News

On Monday, 1 July the Year 11 students travelled to Halls Gap in the beautiful
setting of The Grampians, for their 3-day annual Retreat. 82 students and a
number of staff participated, where the aim was to engage with the theme “The
Human behind the Mask”.

The first stop was a visit to the Brambuk Cultural Centre where the group was treated to a Welcome to Country by representatives of the local indigenous people. They welcomed and involved us in a traditional smoking ceremony. Learning more about the beautiful landscapes of the Grampians through the eyes of the indigenous people helped us to understand how important it is to have meaningful connections with the land.

Tuesday began with a special type of prayer called ‘the Examen’, where thought
was given to the events of yesterday and the hopes of today. The main focus this session was to consider the masks that people wear in society. In small groups, the cohort thought about the mask that they present in public, and how they would show their true self to the world around them. A visible expression of this thought was shown in the display of masks created during this time.

The next session for the day was all about where we find the fingerprints of God in our lives. Students heard from a staff member to gain some ideas, before venturing out into the Halls Gap township to discover and photograph the beauty in God’s world. During this downtime, students were able to strengthen bonds with each other by hiking, relaxing and enjoying ice cream.

The focal point of the Retreat was the Liturgy. Students were involved in planning this significant experience and came together in prayer on Wednesday morning to celebrate the learning they have gained over the past few days, then selecting some of their virtues to write or decorate on calico squares, so a year level artwork can be created. All too quickly, the Retreat was over. It was a full, but rewarding three days. Students and staff built lasting bonds that will give each other the strength to get through the remainder of their schooling, knowing that God is by our sides.

I trust all students had a wonderful time bonding with their peers and learning about “the Human behind their Mask”.

Sean Quirke | Head of Senior School