Silver & Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Qualifying Hike

The first weekend of the summer saw 21 Oxley students escaping to the Snowy Mountains for our qualifying Duke of Edinburgh’s Award journey. After many hours on the highway, neglected handbraking(!) and a long-awaited McDonalds dinner, we arrived at our first campsite to be greeted by our instructors Eamon, Alex, Ben, Rachel and… the relentless rain! With a growing concern for the extreme weather predictions within the group, what set the tone for the hike was a mutual understanding of the challenges ahead.

On the first morning having acquired both extra raincoats and dry sleeping bags, we jauntily set off on the Kosciuszko Summit Trail for 12 kilometres to eventually reach Australia’s highest peak. This day saw relatively blue skies, snow slides, tumbles and conspiracies around whether the underwhelming Kosciuszko truly is the highest point in Australia. Our descent coincided with low cloud and rain, meaning camp was relocated to a sheltered valley below Muellers Pass – still above 2000 metres – where tents combined as a means of warmth and protection, with the use of the dreaded ‘poo tube’!

Saturday’s conditions encapsulated the essence of the Award; as we persevered through the weekend’s lowest temperatures, highest rainfall and strongest winds, the group evacuated camp to escape an ominous and fast-approaching electrical storm. Sporting every layer possible, with inventive balaclava creations, soggy raincoats and frozen fingertips, we trekked back through cloud along the Summit Trail for another 12 kilometres.

Eventually we sighted the friendly faces on our Oxley bus as the group moved to a new and dry campsite for Hot Sauce Roulette, a dehydrated dinner by the fire and our first night’s sleep without persistent rain. As the weather cleared, our spirits heightened for the final leg of the trip, a beautiful and scenic nine kilometre hike from Guthega to Charlotte’s Pass.

From hours of driving to Oscar’s eclectic playlist, snow fights and other morale-boosting antics, it is safe to say the entire group is thankful for the immense effort in prior planning and throughout our trek from all those involved; a trip of such magnitude couldn’t be successful without the efforts of Mr Dibdin, Mrs Cargill and the OE team – thank you!

Clementine H, Year 10