What a truly amazing and unique journey it was; completing close to 100km of hiking together as Tango 9. Each step we took not only brought us closer to the finish line but also forged an unbreakable bond that will forever tie us together.  

Throughout this challenging experience, I had the privilege of witnessing all students and teachers show their determination, resilience and growth. Everyone in Tango 9 accomplished, overcame or strengthened a personal trait during the journey. The way the students tackled each obstacle with unwavering enthusiasm and humour was truly inspiring. But what touched my heart the most was the depth of reflection I saw in each student - it was amazing to truly see the students for who they are. 

As Tango 9 navigated their way through the goat trails and mountains, we were able to take moments to pause and absorb the beauty around us and reflect on our own personal journeys. The campfire discussions and campfire news were a highlight of the trip for all, sharing thoughts, fears and triumphs which showcased a level of introspection that is truly remarkable for the students' ages.  

Now that Tango 9 returns to their everyday lives I hope we will all continue to carry this spirit of reflection with us. This experience can help to navigate paths ahead, make thoughtful decisions and continue to stretch ourselves out of our comfort zone with both our minds and hearts. 

Tango 9 were a shining example of what can be achieved through teamwork, self-discovery and a strong sense of camaraderie. I am very thankful that I was able to be a part of this unforgettable team and journey. I am immensely proud of each and every member of Tango 9!  

The bond and memories you create as a team are unimaginable until you complete the walk. It has been an experience that I will cherish forever and has definitely been a highlight in my teaching career. I can't wait to walk again in the future. I highly suggest any student who is interested to come and speak to someone from Tango 9. It is not an experience you will regret, but you may regret not giving it a go! 

Miss Leonello

When you are placed in the middle of nowhere with no mobile phone reception, a pack that weighs around 15-20kg, no running water, basic long-life food and instructed to walk over 100km over 8 days - most would ask themselves. Why am I doing this?

That is a question that every Operation Flinders participant asks at some point when they are trying to set up their hutchie in the rain, or, when  are trying to get out of bed when the sun has barely risen and it is near zero degrees. It is how you come to terms with these challenges that is at the core of what Operation Flinders is all about. To continually find that motivation to hoist your heavy pack onto sore shoulders and find that last bit of energy in your tired legs and increasingly blistered feet to climb that next mountain.

When I reflect on our group and how they continued to band together through a number of challenges it really fills me with an immense sense of pride and admiration for their achievements. It is the little moments of kindness that stand out to me like dropping back to hold branches out of the way or striking up a conversation with someone who is struggling. It is sitting with your mate when they are going through a tough time and giving them comfort and confidence that they can continue on. These are the little moments that kept us all climbing with high spirits despite the challenges that we faced.

One lesson Darren, our team leader, passed onto us is to remember to look up and appreciate what is around you and who is around you, instead of just focusing on your next step. This was important because as a participant you get to experience some truly amazing moments – like camping on the top of a hill with no hutchie so we could all watch the milky way cross the sky and disappear into the light of a sunrise, or, cracking jokes around a campfire and sharing thoughts about your day. No technology, no social media. Just taking the time to get to know one another and reflecting on your own strengths and capabilities in truly unique circumstances.

To the parents of students who went on the trip, you should be proud of what your child has achieved. It was an absolute privilege to walk alongside each of these students, watch them grow in confidence, be reflective and set new goals. They showed a remarkable level of perseverance and I encourage them to remember what they are capable of when they face new obstacles and opportunities in the future. Keep on pushing yourself out of that comfort zone one step at a time.

To other parents, if the opportunity arises for your child to attend Operation Flinders next year, I highly recommend for your child to sign-up. This is my second walk and both times I have seen students come back with a new found perspective, set of goals or at the very least a sense of confidence in themselves.

Operation Flinders is a truly worthwhile experience, it is run by a crew mostly of volunteers who are dedicated to helping students step outside of their comfort zone. The logistics behind this are immense and on behalf of our team I would like to thank Operation Flinders for continuing to support our students to undertake this trip, we truly appreciate the opportunity that you provide. In particular I would like to thank our Operation Team Leaders Darren and Amanda, as well as our peer group mentor Jess, we were truly lucky to have their leadership, guidance and unwavering positive attitude.

Finally, to Tango 9, our BHS crew, thank you for the opportunity to walk alongside you. I am truly proud of your achievements and I hope you are as well. We had our challenges but we also had a lot of laughs and memorable moments. You are an inspiring group of young people and I encourage you to keep reflecting on these memories as you chart your course and set your eyes on future mountains to climb.

Mr La Grutta

Student Reflections

“Operation Flinders was an opportunity I’m glad I didn’t pass up. When I first got off the bus a wave of regret washed over me and I was scared to start the trip. The first night was the hardest night of them all. The first day and night we learnt about using our utensils, cooking on the fire, cleaning and setting up our hutchies. These were our normal for the next 8 days. Part way through the trip Tango 9 was surprised with a high ropes course, where we all pushed ourselves out of our comfort zones and we were the only group in Exercise 3 to all get off the ground and give it a go. During Operation Flinders I was able to work on my mindset and the way I thought about upcoming challenges. This trip has helped me make some adjustments and improve my life.” – Abbey Fagan

“The start of Op Flinders was a bit of a struggle for me, but I learned to persevere and push through the hard moments while still cheering on my other group members. I had time to reflect upon myself when I was on top of Mount Rose, I realized I could finish Op Flinders. I am very happy that I got to do Op Flinders and I don’t regret one second of it. My favorite memory of Op Flinders was sitting around at the camp fire having a laugh with my friends at night times.” – Macauley Kerrigan

“On Operation Flinders I had a rollercoaster of a ride, there were a lot of ups and downs. Some of my ups included my efforts towards the climb of Mt Rose. I feel like I handled the climb very well as I reached the top. My favourite memory from this experience was when Mr La Grutta re-joined the hike and we all reunited on Mt Rose. The vibe had lifted and I feel like that moment had lifted us all to the next gear and that lead us to find the campsite with ease. Overall, I loved this experience and I would highly recommend this experience to younger year levels to become possible members of Operation Flinders.” – Jack Fagan

“I am very proud that I completed Operation Flinders because it was a really difficult hike. We ended up climbing 4 mountains in 8 days, this was huge because in Operation Flinders teams normally only do 2 or 3 mountains. My favourite part of this experience was being able to sit around the fire with my group of friends and have good conversations. I also liked the high ropes as it made me overcome my fear of heights, and I got to work with my friends. I think I learnt that not everyone has to be seen doing something but they are all helping somehow. I would advise if you are asked to attend Operation Flinders it will definitely help you as a person to develop.” – Jorja Schutt

“Op Flinders was a very fun experience. It involved 8 days of walking at Yankaninna station where we learned more about ourselves and the group around us. It also helped me make new friends as some of the people in my group I didn’t really socialise with both in and outside of school. My favourite part was climbing Mount Rose as it was the highest mountain climbable there, and getting to see the amazing view from it. Overall, it was a great experience and I recommend it for anyone that gets to go.” – Adawynn Hughes

“While doing Op Flinders I learnt that you have to appreciate the little things in life and strive to complete your goals. One of my favorite memories on Op Flinders were the social events we had around the fire every night. I enjoyed this because it was a good time to get to know everyone and make connections with fellow students. Being one of the two Year 9s that went on the trip it was a good time to socialise with the Year 10 students, as I probably wouldn’t have talked with many of these students in school. At the end of the trip when we were all presented our t-shirts and dog tags to represent our achievement, I was fortunate enough to receive the leadership and teamwork award that was an Aboriginal designed boomerang. I think Operation Flinders is a good experience to take if you have the opportunity as you will learn many skills and discover that you can accomplish anything you put your mind to.” - Matthew Pain

“This year’s Operation Flinders trip was great, there were many activities to do and everyone got along. One of the best things was just sitting around the fire at night and talking about the day. There are lots of lessons that I have taken out of the trip some being that I need to be more appreciative of the things that I have at home and the homemade food that I get each day. There are many achievements to be proud of but I am proud of climbing four mountains in the week with our packs on. This year’s group was a good group and I really enjoyed being around everyone.” – Lily Tiller

“What I took home from the Flinders is exhaustion and a good old smell for the family. But really what I took from my experience is all my new survival stuff that we learnt. One of them is that we were having so much fun even though we were dying from exhaustion, we kept saying we can do this and we did it in the end. When we got back home some of us wanted to do it again and the reason I would do it again is because you get to make new friends and then make more connections with other people you would've never met if you didn't do Op Flinders. I would definitely recommend it to other people because it's just an amazing experience. It's just amazing to see it for real. If you just saw it online you would not care because you didn't climb the mountains to see these amazing views over the top of these mountains. You don't appreciate the effort that has gone to extreme lengths to climb these mountains unless you experience it for yourself.” - Keaton Hudson

“My favourite part of the walk was making new friends and getting to know everyone. We also met people outside of our school group for example our team leaders Darren and Amanda, as well as our Peer Group Mentor Jess who was from another school and had previously finished the walk. The thing I took out of Operation Flinders was having accomplished the walk with the group and having fun. I am proud that I completed the walk like my sisters before me and that I made new friends.” – Jack Hegarty

Thanks to Calaby Real Estate, Clinpath and our school community for donations towards this amazing opportunity for our students.