Outdoor education is available to all students at Melbourne Grammar School. We believe our program offers students invaluable opportunities to build confidence, enhance teamwork skills, refine decision-making, and develop leadership capabilities. Read more about the School-side program here.
At Grimwade House, our outdoor education program is carefully tailored to align with each year level’s developmental stage, providing challenges that are both appropriate and engaging, while fostering fun, friendship and a spirit of adventure.
Our goal is to ensure that outdoor education complements the broader classroom curriculum while also supporting students’ personal growth. We aim to inspire a deep, intrinsic connection to the natural world in every student, cultivating an enduring appreciation for the environment and a commitment to its care.
“The beauty of our Outdoor Education program is the way it contributes to the development of a student’s identity, understanding of self, and connection to others—particularly in times of challenge or adversity.”—Nic Bishop, Director of Outdoor Education. Read more.
Specialist outdoor educators
Unlike many schools where classroom teachers are responsible for outdoor education, Melbourne Grammar School employs dedicated outdoor education specialists at each campus.
At Grimwade House, these educators design and lead the program while collaborating closely with classroom teachers to ensure its seamless integration into the broader curriculum.
Students regularly engage with these specialists, both on campus and during outdoor activities, fostering trust and confidence. This supportive relationship encourages students to face new challenges presented through the program with resilience and a positive mindset.
Off- campus experiences begin in Prep
Students in Prep and Year 1 begin their outdoor education journey through extended visits to our ‘Forest School’ at our Camp Robert Knox site. These early experiences nurture curiosity and a connection to nature.
Year 2 students have their first overnight stay at the School. Their outdoor experiences include ‘tree surfing’ at a venue on the Mornington Peninsula.
Year 3 students enjoy a three-day camp at Camp Toolangi participating in a range of adventurous activities, as well as developing their capacity for teamwork, collaboration and social engagement. Their challenges include navigating through the bush, setting up a tent, lighting a fire with twigs and leaves, and preparing a billy meal.
This extends to a four-day experience in Year 4 in which students experience tent living, bush cooking and bushwalking. Along with increasing their confidence in approaching new experiences, these camps further develop students’ independence, resilience, and communication skills.
In Year 5 students have their first fully self-contained camping experience over five days. Cooking, surfing, snorkelling, and environmental sessions are integral to building an understanding of a community approach to outdoor living. This occurs over five days at Camp Paterson site on the Gippsland Lakes.
The Year 6 program culminates with a pinnacle expedition to Camp Dowd on 90 Mile Beach, accessible only by boat. Over five days, students live exclusively in tents and participate in activities such as wildlife surveys, revegetation projects, surfing, snorkelling, canoeing, and bushwalking. This program consolidates the skills in personal resilience, teamwork, and leadership they’ve developed throughout their primary years as well as strengthen their relationships with peers and teachers.