EXCURSIONS

PRINCIPAL APPROVAL TEMPLATE

This document details minimum requirements for approval of excursions which include overnight
components, camps, interstate/overseas visits, excursions requiring sea or air travel, excursions
involving weekends, vacations or adventure activities.
It must be submitted to the principal for approval prior to the excursion.
● All information on this document is required. Add attachments if necessary.
● Complete the Student Activity Locator (SAL) three weeks prior to the excursion.
● Sections with an * have explanatory notes included at the end of this document.

SUMMARY
Name of Program: Year 9 OES canoe program
Year level(s): Year 9
Location(s): Ulupna – Barmah, Victoria
Date(s) *: 17/05/21 – 21/05/21
Name of teacher-in-charge: Meagan Butler & Tanya Derrick
EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE*
.

PROGRAM DETAILS
This program will be a journey trip with canoe being the means of transport. Students will travel
down stream from a launching spot known as Labbett Beach, and will travel for 5 days to Barmah
township. The trip will involve students transporting all their equipment and camping equipment
downstream with in the canoes.

The 5-day journey is approximately 82km and will consist of a less time spent on the water on days
1 and 5, as they will predominantly be travel days.

Students will solidify their outdoor knowledge and skills throughout the duration of this trip through,
navigation and leadership, camp craft and cooking skills, teamwork and resilience.

Classes leading up until this point have been focused around understanding the biomes and
bioregions, indigenous connection and histories and modern uses and impacts of this region
specifically. The camp will give students an opportunity to solidify their knowledge and build on that
with this outdoor educational journey.

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 Day Itinerary

1 Travel by bus: from school to Labbett Beach.

Canoe: Labbett Beach to Morgan’s Beach (12km)

2 Canoe: Morgan’s Beach to The Gulf camping area (20km)

3 Canoe: The Gulf camping and picnic area to campsite near Picnic Point
(21km)

4 Canoe: Picnic Point camping area to Barmah Lakes camping area (15km)

5 Canoe: Dawn paddle from Barmah Lakes camping area to Barmah

township (10km)

Load up and travel back to school

Day 1:

2
Day 2:

Day 3:

Day 4:

3
Day 5:

OVERNIGHT ACCOMMODATION*
Type of accommodation
☐ Accredited residential campsites
☒Tents/camping
☐Other (please specify):

Physical Location

Contact phone number(s)

Name Number Role

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 Meagan Butler 0408 XXX XXX Teacher in charge
Tanya Derrick 0417 XXX XXX Teacher in charge
John Gill 0425 XXX XXX Assistant teacher
Rob Simpson 0477 XXX XXX Assistant teacher
Jill Smith 0456 XXX XXX Principle (on call)
Nathan Harry 0400 XXX XXX Assistant Principle (back up
on call)

Emergency contact Number Address

Tocumwal Police station (03) 5874 9399 66/78 Deniliquin St,
Tocumwal, 2714
Tocumwal Hospital (03) 5874 2166 Calaway St, Tocumwal, NSW,
2714
SES Tocumwal (03) 5874 2947 1-3 Jerilderie St, Tocumwal,
2714
Nathalia Police station (03) 5866 24 04 66 Blake St, Nathalia, 3638
Nathalia District Hospital (03) 5866 9444 36-44 McDonall St, 3638

Communication Plan:
Staff will have:
2 x GPS devices
1 x Satellite phone with 2 x batteries
Each will have their mobile phone (numbers listed above)
1 x in Reach device

Twice daily
8am & 8pm Tanya Derrick will send a message to the Principle (on call).
They will provide the following information:
Location with 6 fig GR
Status of the group
If and when a required phone call will take place.
A phone call will take place only for the following reasons:
Medical incident
Logistical change
Any important information which is or may effect persons or people on the trip or back home.

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ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES
Tick the adventure activities that have been planned to occur during the program:
☐ Abseiling ☐ Rock climbing
☐ Artificial Climbing and abseiling walls ☐ Sailing
☐ Bushwalking ☐ Scuba Diving
☒ Camping ☐ Sea Kayaking
☒ Canoeing/kayaking ☐ Snorkelling
☐ Challenge ropes courses ☐ Snow activities
☐ Cycling ☐ Surfing
☐ Horse riding ☒ Swimming
☐ Orienteering ☐ Water Skiing
☐ Rafting ☐ Windsurfing

The teacher-in-charge of the activities has read the Excursions Policy and Guidelines and relevant
mandatory adventure activity guidelines.
The conduct of each activity will comply with the requirements outlined in the Excursions Policy
and Guidelines and the adventure activity guidelines for that activity.
☒ YES

RISK REGISTER
A risk register for the excursion must be completed and attached with this submission.
Guidance on the risk register is available under Excursions – Guidelines.

TRAVEL INSURANCE ARRANGEMENTS

Does your excursion involve interstate or overseas travel?
☐ YES (please complete below) ☒ NO (please continue to next section)
Have you arranged appropriate travel insurance through the Victorian Managed Insurance
Authority (VMIA)? Please see the Insurance Arrangements Guidelines for Schools for further
information.
☐ YES (please provide evidence of travel insurance with VMIA)
☐ NO
If NO, please indicate travel insurance arrangements below.
     

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TRANSPORT ARRANGEMENTS*
☒ Internal ☐ External ☐ Both
Will a member of the supervising staff be driving students? ☒ Yes ☐No
If yes, list driver (s): Meagan Butler & Tanya Derrick
Approximate distance between school and destination: 280km
All transport requirements comply with the advice in the Excursions Policy and Guidelines, School
Owned and Hired Vehicles Policy, Private Car Use Policy and VicRoads regulations:
☒ YES

BUDGET
INCOME EXPENDITURE
Student fees $50 x 18 Transport $1000
$500
Other income $500 Food $900
Accommodation $0
Staffing
Equipment $200
Contingency funds $500
Other expenditure
$3,100
Total income $1,400 Total expenditure $1,700

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STUDENTS AND STAFF
Students
Number of female students: 10
Number of male students: 8

List required student preparation, if any:

Students will be required to follow the equipment list for guidance on what to bring. A gear check
will take place prior to the trip departing.

List any additional information relevant to the student cohort:

Students will collect information on the trip to log and present after the trip

Supervising staff*
Where possible all staff members including teachers, school support staff, parents. Volunteers and
external contractors should be listed. Indicate those who have a current first aid qualification.
Indicate staff members with first aid and CPR training including the qualification or certification
held.
Staff name Male/ First aid CPR School Staff Working with
Female/ qualification qualificatio /Volunteer/external children
Other (Y/N) n (Y/N) provider Check (if
required)
(Y/N)
Meagan Butler F Y Y School staff Y
Tanya Derrick F Y Y School staff Y
John Gill M Y Y School staff Y
Rob Simpson M Y Y School staff Y

Staff will rotate in their responsibilities:

Day Driver Trip lead/ comms Food lead (with

check in/ student group)
Float

Monday Meagan & John Tanya Rob

Tuesday Meagan John

Wednesday Tanya Meagan

Thursday Meagan Tanya

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 Friday Meagan & Rob Tanya John

Students will have a rotating schedule of responsibilities throughout the program. this ensures
students are accounted for. When a staff member does not have a specific job, it is expected that
they are moving between student groups during down time.

On the water, there will be 3 staff boats (1 double and 2 singles)

This gives staff the opportunity to bring students or gear into their boats if required to support them
and give stoke instruction. If something were to go wrong with a boat, it allows for staff to combine
or paddle with a student so there are still 3 boats amongst the group.

A staff boat will always be up the front and another at the tail. The third boat will move between
the student boats. these roles will be discussed by staff on the days and will change throughout
the paddle at the lead staff’s discretion.

Group Equipment

Canoe Equipment Camp and cooking Safety/communicat Student equipment

equipment ions equipment available if they
require

13 x Canoes 8 x Trangias 2 x GPS device ● Rain jackets

25 x Paddles (3 1 x Camp oven set 1 x Satellite phone ● Over pants
spare) 4 x oven glove 2 x Satellite phone ● Hiking pack
Kitchen utensils kits battery with dead dog
22 x Life jackets
2 x group shelter 2 x SV Murray river bag
22 x whistles 6 x tents map book ●
attached to LJ
4 x wilderness first aid
13 x cam straps 1 for kits (1 per staff)
each canoe Spare clothes bag
(thermals, fleeces..)

The staffing listed above complies with the Excursions Guidelines – Supervision and Excursions
Guidelines – Staffing.
☒ YES

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The staffing listed above complies with the minimum supervision ratios as required by the relevant
adventure activity guidelines.
☒ YES ☐ Not applicable for this excursion

DOCUMENTATION TO BE LODGED PRIOR TO DEPARTURE

Copies of the following completed documents will be lodged with the principal or nominee and the
designated school contact, before the program commences.
✔ Signed informed consent from parents/guardians
✔ Completed medical form for all students and staff
✔ Detailed itinerary with specific locations and contacts numbers
✔ A copy of map(s), including map name, access routes and grid references if
required
✔ Staff and student equipment and clothing lists
✔ Group equipment list(s) if necessary
✔ A supervision plan that outlines staffing allocations for activities and for non-
programmed periods.
This may form part of the detailed itinerary. It must maintain at least the minimum
prescribed staffing for adventure activities.
✔ Completed documentation of staff qualifications and experience
✔ Documentation of participant preparation, prerequisite skills/knowledge
✔ Risk register
✔ Emergency response plan, including contacts for police, ambulance, doctor,
hospital, fire brigade, 24-hour school emergency contact number. This is to be held
by staff on the excursion and by the nominated school contact person
✔ Evidence of travel insurance (for interstate and overseas excursions ONLY)
✔ Communication plan (required for overseas excursions and excursions to remote
locations)
✔ Other school-specific information:

Acknowledgment by the teacher-in-charge that all required documentation indicated on this

form will be completed prior to the program starting.
Teacher-in charge

Name Meagan Butler & Tanya Derrick

Signed
Date

Approved by the principal

Principal

Name

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 Signed
Date

EXPLANATORY NOTES
Dates

Consider how the time of year may impact on the wider school program or the effect of
seasonal weather conditions.

Educational purpose and program outline

Whatever you hope the students will learn from the program is its educational purpose. The
program overview should give school council a basic understanding of how the program aims
to achieve the educational purpose.
For example: A three-day residential camp including bushwalking and orienteering to
encourage an understanding of the natural environment; develop team working ability; and,
introduce map reading and navigational skills in an experiential way.
The supervision strategy should include the nature and level of supervision provided
throughout the excursion or activity. You must consider all programmed and non-programmed
periods.
Each different location in must be detailed, including the dates at each location. This will have
an impact on transport requirements and the emergency response needs of the program.
Contact land managers to determine if permit or access requirements apply for activities that
are conducted on public land or in state/national parks.
Joint excursions with other schools must be approved by each school council. Each school
must submit an online notification on the Student Activity Locator.

Overnight accommodation

This includes all forms of overnight accommodation.

Residential camping is at sites with permanent facilities like dormitories, kitchen, showers,
toilets, phones and recreation options.
Residential campsites operated or used by Victorian government schools must be accredited
with a Department of Education and Training recognised accreditation provider. See
Excursions Guidelines – Venue Selection for current accreditation providers.
When using venues that do not require accreditation such as caravan parks, motels/hotels or
ski lodges, schools may wish to refer to the accreditation criteria of a recognised accreditation
provider when developing their risk management plan.
Provide details of all accommodation being used with your submission to the principal.

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Transport

Internal transport is provided by school-owned or private, staff-owned vehicles. External

transport is transport provided by contractors, parents or other external providers.
If a teacher or staff member will be driving students, the program should allow them adequate
rest time prior to driving.

Supervising staff

A Working with Children Check is required for staff members who will supervise students and
who are not registered teachers. This does not apply to parent volunteers whose child is
participating in the activity/excursion.

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