Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Qualifying Journey

On Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 May, a group of 65 students across all year levels completed their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Qualifying Journey in the Coromandel National Forest.

The first day saw the students walk 12km through dense forest, and getting their feet wet on a river crossing to arrive at the Totara Flat Campsite, where they set up tents for the night and had time to adventure along the river nearby. In the evening, they donned their headtorch for a 6km walk to pay tribute to a majestic kauri tree with a Māori prayer. 

Day two saw the students wake at 5am to start their conquest of the Pinnacles in mystical conditions, walking through low-hanging clouds to reach the summit. After the challenge of the seemingly never-ending stairs, followed by the near rock-climbing conditions to reach the summit, the students made their way down the valley through the slippery Billy Goat track.

Despite the challenging conditions, the students went above and beyond throughout the 10 hours of the hike, showing formidable resilience. It was with a damp smile on their faces and unwavering positive attitude that they looked back on their journey, having embraced a sense of adventure.

Congratulations to all students involved and to Master in Charge Mr Sylvain Bidet for his ongoing support.