Year 4 Camp – Camp Sunnystones, Bacchus Marsh
Everything Year 4 families need for the 2026 camp to Camp Sunnystones, Bacchus Marsh, on Thursday 10 – Friday 11 September 2026: times, packing list, medical forms, activities and contacts.
Year 4 students will attend their first overnight school camp at Camp Sunnystones, Bacchus Marsh, from Thursday 10 September to Friday 11 September 2026. Camp Sunnystones is a bush camp set on 40 hectares near the Werribee Gorge, about 70 minutes from Wattle Creek by coach. The one-night program is designed as a gentle introduction to camping: plenty of activity, a shared campfire, and home in time for the weekend.
Key details
| Dates | Thursday 10 – Friday 11 September 2026 (Term 3, Week 9) |
| Depart | Thursday 8:30am from the Junior gate, Chapel Road. Students meet in the Hall at 8:15am for roll call and bag check |
| Return | Friday 2:30pm to the Junior gate. Students are dismissed at 3:20pm as normal or may be collected from 2:45pm once bags are unloaded |
| Cost | Included in the camp and excursion levy – no additional payment |
| Staff | Ms Ellie Marchetti (Year 4 Coordinator), the three Year 4 classroom teachers, Mr Sam Devlin, one education support officer and Camp Sunnystones qualified instructors |
| Medical and consent forms | Due Friday 28 August 2026 via the Parent Portal |
| Accommodation | Heated bunk-style cabins (8–10 students per cabin, same-gender), staff cabins adjacent |
What we need from you by Friday 28 August
- Log in to the Parent Portal and open Forms → Year 4 Camp Sunnystones 2026.
- Complete the Consent and Medical Information form, including current medications, allergies, dietary requirements and any bed-wetting, sleep or anxiety concerns (kept confidential to camp staff).
- If your child has an Action Plan (asthma, anaphylaxis, epilepsy, diabetes), confirm it is up to date – see Medical Forms and Health.
- Medication must be handed in on the morning of departure in a named zip-lock bag with the pharmacy label and a completed Medication Authority form. Please do not pack medication in your child's bag.
Students without a completed form cannot travel; the office will phone families who have not submitted by 4:00pm on Friday 28 August.
Activities
Students rotate through activities in their cabin groups with Camp Sunnystones instructors:
- Giant swing and flying fox (all harnessed, instructor-controlled, students choose their height)
- Low ropes course and team initiatives
- Archery
- Canoeing on the camp dam (all students wear life jackets; a swimming ability declaration is part of the form)
- Bush cooking – damper on the campfire
- Night walk and campfire with songs and skits on Thursday evening
- Friday morning: environmental studies walk and orienteering
Students are never required to attempt an activity they are uncomfortable with; every activity has a "challenge by choice" step.
Packing list
Pack into one soft bag or small suitcase your child can carry, plus a small day-pack. Please label everything and pack with your child so they know where things are.
| Category | Items |
|---|---|
| Sleeping | Sleeping bag or single fitted sheet and doona, pillow with pillowcase, pyjamas |
| Clothing | 2 t-shirts, 1 warm jumper or fleece, 1 pair long pants or tracksuit pants, 1 pair shorts, 3 pairs socks, 3 sets underwear, waterproof rain jacket, beanie |
| Footwear | Runners (worn) plus one spare pair of closed-toe shoes that can get muddy; thongs or slides for showers only |
| Toiletries | Toothbrush, toothpaste, soap or body wash, hairbrush, deodorant (roll-on, no aerosols), sunscreen, small towel |
| Day-pack | Named drink bottle, hat, rain jacket, Thursday morning tea and lunch in disposable wrapping |
| Optional | Torch or head-torch, one book, small soft toy, camera (no phones) |
| Do NOT pack | Mobile phones, smart watches, tablets or games; lollies, chips or food beyond Thursday lunch; aerosols; money |
Students travel in casual clothes – no school uniform is needed. Friday 11 September is House Spirit Day; Year 4 students will not need house colours as they return at 2:30pm.
Food
Camp Sunnystones provides Thursday dinner and supper, Friday breakfast, morning tea and a packed lunch for the trip home. Dietary requirements listed on the medical form are catered for. Please pack Thursday's morning tea and lunch.
Homesickness and contact
Staff are experienced in first-camp nerves. We do not phone home for ordinary homesickness, but Ms Marchetti will contact you directly if your child is unwell, injured or very distressed. Parents can leave messages via the Junior Office on (03) 9555 0100 during business hours; out of hours, the school mobile 0428 555 011 is monitored by Ms Marchetti throughout camp. A short update and photos will be posted on the Parent Portal news feed on Thursday evening.
Before camp
Practical ways to help your child feel ready:
- Try a sleepover at a relative's or friend's house
- Practise rolling a sleeping bag and packing their own bag
- Talk positively about camp; avoid "you'll be fine, don't cry"
- Reassure them that toileting at night, being cold or feeling nervous are all things staff help with every year
Not attending
Camp is part of the Year 4 program and we expect all students to attend. If your child cannot attend for a serious reason, please email Ms Marchetti by Friday 28 August. A supervised alternative program will run in the Year 3 area on Thursday and Friday.
For the College's general expectations of students on camp, see Excursions and Camps Policy.