Primary School
Outdoor education and nature based learning forms an integral part of our approach at Aurora. Our rich, integrated curriculum extends well beyond the classroom and promotes curiosity, deep understanding, practical skills and problem solving in relation to our environment, along with a demonstrated commitment to its care.
Whether through everyday, embedded nature based activities such as bushwalking, gardening, craft, outdoor cooking or play, or in wider explorations of their surroundings on day trips or camps, children participate in lived, sensory-laden, organic experiences of the world around them, interacting in connected, considered and meaningful ways. Children then
learn not just “about” nature as an external and abstract concept, but through and in it, building a deepening physical and emotional relationship to their environment and fostering a desire to nurture and sustain our earth. They also come to recognise the importance of First Nations knowledge and custodianship in caring for and understanding country as Aurora values working in connection with elders and knowledge holders to integrate this vital learning.
In the lower primary years, excursions focus on exploring immediate or local natural surroundings as well as features of different environments such as the mountains, the forest or the waterways. The children experience the seasonal changes and come to recognise the fauna and flora of their surrounding area. They begin to develop everyday skills for the
outdoors such as fire building, locating sources of food or water or making a shelter.
From Class 3 onwards, children participate in our camp program. Camps are more than just an enjoyable recreational activity at Aurora; they are a fundamental part of our curriculum and complement the teaching of in-school lessons. Camps become longer and more frequent and involved as the children progress throughout the primary years, encompassing
experiences such as farming and building, bushwalking and orienteering, swimming, canoeing, caving and rock climbing, stargazing and even inter-school Olympic-style sporting events amongst others!
Aside from the practical and physical skills gained through camps and outdoor education, children also develop increased resilience, co-operative ability, confidence and an improved sense of agency and wellbeing.
High School
At Aurora, our camp program is a vital part of each student’s journey, nurturing development, connection, and strength of will.
Students typically attend two camps each year, stepping beyond the classroom into meaningful, real-world experiences. From bushwalking and hiking expeditions to tent camping, coastal stays, ranch life, sports and recreation camps, and ski camp, each experience is thoughtfully matched to the age and stage of the students.
Living and working together in nature builds resilience, independence, and deepens friendships. Through shared challenges and simple daily tasks, students grow in confidence, cooperation, and responsibility, discovering more of who they are along the way.