A Week at Camp With 10O

By Will Cone | Posted: Wednesday March 25, 2026

10O’s camp adventures started early on Saturday morning, loading food and tramping packs into the bus before setting off on our journey towards Mt Aspiring Lodge.

We were greeted by a sunny day as the bus trundled down the road, providing ample time to view the glaciers and mountains encasing the valley—a view enjoyed further during the walk from the Aspinalls Homestead all the way to the OBHS Swing Bridge, officially marking our arrival at camp.

After carrying more food up to the lodge, and the all-important choice of each bunkroom's theme song, the teachers and student leaders led a tour around the lodge and its facilities. After a walk up the valley to put the water pipe back in, and a quick history lesson from Mr McCrone on the history of our water supply, the first group got underway making dinner for that night: spaghetti bolognese. This meal was thoroughly enjoyed and was followed by custard for dessert.

We got right into things on the second day, making the most of what was forecast to be the last of the sunshine for the week. We repacked our bags for the overnight trip, now carrying tents, cookers, and food. We enjoyed some saveloys for lunch before setting out on our first tramp of many. Spirits were high throughout the walk, mainly due to the warm weather, but also the experience of going somewhere new and creating memories with classmates.

Once at the overnight site, students were quick to hop into the river for a swim, while others set up their tents and collected firewood for the night. Once the swimming was done and hunger was setting in, the groups got to work preparing their dinner: couscous and tuna. While there were varying levels of success, overall it was a meal enjoyed in the warmth of a campfire and under a canopy of stars. To end the night, the campers enjoyed some Milo and butterscotch pudding before settling in for the night in their tents.

We woke to another sunny day on Monday. There was the occasional drop of rain, yet nothing to be disheartened by as the fires got roaring again for breakfast. We enjoyed the final few hours on the beach before the seniors returned to camp early to prepare for the juniors, who stayed behind for a couple more hours.

Dinner that night was a hearty meal of mashed potatoes, sausages, and grilled onions, followed by jelly for dessert. A group of tired campers sank happily into sleep that night, eager to see what the next day would bring.

Tuesday greeted us with a cloudier morning, creating the need for one last big tramp before the rain set in. With this in mind, we headed further into the valley to tackle the Rob Roy Glacier Track. Although we left the cheese behind for lunch, we still enjoyed some ham sandwiches before beginning the tramp. We reached the top to be greeted by cold winds and dark clouds rolling over the mountain peaks, leading to a rather hurried jog back down the track to our van.

Dinner that night was corned beef and—by this point a camp staple—mashed potatoes, eagerly devoured by a worn-out group of campers who welcomed a second round of custard for dessert.

Our final full day at camp was well spent. We awoke to grass damp from overnight rain, but this didn’t dishearten us as we spent the morning rogaining. This was followed by toasted sandwiches before we headed to the creek for the traditional dam-building challenge. Afterwards, some campers went for a swim at Wishbone Falls, while others stayed behind to continue building their dams.

Mirroring Saturday, we awoke at 6am to have an early breakfast and begin the final clean-up of the lodge. By 9am, we were out of the lodge, leaving it in better condition than we found it. A tired group of campers welcomed the final crossing of the bridge, happy to go home but equally thankful for the experience of Year 10 Camp.

A huge thank you to Mr McCrone, Mr Sykes, Matua Walker, and Ms Moore for their organisation and leadership of the camp.