Year 7 Boys Take on Motutapu

Nearing the end of Term 4, our Year 7 cohort boarded the ferry on an unforgettable adventure to Motutapu Island for their annual camp. The week was packed with team-building activities designed to strengthen communication, collaboration, and leadership heading into Year 8.

Across four action-filled days, the boys rotated through a mix of water-based activities with snorkelling, kayaking, and stand-up paddleboarding, and land-based challenges including high ropes, the Motutapu Challenge, Survivor Challenge, and Flying Kiwi. With three two-hour sessions each day, it’s safe to say they were exhausted by lights-out, and the dorms fell silent almost instantly.

The programme included an overnight campout at Home Bay. Half the cohort managed to complete their overnighter, while the other half had theirs cancelled due to strong winds and torrential rain. Lachie Richwhite, who was part of the group that made it out, said his highlight was “waking up on the overnighter, seeing the sunrise, and doing the walk to the highest point of the island.”

Despite the setback, the boys demonstrated resilience and team spirit, living out our school values and strengthening the strong culture within this cohort. Henry Wright reflected, “I learnt that different people are challenged by different things and it’s a cool feeling to see someone push themselves and achieve something they didn’t think they could do.”

A huge thank you to all parents and staff who supported and attended, your involvement helped make this week a standout experience for our students.