Through our signature suite of camps, trips and exchanges, our students move beyond their comfort zone, embracing new connections and discoveries.

Outdoor Education

Our Outdoor Education Program complements the academic and co-curricular life of the School by providing enjoyment of and respect for the outdoors, sustainability and personal development.

The pinnacle of our program is our Environmental Education Centre Old Watulunga, a 17-hectare property on the Finniss River just over an hour’s drive south of Adelaide.

Junior School

Our youngest learners embrace excursions to Old Watulunga where they connect with culture, the land and each other. This complements the Junior School travel calendar which includes visits and stays across locations such as Kangaroo Island, the Murraylands, the Adelaide Hills and the Mid North of South Australia, allowing our budding adventurers to enjoy a taste of the great outdoors.

Middle School

The Outdoor Education base for the Middle School is Pembroke’s Old Watulunga Environmental Education Centre on the Finniss River where Years 7, 8 and 10 participate in age-appropriate camps featuring kayaking, sailing, bushwalking, rock climbing and orienteering. Year 9 students enjoy a camp on Yorke Peninsula with activities including coastal exploration, bushwalking and aquatic pursuits.

Beyond these core camps, another Middle School highlight is our unique annual exchange with Marree Aboriginal School. Approximately 20 of our students embark on a transformational five-day journey, sleeping in swags, exploring the South Australian outback and learning about Aboriginal culture.

A recent addition to our suite of travel is the incredible Beyond the Horizon program where Year 9 students can connect with remote communities through meaningful service opportunities and cultural immersion on an intrepid adventure. Scores of students set off in the October school holiday to locations including regional New South Wales, Queensland or Western Australia. Building upon these foundations is Pembroke’s new Year 11 International Service and Adventure Experience QUEST. Students visit destinations such as Cambodia, Vietnam or Costa Rica, serving through community-driven projects including housebuilding and conservation while adventuring on outdoor expeditions.

Senior School

In Senior School, students can study Outdoor Education as a SACE Stage 1 and Stage 2 subject, providing the opportunity to build on their skills and knowledge acquired in Middle School. This is a rigorous program focused on developing extensive skills, knowledge, positive impacts on wellbeing and a lifelong connection with the outdoors.

Pursuits range from surfing, rock climbing and white water rafting to kayaking, bushwalking and snorkelling, with locations including Mount Arapiles in Victoria, the Australian Alps, Kangaroo Island, Flinders Ranges and Beachport. Students studying the IB subject Environmental Systems and Societies undertake a cultural and environmental immersion experience at Kakadu in the Northern Territory hosted by traditional owners and Pembroke community members.