Bickley Outdoor Recreation Camp

Your Bush Camp Adventure

Address:Hardinge Rd

Orange Grove WA 6109

Phone:08 9492 9781

Fax:08 9459 6432

Mobile:0429 115 723

Email:

Website:

Contact:Bickley Camp Staff

Purpose of the Excursion
A Bickley Outdoor Recreation Camp experience can assist students with:
  • Developing communication, interpersonal, leadership and cooperation skills
  • Problem solving and decision making
  • Creating lasting friendships
  • Building self-confidence
  • Accepting responsibility
  • Learning how to deal with challenges and adversity
  • Understanding responsible risk taking
  • Development of self-discipline and independence
Physical activity has also been linked to better academic achievement and a reduction in anti-social behaviour1.
The camp provides a large range of adventure recreation programs that are designed to challenge students and assist them to learn and develop various skills. Each of our programs links to skills and outcomes within the Western Australian Curriculum Framework which have been outlined on our website at
1 Martin, Karen (2010) Brain boost: Sport and Physical Activity Enhance Children’s Learning: Perth, Western Australia (Western Australian Government)
Environment
Bickley Outdoor Recreation Camp is located on the Darling Scarp alongside the picturesque Bickley Reservoir, 25km from Perth from the Perth Central Business District.
The camp offers dormitory style accommodation in the Kookaburra area for 72 people. 64in dormitories with an additional 8 beds Camp Leader’s accommodation. The Billabong tent camping area can accommodate up to 50 people and a day use area for up to 100 people.
Our facilities, equipment and programs are ideal for school, sporting, church, youth, family, corporate and community groups wishing to experience a variety of recreational and educational opportunities. There is wheelchair access to the dormitories, dining room and meeting room. Some programs can be modified to account for individuals needs.
The natural bush setting means you can choose from a diverse range of outdoor programs including Abseiling, Flying Fox, Low Ropes, Rock Climbing, Leap of Faith, Crate Climb, Canoeing, Raft Making, Orienteering, Team Building, Search and Rescue, Mountain Biking and Swimming.
Catering can be provided through the camps on-site caterers (Accolade Catering). Menu options and other information is available by contacting Accolade Catering on 1300 888 141 or on their website: Self-catering is also available, however must be approved by the camp and additional charges will apply.
Transport
Bickley Camp has a limited number of parking bays for cars and buses. A car park is available for up to 15 cars onsite. A turning circle is located directly outside the camp for larger transport to turn around.
Student’s Capacity
Structured Programs:
ADVENTURE PROGRAMS
Search and Rescue Suitable for: Year 5+ Duration = 1.5hrs

This program is a popular activity that supports map reading and decision making skills in a team setting. Students use detailed topographical maps of the Bickley Valley area and two-way radios to locate the missing military remnants and obtain the code words. They must be on the lookout for the enemy to avoid being captured.

Canoeing Suitable for: Year 4+ Duration = 1.5hrs

Students are guided through basic canoe manoeuvrability and safety aspects, including the techniques of rafting up and capsize recovery. Each student is provided with a personal flotation device (PFD) and a paddle. During the session students may be involved in a number of activities including shuttle and obstacle course races, canoe polo, balancing challenges or simply a leisurely paddle on the reservoir where cooperation and collaboration are encouraged.

Crate Climb Suitable for: Year 6+ Duration = 1.5hrs

Crate Climb is a roping activity that involves the group building a structure(s)from milk crates to allow for each student to climb to various heights. Although only one person is climbing at a time, the rest of the group are required to stabilise the structure and add to its complexity. Students leaving the ground are attached to a safety line and everyone wears protective helmets

Raft Making Suitable for: Year 4+ Duration = 1.5hrs

Studentsmay be given advice on how to construct rafts using ropes, planks and drums. They then build rafts in teams in preparation for a major paddle challenge. This activity is a unique team building activity, aimed to encourage a group to work together more effectively.

Flying Fox Suitable for: Year 3+ Duration = 1.5hrs

The Flying Fox offers a 50m high speed traverse across the picturesque Bickley Reservoir. Students can add extra challenge and excitement to the activity once they are familiar with the operation and are deemed confident

Team GamesSuitable for: Year 4+ Duration = 1.5hrs

This program is a collection of team challenges designed to make the students think outside the square to solve an array of problems. The problems are designed to develop and improve skills including communication, cooperation, trust and leadership.

Low Ropes Course Suitable for: Year 3+ Duration = 1.5hrs

Low Ropes consists of eight individual elements suspended no more than one metre off the ground. This program is highly adaptable and can meet the needs of most students. The Low Ropes program is designed to be a team building exercise and works well alongside other programs such as TeamGames, Orienteering, Raft Making and Search and Rescue

Orienteering Suitable for: Year 5+ Duration = 1.5hrs

Students use topographical maps of the Bickley Valley to search for and locate markers in the surrounding area. Two way radios are provided for Orienteering teams to keep in contact with the instructor. This programdevelops map reading skills, team work, planning and prioritising, communication and cooperation. For groups with minimal experience in use of topographical maps, the instructor will teach the students how to use these maps effectively.

ADRENALINE PACKED PROGRAMS
Mountain Biking Suitable for: Year 8+ Duration = 1.5hrs (beg.), 3hrs (adv.)

Bickley Camp offers two mountain bike programs, a beginners and an advanced. The beginners program requires a reasonable level of fitness and basic bike handling skills. This ride is seven kilometres in length and takes you from Bickley Camp to Victoria Reservoir and back. The advanced program requires a moderate level of fitness and good bike handling skills. The advanced program is 13.5km in length and includes some downhill track and sections of rocky descent. Both rides take in the scenery of Victoria Reservoir Catchment Area.

Leap of Faith Suitable for: Year 8+ Duration = 1.5hrs

The Leap of Faith consists of a 9 metre high standing pole, with a small platform on top. Students are required to climb the pole, climb onto the platform and ring a bell. The next challenge involves walking onto the plank and then leaping for a trapeze bar suspended 3 metres in front of the platform. Nerves of steel are required for theLeap of Faith. All students wear a full body harness (for climbing and jumping) and a helmet at all times.

Abseiling Suitable for: Year 7+ Duration = 3hrs

Beginner and Advanced programs are available through the Bickley Camp (Advanced only for Year 9+). The beginner program consists of a five and ten metre abseil on natural rock adjacent to the campsite. The advanced program utilises redundant quarries in Perth which have been approved and modified for the purpose of abseiling and climbing. All programs are run by highly skilled and accredited staff.

For more information regarding our programs, please visit our website:
Supervisor/Supervisory Team
The camp is hired out on the basis that organisers will ensure that appropriate supervision of all students will be maintained. The levels of supervision required may vary between schools and it is recommended that camp leaders establish early in their planning what these are and how they will achieve them.
RECOMMENDATION: that camp leaders ensure that minimum standards are enforced in regards to police clearances, working with children legislation, qualifications and supervision ratios.
External Provider Information
All DSR Instructors hold a current Senior First Aid qualification as a minimum, current Working With Children Check (WWC) and current Federal Police Clearance in addition to qualifications relevant to the program activity being delivered at the time.
For Example: (for more information, please contact the camp)
  • Water Programs: Aquatic Rescue Qualification (preferred), or Bronze Medallion.
  • Roping Programs: National Outdoor Leaders Registration Scheme (NOLRS) qualification in the appropriate area.
All programs facilitated by Bickley Outdoor Recreation Camp are done so in compliance with the Department of Sport and Recreations Camps Program Standards (2010), which in many cases equals or exceeds the Department of Education and Training’s procedures and guidelines.
Department of Sport and Recreation’s current level of Public Liability is equal to $250, 000,000 and can be found on our website.
For further information contact Bickley Outdoor Recreation Camp.
Supervision Strategies

All groups with students under the age of 18 years MUST supply appropriate adult supervision for the camp/excursion, including a minimum of 1 adult supervisor with each program group. Bickley staff will facilitate and supervise the studentswhen participating in the program; however client groups have the responsibility to monitor and manage the behaviour of students in matters not relating to the program (e.g. a teacher/supervising adult would be responsible for a student leaving the program area to change footwear and ensuring acceptable behaviour occurs).

Program Supervision:
All programs conducted by the camp are governed by the Department Of Sport and Recreation (Camps) Program Standards (2010). The development of supervision strategies is the responsibility of individual schools, however the Department of Sport and Recreation – Camps, highly recommends a minimum ratio of one (1) adult per sixteen (16) students throughout the entirety of the camp/excursion.
Identification of Excursion Participants
Program instructors maintain supervision of participants during programs; howeverthe school supervisory teamholds full responsibility for the supervision and identification of their students during their stay.
Camp staff can provide suggestions for group supervision at the site. Note that the site contains a water body (small reservoir), structures for adventure based activities and large areas of natural vegetation within the catchment region outside of the camp boundaries.
Communication Strategies
Bickley provides schools with an ‘on-call’ mobile number for ease of communication and in event of an emergency after hours.
Bickley staff are able to pass on phone messages of an urgent nature to the camp leader, but encourage groups to nominate a different mobile number for purposes of receiving phone calls from parents. Mobile reception in the BickleyValley is often poor..
The camp operates a UHF radio communication system on site, for communication between staff and in emergencies. Large schools are encouraged to utilise their own resources of this nature, and camp leaders may request to be told the camp channel, in order to communicate with camp staff for operational or emergency requirements.
Emergency Response Plan
In the case of an emergency, please follow the directions of Bickley Outdoor Recreation Camp staff that are responsible for implementing the emergency response plan, including evacuation of the site.
Our emergency response plan is available on our website and a copy can be obtained from the camp office upon arrival.
Briefing Students and Supervisors
A Bickley staff member where possible will be present to meet and greet groups on arrival. We will run through all aspects of camp with your group including the history of the camp, boundaries, activities, accommodation and emergency procedures.
It is highly recommended that the camp leader(s) (who will be attending the camp/excursion) organise a pre-site visit to the camp to familiarise themselves with all accommodation and program facilities.
Camp staff will brief students at the commencement of each recreation program. This briefing will include an outline of the program, equipment use, safety parameters/checks and the ethos of ‘Challenge by Choice’.
Other Relevant Details
It is recommended that all residential dormitory clients bring the following items, in addition to their own personal belongings:
  • Sleeping Bag or sheets and blanket
  • Pillow slip (Pillow provided, BYO if desired)
  • Personal medication – e.g. Diabetes, Ventolin, Epi pen etc.
  • Towels (1 bath towel and 1 for water programs)
  • Toiletries/insect repellent
  • Suitable footwear for all activities (A minimum of 2 pairs of enclosed footwear –1 pair for water programs)
  • Sunscreen/Hat
  • Water Bottle
  • Rain coat
  • Sufficient clothing suitable for the season and intended programs
Residential Camping students will also need the following items:
  • Tent
  • Sleeping mattress
  • Sleeping bag or bedding
  • Pillow
  • Insect repellent
  • Cooking equipment and utensils (BBQ provided)
  • Bucket or tub to aid dishwashing
  • Matches/Fire lighting aids
Any groups participating in recreation programs need the following additional items:
  • Bathers/Rash vest, additional towel and closed shoes for Water Activities
  • It is encouraged all clothing worn during water activities covers shoulders and midriffs for sun protection
  • Hair ties as Long hair must be tied back.
  • Skirts are not to be worn on all land, water or roping programs. Very short shorts are also discouraged, as they contribute to leg irritation or discomfort in harness based programs.
  • Shirts must cover a student’s midriff, shoulders and hips (i.e. to be able to be tucked in) for all recreational programs.

This information is valid until 31 January 2012