Adventure club HPGE enrichment program | Stage 3 PDHPE | Field of Mars EEC
Program overview
Adventure club is a one-day Stage 3 PDHPE HPGE enrichment program where students build practical bushcraft, navigation and teamwork skills in Field of Mars Reserve. Working in teams, students set up a minimal-impact basecamp, practise pacing and compass bearings, complete a navigation challenge and record their skills, maps and reflections in a take-home bushcraft journal. HPGE domains: physical, social-emotional, intellectual.
Learning intentions
- We are learning to apply observation, navigation and teamwork skills to operate safely and effectively in a bushland environment.
- We are learning to record, explain and evaluate outdoor skills using maps, diagrams, data and precise vocabulary.
Essential information
Cost, risk assessment and details
Cost |
$60 per student - GST free This will be processed through the student's home school. This program is only available to NSW Department of Education school students. |
Dates |
Available dates |
Times |
9.15 – Drop off 2.15 – Pick up |
Risk assessment |
Field of Mars Reserve risk assessment - main location |
Transport |
Schools are required to organise transport for students to and from the location. No vehicles are permitted into Field of Mars Reserve. |
Staff |
Teachers are not required to attend but are welcome. |
Student selection |
Maximum 12 students per school per day. When choosing your students, remember the program takes place indoors, outdoors and in public spaces. Students may be near creeks and bushland tracks. While EEC teachers supervise them all day, consider if they’ll need SLSO or teacher support to stay safe. |
Bring |
Sports uniform, backpack, medication, low-waste food, water bottle, sunblock, raincoat, hat, sturdy shoes, reusable name tag. |
View |
Preparing for your excursion |
Welfare |
Participants will be walking during the day on an accessible boardwalk. Wheelchair accessible. May not suit recently unwell participants. For medical or special needs notify staff prior to program. |
Extreme or wet weather |
Program may be modified, postponed or cancelled due to predicted extreme temperatures, bush fire danger, heavy rainfall, high winds or dust storms. |
Booking policy |
Confirm student details 7 days in advance. |
Cancellation fee |
Less than 4 weeks notice – full cost (excluding HPGE programs in Term 1, Weeks 3–5) Weather or fire danger cancellation – $0 |
Activities
Bushcraft journal and bushwalk
Students receive a bushcraft journal, compass, map and pencil, then practise field-note taking, labelled diagrams and sketch mapping. During a guided bushwalk, they develop observation skills by identifying useful plants, natural materials, animal evidence and environmental features that can support safe navigation.
Basecamp
Students work in teams to set up tents and tarps, choosing suitable sites based on sun, wind, terrain and ground conditions. They complete a hazard assessment, practise safe tent pegging and use simple knots to tension and secure their shelters.
Terrain and navigation
Students calculate a pace count over 10 metres and discuss sources of error such as slope, fatigue, uneven terrain and distractions. They learn compass basics, follow bearings and make route decisions while completing a navigation challenge.
Build and reflect
Students create raffia cordage and use natural materials to build a small low-impact campsite. They demonstrate practical skills, discuss minimal-impact outdoor practices and complete a journal reflection about teamwork, resilience and problem-solving.
This program is only available to NSW Department of Education schools.
Timetable
Time |
Activities |
| 9.15 | Arrival |
| 9.30 - 10.30 | Bushcraft journal and bushwalk |
| 10.30 - 11.00 | Recess |
| 11.00 - 11.45 | Basecamp |
| 11.45 - 12.30 | Terrain and navigation |
| 12.30 - 1.00 | Lunch |
| 1.00 - 2.00 | Build and reflect |
| 2.15 | Depart |
Tier 2 and 3 vocabulary
Syllabus outcomes and content
Syllabus outcomes and content Stage 3
Personal Development, Health and Physical Education K-6 (2024)
Self-management and interpersonal skills
Outcomes
- Evaluates and applies self-management and interpersonal skills in a range of contexts PH3-SMI-01
Content
Self-management skills are supported by informed decisions
- Apply problem-solving and decision-making actions across contexts
- Explain and demonstrate when resilience strategies can be applied across a range of contexts
Interpersonal skills enhance positive interactions and effective communication
- Apply and evaluate interpersonal skills to make decisions that support the wellbeing of themselves and others
- Describe and demonstrate respectful and effective communication to promote leadership, inclusion and collaboration
Personal Development, Health and Physical Education K-6 Syllabus © NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2024
Science and Technology K-6 Syllabus (2024) - Stage 3
Design and digital technologies engineer sustainable solutions
Outcomes
- uses design processes to create, evaluate and modify designed solutions ST3-DDT-01
Content
Design and digital technologies engineer sustainable solutions
- Develop design ideas to build a prototype using design criteria
- Test, evaluate and modify the prototype to meet the design criteria
Science and Technology K-6 Syllabus © NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2024
Location
Field of Mars Reserve
Main location
Find risk assessment information, risk management advice, bus access details and walking track information for Field of Mars Reserve.
Teachers or parents will need to drop off and pick up students.
Westminster Road
Alternative entrance
This entrance or exit offers access during severe high tides and heavy rainfall events that cause flooding on the main Pittwater Road entrance.
Learn with us
Book now
Book your HPGE program using our online booking form.
Learning resources
View online lessons that support primary incursion and excursion programs.
Flora and fauna fact sheets
View our curriculum-aligned fact sheets on Australian animals, plants, ecosystems and environments for NSW primary and secondary students, ideal for research, projects and classroom learning.