Year 12 PROPEL Tassie Trip | Avondale School

Beyond the Classroom: PROPEL’s Tasmanian Research Adventure

What happens when learning breaks free from the classroom and steps into the wilds of Tasmania? For our Year 12 PROPEL students and their teacher Ms Tiani Page, it looked like six days of camping, cooking, hiking, researching, and discovering—an unforgettable fusion of academic learning, personal growth, and life experience.

As part of their integrated English, Work Studies, and Mathematics program, students are currently producing a 12 editions of a publication titled EcoVantage: Tasmania. Each student is responsible for a monthly edition featuring researched animal fact files, climate spreads, sustainable tourism reflections, and feature articles on environmental issues. But instead of relying solely on online research or classroom tasks, they hit the road—and the trail—to gather firsthand information and insights.

This trip wasn’t just about visiting tourist hotspots. It was a research and discovery tour, designed and planned with intent. From the highlands of Cradle Mountain to the windswept beaches of Bicheno, every stop—wildlife parks, historical towns, national parks, mining museums, and marine research centres—offered opportunities to ask questions, gather data, and build a deeper connection to their content.

Alongside this rich academic learning came essential life and work-ready skills:

Budgeting and meal planning, preparing their own meals, and adapting to weather challenges.
Teamwork and communication, particularly under pressure (like pitching tents in the rain!).
Initiative and problem-solving, as they sought out locals, information boards, guides, and experts to deepen their understanding.
And perhaps most importantly, resilience, as they learned how to look after themselves—and one another—over an extended time away from home.

Students learned not just how to research, but how to reflect—on their surroundings, on their attitudes, and on their growth.

PROPEL’s Tasmania trip wasn’t just about producing a magazine. It was about producing capable, curious, and compassionate young people who now return not only with amazing stories, but with skills and experiences that will carry them well beyond Year 12. Until the next adventure!