Queensland Term Abroad

Saddler Springs

Saddler Springs I

Early (5:40am) Saturday 20 September we boarded a bus for a week at Saddler Springs, a cattle station in western Queensland. It's about 12 hours on the bus; the last two plus hours of which are on dirt roads. By the standards our group is used to, this place is FAR away. The landscape, both physical and mental, is quite different from that in Brisbane. It's closer to what we in the States imagine as Australia, although in truth the vast majority of Australians live in cities on the coast and identify more with the ocean than the bush.

Pictures will not do justice to the effect this area can have on a person. Although many students approached this trip with trepidation, the constant refrain I heard as we left was "I wish we could stay longer". That feeling resulted from the beauty of the land and the special understanding of it that we gained through the care and talent of our hosts, the Hancock family and their friends and co-workers. Lloyd Hancock was named Queenslander of the Year in 2001 to recognize the founding of the Youth Enterprise Trust, an organisation that assists disadvantaged young people (aged 16 to 24 years) to become responsible and successful adults by sponsoring them on a specially designed Wilderness Experience and practical follow-up program.

If you're a family member or friend of one of our group, I hope you'll get the chance to hear first hand about our time there.

Carnarvon Gorge Hike

On our first full day at Saddler, we hiked from camp up to Battleship Spur overlooking Carnarvon Gorge. Carnarvon is a massive, stream-cut canyon slicing through Jurassic (~180 million year old) sandstones. The hike was challenging, but the gorge is spectacular. We slept well that night.