In Term 4, our Year 12 cohort had a significant Port Macquarie trip. We engaged in a Clean4Shore initiative to remove pollutants from the Hawkesbury River.

We also assisted the Friends of Kooloonbung, a volunteer group responsible for maintaining 55 hectares of native bush. Year 12 contributed by spreading mulch to support their planting project, facilitating the growth of native plants while eliminating invasive weeds.

Our year 12 group was divided into two teams for our collaboration with the Willing and Able Foundation. One-half of the students visited the foundation's centre to learn how Willing and Able provides meaningful employment, personal development opportunities, and other support services in a safe and fulfilling environment for individuals with disabilities. Meanwhile, the other group engaged in outdoor activities and organised games for participants of the Willing and Able program. This experience was enlightening for our Year 12 cohort.

My group was a part of the outdoor activities, and we joined in playing recreational activities with some participants who were blind. Getting them involved in some fun outdoor games like Quoits was really rewarding. This experience also gave me a greater awareness of some of the challenges that people with disabilities face and how they can affect so many significant aspects of their lives.

We also visited the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital, where they received education about the significant challenges faced by our native Koala population, including issues such as land clearing, bushfires, vehicle collisions, domestic dog attacks, and introduced diseases. We also had the opportunity to tour the hospital and learn the stories behind each koala's admission.