30 July 2026
During the recent school holidays, a group of Exploration Society students travelled to Far North Queensland for an unforgettable five day adventure filled with exciting outdoor activities and incredible natural experiences.
The trip began with a flight to Cairns, where students kicked off the adventure by navigating the rainforest on inflatable river sleds. The following day was a highlight for many as we snorkelled on the Outer Great Barrier Reef, exploring colorful coral gardens and encountering a variety of amazing marine life including huge Maori Wrasse, Blacktip Reef Sharks and Barramundi Cod, to name a few.
Day 3 saw us head back out onto the reef for a fishing charter, where students and staff reeled in an impressive haul of coral trout, giant trevally and nannygai. Every catch was an exciting challenge, with students racing to bring their fish to the surface before reef sharks could claim an easy meal. The catch of the day was a powerful giant trevally, which put up an unforgettable fight. That evening, a local Chinese restaurant transformed our fresh catch into a delicious feast, serving Singapore-style fish, salt and pepper fish and sweet and sour fish. The adventure continued with a visit to the spectacular Daintree Rainforest, where students zipped through the treetops, hiked through the ancient rainforest and cooled off with a swim at Mossman Gorge.
The trip concluded with our return flight to Adelaide, bringing home fantastic memories, new friendships and a greater appreciation for two of Australia’s most remarkable World Heritage sites. It was an incredible experience that will be hard to forget.
Tim Hennekam
Exploration Society Coordinator
