Great Scot April 2019 Great Scot_156_April_2019_Online | Page 37

named the ‘Roger Slade Award’, in honour
of Dr Slade, who died earlier this year. Dr
Slade completed 10 hikes in his time as a
Scotch staff member, with eight of these hikes
exceeding 100km.
Joshua Poon of Year 11 participated in the
24 Hour Hike. Here are Joshua’s impressions
of his hiking experience:
‘This year’s 24 Hour Hike, supporting our
Indigenous Scholarship Program, was my first,
and I would definitely call it a very worthwhile
experience. From the moment I stepped onto
the bus to travel to Macedon, I could feel the
buzz of excitement coming from myself and
my fellow hikers.
‘When we arrived there, no one wasted
time getting started. My group got off to a
rocky start, as we were one of the many who
initially went off in the wrong direction, but we
quickly reorientated ourselves and set off on
our 20km starting loop.
‘The weather was perfect for hiking: mostly
clear and transitioning into a starry night sky,
accompanied by a light breeze. Temporarily
free from the stresses of Year 11, we casually
walked into the cool depths of darkness,
singing along to favourites and slowly gaining
kilometres.
‘After walking at a steady pace for five
hours, we had returned to base camp. The
motivation to set off on another loop at 1am in
the middle of the night was hard to come by,
but after having carbonara, freshly cooked by
the wonderful chefs, our spirits were lifted and
we promptly set off.
‘We continued hiking, and it became
impossible not to see how amazing the
support group was. After hiking up and down
seemingly endless gravel roads, winding
through mountains, unsure if the path was
the correct one and seeing no one for hours
on end, the outcampers received us like
royalty, welcoming us into camp chairs and
providing a much-needed enthusiasm boost.
The chefs, administrators and first aid people
all encouraged a very positive atmosphere
at base camp, which helped rejuvenate
our hearts and our feet, and kindled a
determination to begin another loop.
‘Everyone was aching and fatigued for the
trip home, but the experience that we had
just gained was definitely worth it. I found
that hiking alone in the bush with only a few
mates, a map and a compass did require a
little discipline, as at times we would really feel
like no longer continuing, but overall, it was
a chance to just relax and take a pause from
our busy lives. I would like to thank Mr Oatley
and all the staff for putting so much effort into
organising this activity, and I hope to be back
again next year.’
www.scotch.vic.edu.au Great Scot
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