Namadji

Level of challenge for Namadji is a 9/10

November 19-28, 2025

Key Program Information

· Wednesday November 19 – 2:00pm

All students to attend school in PE uniform, bringing all equipment for the program. This can be stored in the main hall. Girls will attend school as usual until 2pm, then catch a bus to Vision Valley. All equipment will be checked at this point, and girls will participate in a planning and packing session. They will stay in a Lodge at Vision Valley for the night, with meals provided.

· Thursday November 18 – 6:00am

Depart Vision Valley for Victorian High Plains. Most of this day is spent driving. Groups will start their expedition near the town of Harrietville or Mount Beauty.

Friday November 19

Hike begins in earnest, with groups heading up into the mountains.

Thursday November 27

Groups conclude their expedition and come together for an end of trip celebration.

· Friday November 28 – 5:00pm

Driving back to Pymble.

Student pick up at Kelso Pavilion on the Pymble Ladies’ College Main Campus. Program staff will send an update if there is a meaningful change from this time.

This nine-and-a-half-day adventure takes you deep into the Victorian High Country, where you'll experience the raw beauty of the Australian Alps and challenge yourself physically, mentally and emotionally. This hike is ideal for those who thrive on adventure, teamwork and personal growth.

The expedition includes seven days of hiking through rugged and diverse terrains, including dense forests, river crossings, alpine meadows, rocky ridgelines and high-altitude summit paths. Along the way, you’ll face challenges that require resilience, problem-solving and cooperation with your team.

The pinnacle of this adventure comes with the opportunity to summit Mount Feathertop and Mount Bogong, two of the tallest and most iconic mountains in Victoria. The views from these summits are absolutely breathtaking, offering a true sense of accomplishment after conquering the demanding trails that lead to the top.

Before the adventure begins, you’ll spend half a day preparing at Vision Valley getting ready for the journey ahead, with the skills and gear you’ll need to succeed. This journey includes two travel days to and from the location.

The Namadji Program is more than just a physical challenge – it’s a chance to grow as a person, build lasting friendships and develop leadership skills that will stay with you long after the hike is over. If you're looking for an experience that will push you to your limits, deepen your connection to the natural world and leave you with unforgettable memories, the Namadji Program is the adventure for you.

In recent years this program has become known as a breeding and development ground for our schools top leaders, and this is the program option which typically fosters the greatest connections between groups and forges lifelong bonds.

Key Program Information

This is an expedition filled with challenges that will encourage students to get out of their comfort zones and immerse them in the wild and untamed beauty that is the Australian Alps. Due to the remote nature of this program, being well prepared in terms of your fitness, equipment and expectations is essential.

Boots

It is essential that all girls embarking on this program have an appropriate pair of boots. Feet and boot issues are the most common cause of evacuations. Boots must:

be ankle height;
have a waterproof lining (goretex); and
have been worn on several walks prior to this trip.

Please note that cadet boots are not suitable for this program.

If your boots from the Residential Program no longer fit and you need new ones, the Vision Valley Outdoor Education team use personally and recommend the following outdoor retailers:

Paddy Pallin - CBD & Katoomba
Trek & Travel - Kent Street
Sherpa Outdoors - Dural
Mountain Equipment - Chatswood & Kent Street

While many items are suitable for online purchase, boots are one item we suggest visiting a store for - given the importance of a well-fitting boot to a succesful adventure - Boots are the first item listed here for a good reason!

Format

Groups of up to 16 students will be accompanied by two members of staff. One staff member will be a fully qualified expedition leader from the Pymble Outdoor Education Team, who is required to carry a first aid and snakebite kit and hold a current Wilderness First Aid Qualification, while the other is an enthusiastic staff member from another area of the College.

Each group will travel independently from the others, walk a slightly different route and camp in a different location each night.

Fitness

Students can expect to walk between five and 20 kilometres each day, carrying all food and equipment to be self-sufficient (up to 20 kilograms). The program will be designed to have any days with longer distances of walking towards the second half of the program, giving students time to become accustomed to carrying a pack.

While beneficial, general fitness does not always translate well to ‘pack fitness'. We strongly suggest students go on several practice walks before embarking on the Namadji Program, ideally carrying a weighted pack if there is one available to you. Walking up a hill with a weighted pack is by far the best physical preparation for this program.

For those who enjoy a focused strength program, our Health & Fitness team have devised the following program focussed on building strength and fitness for this program: HIKING STRENGTH PROGRAM

This program can be completed at home or in the gym, if you are unfamiliar with any of the exercises please simply type the name of the exercise into YouTube.

Medications

All essential medications must be packed by parents/carers in their daughter's baggage. Parents/carers should place medication in a snap lock bag, clearly labelled with the student’s name and accompanied by instructions, including dosage and time of administration. These must be given to your daughter’s expedition staff at the start of the program.

If students have undeclared medication with them on the program, our staff may be legally required to not administer these medications.

Accommodation

Students will camp in appropriate expedition tents provided by the College.

Facilities

Being a wilderness expedition, toilet and bathroom facilities will be extremely limited on this program. Some high-country huts have basic drop toilets, but most campsites will have no facilities at all. Students will be well briefed in safe and hygienic toileting practices on their expedition. All groups are required to carry appropriate toilet and hygiene kits. There will be no showers available.

Technology While Away – No Phones

Pymble has asked students to leave all technology, especially phones, at home for their Outdoor Education Programs. This affords students the chance to have a digital detox and be present in the experiences they are having without whilst away without distractions.

It is not often that students get this opportunity to switch off and enjoy what is happening in the here and now, and we appreciate your support with this. However, we welcome students to bring along robust digital or film cameras.

Remoteness and Evacuations

There is no vehicle access along the Bogong High Plains route. In the event of a non-life-threatening issue for a student, the entire group will need to walk to the nearest trailhead for an evacuation which will majorly affect their program.

Safety and Risk Management

Pymble Outdoor Education Staff are required to be qualified in Wilderness First Aid and bushwalking leadership. Each group will carry a satellite phone and be in daily contact with the program co-ordinator.

The program co-ordinator will be up to date about any warnings for the area including, but not limited to, severe weather and fire danger. In the event of any such warnings being announced, the program co-ordinator will make changes to the program to prioritise the safety of our students and staff.

The Pymble Outdoor Education Staff will complete a thorough risk analysis and assessment for this program.

Packing Information

Inadequate quality camping and hiking equipment can quickly ruin a trip and endanger students. Due to the remote nature of the Bogong High Plains there are no quick fixes for issues such as broken packs or inadequate sleeping bags.

Pymble Ladies’ College is proud to partner with Equipped Outdoors, who provide our students with the best quality outdoor adventure equipment at discounted prices. Each of the items available are both highly recommended by our expedition leaders and available at below-retail prices.

Purchasing quality equipment, such as that available through Equipped Outdoors, will allow girls to own durable gear which they can use for many years to come. For those girls interested in the ‘Adventure Extensions’ opportunities available in Years 11 and 12, quality equipment will continue to be vital.

Equipped Outdoors Information and order form can be found below:

The most important piece of equipment on the list is a good pair of boots. Inferior quality, ill-fitting or brand-new boots can all quickly turn a hike into a nightmare. Boots are the main piece of equipment we do not recommend purchasing through Equipped Outdoors. We recommend students buy boots from reputable outdoor retailers. This will allow them to get the boots sooner, and to be certain of a correct fit.

Students should aim to acquire the boots they intend to use on this program very soon and spend some time wearing them each week to ensure they are well worn in by the time the Namadgi Program begins. Hiking boots for this program should be ankle height and GORE-TEX lined. Bringing boots to the Namadgi Program that have not been adequately worn in is likely to lead to painful blisters whilst hiking.

Our team recommend purchasing boots in person at Paddy Pallin, Mountain Equipment, MacPac, or Trek and Travel

The following items are available from Vision Valley for girls to use on the program at no charge:

Hiking pack
Pack liner
Rain jacket
Rain pants
Gaiters

If girls already own these items, they are welcome to bring their own. Expedition staff will assess all equipment prior to departure.

Namadji Program Packing List

Camping and Hiking

Boots - ankle height, GORE-TEX lined, to be well worn in prior to the program.
Duffle bag - For students to use when at Vision Valley. Will be stored when students are hiking and returned once students have completed the hike.
Beanie
Woollen gloves
Head torch - with two sets of spare batteries.
Hat - must be broad-brimmed and extend past nose, no caps or short bucket hats.

Sunglasses

2x 1L Water bottles - durable, should be Nalgene brand or similar. Or 2L water bladder (Camelback or equivalent).
Sleeping mat
Closed-cell foam or Therm-a-Rest mat
Sleeping bag - ensure a comfort rating of minus five degrees, good quality with a hood.
Sleeping bag liner - adds warmth and protects sleeping bag.
Knife and spoon - strong plastic or light metal.
Bowl and mug - strong plastic or tin only.
Tea towel - used for cleaning.
Personal first aid kit - including sports strapping tape, blister pads, band aids, Hydrolyte etc.
Towel - small microfibre towel, for use if swimming in creeks or streams.
Sunscreen and lip balm - 50+
Camp/water shoes - spare pair of shoes for campsite and water crossing. Must be completely closed toe and secured around foot. No thongs or slides. Old pair of sneakers are ideal.
Toiletries - lightweight and minimal. Small stick of deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, pads/tampons.
Money - A small amount of cash to purchase lunch on the drive to and from Victoria. ($50)

Clothing

2 x Shirts - Long sleeve, with collar.
1 x Jumper - Fleece or wool. No cotton.
1 x Puffer jacket - Lightweight, packs up small. Ideally down jacket, or Merino Loft (can be purchased from Equipped Outdoors).
1 x Shorts - Must be knee length and loose. No denim or bike shorts.
1 x Pants - Loose and comfortable, that are warm and quick drying. No denim. Ideally zip off to convert to shorts.
3 x Hiking socks - Trek light, or merino light blend. Must come up above ankle cut on boots. Used for hiking.
2 x Warm socks - Thick woollen, warm socks to wear around campsite and to bed.
1 x Thermal top - Full length, made of either polypropylene or merino wool blends.
1 x Thermal pants - Full length, made of either polyproline or merino wool blends.
Underwear - A change for each day.

Provided by the College

If you have your own equipment you’d prefer to use, it must be approved by staff prior to the commencement of the trip. We recommend using the gear provided by the College to assure quality and performance.

Tent - two/three person Wilderness Equipment tents
Camp stoves and fuel bottles - Trangia stoves and fuel bottles. To be shared amongst teams of two to four people.
Hiking pack - 60 to 75-Litre Wilderness Equipment hiking pack.
Pack liner
1 x Rain jacket - Gortex or Japara. Must have a hood.
1 x Rain pants - Gortex or Japara.
Gators - to protect legs from scratches, snakes.

Optional

Camera - must be robust. Film or digital.
Book - small book or Kindle.
Hiking poles - recommended if your daughter has ankle or knee problems

Please do NOT bring

Phones - No phones are allowed for the entire duration of the program, including prep day and bus trip. Staff will be carrying satelite phones in case of emergencies.
Aerosols - deodorant or insect repellent.
Bed pillows - small inflatable pillows are fine. Do not bring bed pillows unless they will be left in duffle bags.
Excessive toiletries - shampoos, conditioners, perfumes.
Non-prescription medication - no Nurofen or Panadol. Staff will carry these in their personal first aid kits and will administer if needed.

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