The NT Cadet Camp 2009, held in Alice Springs in conjunction with the NT Cadet First Aid and inaugural drill competitions was a great success with attendance of 50 cadet and adult members from Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Humpty Doo, Palmerston, Darwin, Band and Marrara Cadet divisions.

Although the camp began 12 months ago at the 2008 Cadet Camp in Batchelor when Geoff Kain announced his commitment to hold the next camp in Alice Springs, the real fun began when Kelly Raven, Michael Hatfield and I Ieft Palmerston Centre with 27 people in 2 buses at 0500 on Friday 25 September bound for an overnight stop in Tennant Creek (where we would collect another 6 members!).

Sam and Darren did a great job looking after us in Tennant Creek. They organised for us to stay in the Norforce building which offered heaps of room for the cadets to get rid of their pent up energy. They put on a yummy BBQ and ensured we had everything we needed for an early start the next morning. We left about 0900 with 33 people and a plan to stop at Devils Marbles (a great photo opportunity) and Wycliffe Well (to look for aliens and have morning tea).

We arrived in Alice Springs about 1430 with a banner welcoming us to the Isle of St John.

Geoff, Joylene, Ron and Kate and the Alice Springs Cadets were ready and waiting to start the activities.

Introductions were made, rules outlined and the cadets and adults assigned to teams. The teams were to be our teams for the duration of the camp given the theme of Survivor. Each team was purposely mixed with members from all over the Territory.

While many cadets did not know each other at the beginning of camp, by the end we were one big family.

Day One of the camp was reserved for the NT First Aid and Drill Competitions which was held in Todd Mall.

Paul Berry and his team did a fantastic job. We all retired to the Crowne Plaza after the competitions for a fantastic meal around the pool and the presentation of certificates, medals and trophies. With competitions out of the way, everyone could relax and start looking forward to the camp activities.

Day Two was a very busy and fun day at Ellery Big Hole. We all pitched in to carry the canoes down to the water along with shade structures, eskies and life jackets.

We began the day with a race to see which team could erect their shade structure the fastest.

My team, the Red Hot Chili Peppers won, however this was due in part because we were the only team with directions in the box and no missing parts!

Everyone had a chance to learn and practice their canoeing skills and many chose to brave the cold water and have a swim.

Thank you to the two paramedics who came along 'just in case' - it was much appreciated and I'm happy to say their only patient was a flat tyre on the Alice Springs bus!

Day Two continued with an evening walk to Heavitree Gap to feed the rock wallabies. The cadets were the quietest I've ever heard as they sat along the edge of the barrier waiting for the wallabies to come up to them. They were thrilled to see a joey leave it's mother's pouch and hop around the rocks. It was so cute!

The cadets returned to camp for supper and a slide show of photos from competition day and Ellery Big Hole before having showers and going to bed to rest up for Day 3.

To be continued next week.

Article by Kimberlee McKay
Territory Officer of Cadets