CCB Bus.

Spirits were high as we made our way down and as we finally hit the Yadboro Creek we were able to wash it all off in the pristine waters that flowed through the forest.

We collapsed on the bus totally spent and prepared for the long trip back.

All in all it was an amazing experience that we will not forget for a very long time. The group was a pleasure to take away, they showed resilience, empathy and the ability to achieve something special when you work together as a group. 

A big thanks to all the students who participated also Ms Hancock, Mr Mulally and Ms Hopkins for accompanying us on the trip. Their efforts were truly appreciated by everyone. 

Mr Fogarty