Australian outback a great experience for students

Thursday 23 July

Photography and text by Adam Oldmeadow - Trips and Tours Leader

In order to make the most of their university break, 42 students from Monash and RMIT universities took advantage of a unique opportunity to visit Australia’s vast outback and experience its natural wonders.

We made overnight stops in Adelaide and the subterranean opal-mining town of Coober Pedy on our three-day bus drive to reach Australia’s ‘Red Centre’. Reaching Alice Springs was celebrated with five-minute camel ‘joy rides’.

There were opportunities to visit various native wildlife centres, an enlightening Aboriginal Cultural Centre, and of course walk around natural wonders such as the Kings Canyon, Kata Tjuta (The Olgas), West McDonnell Ranges and Uluru.

The students we traveled with were transfixed by Uluru, which had been raised to an almost mythical status from what students had heard and read before deciding to do the trip. However, nothing can prepare the mind and soul for the big rock itself. At a looming 348m in height, with a circumference of over 9km, it is taller and longer than the Melbourne CBD.

It looks unique from each angle and we were lucky enough to visit it on a clear 23-degree day, with the opportunity to walk around its base or even climb it. We also got to view it at sunset and sunrise from various viewing platforms.

Other activities the students opted for were sunset camel rides and quad bike rides around Kings Creek Station, as well as helicopter flights around Kings Canyon, Uluru and Kata Tjuta. Some travelers even indulged in a sunrise hot air balloon ride around Alice Springs.

Throughout the trip, the group developed a strong camaraderie from traveling over 6000km together, enjoying nine hours of scenic walks, and sleeping in six different locations varying from a large mine-shaft, to comfortable bunkhouses, and even three days camping on red dirt.

The Red Centre Tour was a fantastic way for primarily international students to see and connect to the real Australia, away from the city and uniform student residential housing.

Trips and Tours is an initiative run by Monash Sport allowing students to experience Australia's natural beauty and surrounds. Many different trips are run each year.

For more information about Trips and Tours please email David Nankervis or visit the website.