Anglesea Lions run camp at Aireys Inlet

THE Anglesea Lions Club has again run its Indigenous Education Project Camp, inviting 40 students with an Indigenous background to Angahook Holiday Camp in Aireys Inlet in late November.

The camp started with a welcome to country and smoking ceremony conducted by a Wathaurong elder. The students then participated in a wide range of activities both in and outside the camp.

Surfing was conducted by local company Go Ride A Wave at Urquharts Bluff – some of the students had never actually swam in the sea before. They learned of the dangers of rips and some of them even managed to stand up after a short time in the surf. Other activities involved canoeing on the Painkalac Creek and mountain bike riding on the muddy trails in the Angahook State Forest overseen by GORATS.

Students also participated in a range of educational and cultural activities at the camp. This was an opportunity to reinforce their knowledge of their background as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people learning about the local Wathaurong culture and about plants and customs of the local aboriginal people from various elders that visited the camp.

This is the second camp that the Anglesea Lions have supported to give Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students a taste of their culture and a break from school in undertaking challenging activities.

The camp was supported by the Anglesea and District Community Bank, the Australian Lions Foundation, the Australian Lions Drug Awareness Foundation, the Corio Norlane Lions Club, the Belmont Uniting Church and the Geelong Magistrates Court Fund.