Snorkelling, surfing, fishing, kayaking and hiking were among the experiences enjoyed by Knox Grammar School Year 8 students on their recent camp near Depot Beach on the NSW South Coast.
The annual camp is designed to challenge the boys physically and mentally in an environment beyond the classroom.
“My favourite activity was definitely the snorkelling,” said Lachlan Maslin. “We saw so many cool stingrays and sea urchins, and I had never done it before.”
During the camp, the boys prepared their own meals using Trangia stoves.
“We cooked some butter chicken with rice,” said Jack Wilson. “We’re not the best cooks but in the end it was pretty good.”
The boys went fishing at Racecourse Beach, with several boys catching flathead and one student bringing in a 5kg Australian salmon.
“Surfing was a big one for me,” said Jack. “That’s something I haven’t done before. It was fun having a couple of crashes but also getting up on the board a couple of times.”
The boys also learned about Yuin indigenous culture on a guided walk with a local indigenous elder.
“We met Uncle Les and we did an indigenous walk along the beach,” said Noah Farr. “We headed along the beach and he taught us a lot about indigenous sacred lands.”
For Lachlan, the most challenging part of the camp was the hike. “We were walking with 20-35kg backpacks across sand and steep hills.”
“Outdoor education is an essential part of every boys’ education at Knox,” said Headmaster Mr Scott James. “When we take the boys off-campus we really do find that it gives them an opportunity to grow and develop as a person, building their leadership and teamwork skills.”
“By challenging the boys with new experiences such as surfing, snorkelling and hiking, we find it builds their resilience and gives them the tools to overcome adversity in the future.”
22 May 2026
We recently welcomed an incredible 157 teams from schools across Sydney, New South Wales and the ACT to the 2026 NSW Knox da Vinci Decathlon. We thank all participants and accompanying staff for joining us from 12-14 May in the Great Hall and for contributing to such a positive and intellectually vibrant atmosphere.
14 May 2026
Knox has been recognised among New South Wales’ leading schools, ranked 5th in the Daily Telegraph’s Top 100 Private Primary Schools list.
01 May 2026
Future-readiness is a central theme woven throughout the School’s current Strategic Direction. As technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace, its role in education becomes increasingly significant.
