FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Just like our camps, bush camps offer an immersive and unique experience in the Australian bush. At a bush camp, you’ll find fewer amenities in a semi-remote setting than you will find at one of our camps. Accommodation is either tented or, in some cases, a rustic bunkhouse will provide evening shelter. For more information, visit our Centre-based Camps page.

Camp Marysville is located in Marysville, Victoria.

Camp Jungai is located in the Rubicon Valley, Victoria.

Bush Camp Eildon is in Eildon, Victoria.

Camp Wombaroo is located in High Range, New South Wales.

Bush Camp Biloela is in Belangalo, New South Wales.

Bush Camp Margaret River is located in Karridale, Western Australia.

You can find more information on our Centre-based Camps page.

The Outdoor Education Group help young people realise their personal best by using experiences in the outdoors as a vehicle for impact. Our Leaders are highly skilled and experienced in guiding young people through outdoor experiences, activities and adventure and are all COVIDsafe trained.

Our team of diversely talented and experienced people support and deliver outdoor education for more than 48,000 students each year across Australia. Our Leaders are experts in facilitating powerful and enjoyable experiences that support your curriculum and teaching frameworks to provide social, physical and psychological outcomes. They receive ongoing training and participate in assessments and refresher courses to ensure they remain technically proficient and continue to deliver unforgettable experiences. Our Leaders come from all walks of life and are passionate about the outdoors and believe in delivering meaningful and memorable experiences for your students.

The Outdoor Education Group’s Catering Department are experts at providing healthy meals for active students from fresh, locally sourced produce Students will eat a mix of fresh and freeze-dried foods. Our Catering team has decades of experience in creating nutritious and tasty menus for all our programs. Our menus are carefully tailored to the program’s location, duration, focus, anticipated weather conditions, and students’ age, gender, and specific dietary needs and preferences, including vegetarian, Halal, Kosher, and vegan. Parents are required to fill out a form advising their child’s dietary requirements prior to program.

Students wear wet-weather gear and carry on with activities. Weather patterns are monitored prior to any program commencing and the Field Duty Manager liaises with program staff daily. The All Hours contact (Course Coordinator) provides twice-daily weather updates throughout the program. A defined bush fire procedure will be enacted if the Fire Danger Rating for the specific weather region reaches pre-determined points. These may, for example, necessitate moving to an urban location for a portion of the program or remaining at the current location until the threat returns to acceptable levels. You can learn more on our Risk page.

The Outdoor Education Group uses a secure online system for parents to register and communicate medical information and any special requirements the student may have.

The Outdoor Education Group deliver powerful Duke of Edinburgh programs across New South Wales and Victoria for all the award levels – Bronze, Silver and Gold. We also provide the Duke of Edinburgh mandatory training days prior to the Adventurous Journey. We work with schools to ensure the unique needs of your students are met. You will find more information on our Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award page.

Camp Marysville, Marysville, Victoria, Camp Jungai, Rubicon, Victoria and Camp Wombaroo, High Range, New South Wales. All venues happily welcome school groups, Indigenous groups, youth groups, weddings, religious groups, community groups, special interest groups, family retreats and more. For availability, please submit an enquiry on our Venue Hire page.

As Australia’s largest outdoor education provider, we take a systems-based approach to managing risk and work to imbed best practices at each step of program preparation, delivery, and review. Each and every program involves detailed components of both our proactive and reactive strategies. As required by law, The Outdoor Education Group implements processes and systems which endeavour to ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, the safety of all staff, participants, and others who are associated with our programs. Our standards align with the Australian Adventure Activity Standards. We are the first Australian organisation to receive international accreditation from the Association of Experiential Education, reflecting over 36 years of industry-leading experience. You can learn more about The Outdoor Education Group’s risk management strategies and principles on our Risk page.

Are there bathrooms for gender non-conforming students?

Yes. Each of our hard top sites has one or more all gender bathroom. On many bush camping programs, all gender compostable toilets are available. On programs where established toilets are not available, all gender bathroom use areas will be established.

How does sharing cabins or tents work? Will the group be split by gender? I’m trans or non-binary, will I still be required to stay in cabins with the gender I no longer identify as? What happens if I’m not comfortable sharing a cabin with other people?

Accommodation arrangements are decided by your school. If you have concerns around this, please speak with the coordinator at your school well ahead of time. OEG will work with them and do our very best to make sure you have a sleeping space where you feel safe and comfortable.

Will my pronouns or preferred name be respected?

OEG team members will be happy to address you by the pronouns and name you choose and will encourage other participants and staff to do the same.

What happens if my peers are uncomfortable with my gender or sexuality?

You won’t be pressured by OEG into doing anything you are not comfortable with in terms of interactions with others. We encourage you to branch out to form new relationships but we also understand how difficult it can be. Talk to your school staff member or outdoor education instructor about your concerns, they can help you and talk to your peers if you need. You have a right to feel safe.

What happens if I get outed on camp?

We hope that coming out is something that all young people get to dictate for themselves when they choose, however, sometimes it can happen without warning accidentally and by others. It is a terrible experience to deal with but your teachers and OEG leaders will be able to offer support themselves or to help you access additional, external support. Some of our leaders are part of the LGBTQIA+ community.

If someone is bullying me what will happen?

Most often those issues are dealt with by the teachers, however, your OEG educator will also step in if they need to. Our job is to create a space that feels safe for everyone, socially and emotionally and physically.

How will I know who is a safe person for me to talk to?

All of our team members have committed to creating a safe and inclusive community. Some of our team members are also part of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Is camp accessible for me?

Wheelchair accessible sleeping, eating, toilet and shower facilities are available at each hard top camp location (Jungai, Wombaroo, Marysville). For those who require crutches, canes or walkers, the main camp areas do have semi-flat walkways which consist of both gravel and concrete paths. The cabin at Marysville has a ramp but is a little harder to manoeuvre inside than we would like. A more accessible cabin will be a part of our next accommodation upgrades. There are other aspects OEG are looking at improving, like accessibility over some rough ground around some bush activities. Your coordinator can put you in touch with the right team at OEG to answer any more specific questions.

What will I be able to do at camp?

We do all sorts of activities at camp that use different levels of physical activity. Many of our activities can be adjusted to accommodate different needs. Your school will be able to discuss adjustments we can make with the OEG coordinator before you come on program. Remember that camp isn’t just about the activities! Spending time with friends outside of school, sharing meals and having fun in between activities is half the fun. In some cases, it might work best for you to come for part of camp instead of the whole time. The OEG team will do our best to help you find a balance that works for you.

Can I bring a carer?

If you have a carer at home or school, they should come on camp with you. This might even be your parent in some cases. You, your school, caregivers and OEG coordinators will organise the details of how this will work with OEG.

How else can I prepare?

It might help to come for a visit before camp so you can see what the activities look like and what might work for you. It will also help us to know as much as we can about how we can help ahead of time.

I’m neurodivergent. how will camp work?

Plenty of OEG team members are neurodivergent and can offer some support and understanding! Many of us find that we actually focus and thrive better when we get to use our bodies in outdoor spaces.Some spaces at camp can be overwhelming, for example noisy mealtimes in the dining hall. Letting us know via your school team or medical form before camp will help us to plan for any accommodation you might need. Consider trying out new things before you come, such as sleeping in a sleeping bag. While on camp, try to keep your leaders updated and we will do their best to accommodate for whatever you need. Examples of accommodations we might be able to offer:

• Social stories so you can know what to expect on camp
• A quieter space during mealtimes
• More information about timings and what will happen next
• More privacy for using bathrooms
• A visit ahead of time so you know what to expect
• Extra instructions, information or practice for new activities (e.g. trying on a harness to know how it feels the day before an activity that uses it)

What if I don’t understand the instructions?

The OEG educators will give instructions by both demonstrating and giving verbal instructions and can repeat it differently if needed, as well as instructing during the activity if you are struggling.

What if I become overstimulated?

We have opportunities to take a step back from everything as well as accepting the use of headphones and other accommodations, fidget toys and whatever else that could be of help. It will help if your school staff know ahead of time that these are strategies to help you with coping. Our team will listen to any request you have and do our best to support you.

What happens if I get hurt and how will I be taken care of?

The group leaders are all fully qualified first aiders and OEG has lots of processes in place to manage all kinds of incidents.

I’m worried about spending so much time with my peers, especially people I don’t get along with.

Camp can be a great chance to change your relationships with people or get to know others you haven’t met before. The OEG team are here to be supportive and encourage all participants to work together. Any problems you have with other students, the OEG team and your teachers can help.

Can I bring a carer?

If you have a carer at home or school, they should come to camp with you. This might even be your parent in some cases. You, your school, caregivers and OEG coordinators will organise the details of how this will work with OEG.

What if I’ve never stayed away from home before?

It is completely normal to feel nervous, our team often deals with students’ trepidation. The team will be supportive and understanding, it can be challenging to have so many new experiences, but it can also be exciting and fun. New experiences can teach us how to learn and grow as people, even if they feel scary. The OEG educators and your teachers will be here to support you through it and hopefully help you to learn new things.

What if some of the activities are too hard or scary?

OEG operates on a “challenge with choice” model. Our team will encourage you to challenge yourself but won’t force you to do anything that makes you uncomfortable.

If someone is bullying me what will happen?

Most often those issues are dealt with by the teachers, however, your OEG educator will also step in if they need to. Our job is to create a space that feels safe for everyone, socially and emotionally and physically.

How will I know who is a safe person for me to talk to?

All of our team members have committed to creating a safe and inclusive community. Some of our team members are also neurodivergent.

Will I be able to have my own space?

Yes. There will be spaces that you can go to for some peace and quiet. It is important to be able to decompress especially in a space that can be overwhelming and the OEG educators will let you know where you can go. If this is an important coping strategy for you, please make sure it’s on your medical form so we know what you might need.

Will I be able to call my caregivers?

We can arrange contact with parents and guardians in most cases, but be aware that sometimes talking to home makes it harder to get absorbed in the fun of camp!

It is a good idea to make a plan with your caregivers about contact before you come. This can help you work out what will give you the best chance of meeting your goals for independence and participating at camp.

What happens if I feel unsafe at camp?

The camp should be a safe space for everyone. If you feel unsafe, it is important to let a teacher or OEG leader know so they can support you.

The idea of camp makes me very uncomfortable. What can I do?

It is the OEG team’s job to help you find positive challenges and growth, without being overwhelmed and vulnerable. They will do everything they can to help you. If you are really struggling with the idea of camp, consider talking to your caregivers and school about what your biggest fears are, how you might cope, and agree on a plan in case you’re really struggling. You might even be able to come for a visit to see what to expect. Some participants might find coming for a part of camp is a great challenge without being too much (e.g. just during the days, or for one night less).