Campus Tour Preview

Colo History

In 1984 the search began for a suitable site to build an outdoor education centre. At the time money was scarce and good sites few and far between. The current site at Upper Colo was located and cost $320,000 (or $1.7 million in 2024 equilivant) about $3000 per acre, plus buildings. An anonymous donor gave a further sum of more than $200,000 for buildings and infrastructure.Hawkesbury Council approved the building application and construction commenced. The Headmaster at the tiema Br. Joseph McMahon went ahead with the purchase under "presumed permission" from the Province Council. The cabins and dining hall were completed in 1986 and the Outdoor Education program commenced operation in 1987.The centre has one of the best locations for an Outdoor Education program with a wide range of activities in close proximity. The cliffs at the back of the property are used for rock climbing, trees used initially for a adventure ropes course (replaced in 2019 with a purpose build course by Project Adventure), the lagon provides a beautiful setting for canoeing (as does the Colo River) and the property has 2 kilometres of mountain bike trails built on it.The centre is surrounded by the World Heritage listed Wollemi National Park, the largest declared Wilderness Area in New South Wales, and the College utilizes this fantastic area by walking, biking and hiking through it during the year.NSW Parks Link

Introduction

Welcome to Staff Day @ Colo 2024 and this self guided app. This app will take you on a self guided tour around the campus, featuring the history, infrastructure, program areas, buildings, points of interest, program usage and is designed to be a starting point to explore on your own.It will use offline maps and your smart phone to guide you on a tour which should only take 1 hour 10 minutes to complete. Remember to listen for the bell ringing as the signal to return to the Hall

Meeting Circle

Relatively new, this is where students meet staff from the bus upon arrival - do you have any ideas how we could develop it's usage?

Compass Garden

It's our experiment in eating and growing our own vegetables, following our compass - everything planted here is able to be eaten, some directly off the plantBeware of the chillies, shiny but hot

Equipment Shed

Welcome to the Equipment or Top shed at Colo OECHere you can collect your Mt Bike, board the Colo Rosa for the Bushwalk and tour the shed where Outdoor Education equipment is stored, maintained and managed by staff at Colo

Lagoon Gully

Water flows here regularly after rains from the upper cliffs into the lagoon, with the cliffs a early indication if Colo will flood due to excessive waterfalls on the uphill side

Fishing Pontoon

Students fish from this permanent floating pontoon, catching Carp which is considered a pest fish - it's catch and kill, see the fish killing zone behind youCanoeing also occurs on the lagoon, using the pontoon to manage groups from and for loading / unloading canoes

Stromlo Corner

Named after the University of Canberra Stromlo Forest Park (UC Stromlo) Mountain Biking park, which is well known for technical switch back tracks. Mountain Biking tracks were introduced to Colo OEC from 2016 to allow for skill development on campus and as a mitigation of risk for a increasingly popular sport.The farm property begins at this point with the first of many paddock fences - looking towards the lagoon you'll see a stile, a traditional mean to cross fences in rural Australia.

Brothers' House

Formerly knows as the Whitsed house, the Brothers' House was initially used as early as 1985 as a weekend and holiday home by the Brothers. It had been left in excellent condition by Don Whitsed, tastefully appointed furniture and furnishings still there, either donated by them or bought at a low price. Br Benet Bourke attended to much of the external landscaping; his construction of a law embankment, extending from the front verandah and supported by most meticulously laid sandstone blocks is a masterpeice. The sandstone blocks, which seem to have found their way onto the College's property from the 'Ruin' ofn teh other side of Comleroy Road, had most probably been part of the old Cavanough homestead and traveller's sheter.From 1868, the Upper Colo community had sufficient numbers to suport its own schoolhouse. Classes were usually held on every second day. The first teacher was Mary Cavanough. The schoolhouse was a slab construction situated on approimately the same piece of land occupied by teh Brother's house today. it was superseded in 1916 by a new building, only 20 metres away, and was then used for many years as a weather shed for the puplis adn as a venue for teh dances that were very popular with the local people at the time.The last classes were held at the Upper Colo School in 1964; by then it had become a subsidised school, with only four pupils in attendance. Wendy Ward (married to Maurice Ward), was its last teacherThe Brother's House has been occupied by the various Heads of Campus for several years and currently accomidates new teaching staff and family.

Upper Colo Church and Cemetery

Thomas Gosper Junior donated the land for the church and cemetery in 1864.Although nominally an Anglican church, it has never been consecrated as Thomas donated the land on the condition that the church be non-denominational and open to all.Some fo the bricks used in the church were hand-made at a kiln on the knoll behind Gosper House, which is the neighbouring property.All of the pews and most of the interior furnishings are the original from it's opening in 1906.The local community managed all the design, building, and materials used.On the opening day it bucketed down and everyone got totally drenched.The church is now used only occasionally for a wedding, funeral, Christmas and Easter services and the annual get together by teh descendants of the Gosper family and other early local familes.

Community Access AED

This was placed here and throughout the Colo valley as a result of a local resident not recovering from a heart emergency and with distance to AED support, the community has gotten together to support this life saving service

Street Library

Take a book, give a book, share a book

Gate 2 onto the Farm

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by,And that has made all the difference. - Robert Frost The Road Not TakenYou have a choice to make, like our students do at Colo - continue through Gate #2 onto the Farm and another 30 minutes minimum or return back to main campus via the internal roadPlease leave the gates as you find them and keep a eye out for snakes if you travel the one less traveled by. You may get muddy / slippery and wet

Farm Deck

Internal Gate 1

Walk along the ridgeline, towards the lagoon using the fence as your guide. You will pass one of three Farm Deck technology, used by the Primary Industies and Agriculture students for study and management of the Angus cattle. For more information, join the Agriculture TourGreat views into the creek as you approach the next gate and please leave it as you found it.

Aboriginals in Colo

Darkinung tribe mainly. Also Daruk, Wiradjuri, Wonara and Kamilaroi tribes.Over 200 occupational and art sites in area. Two sites are within about a kilometre of Colo. The ridge top behind the Centre has a number of Marking Trees along it. These were used to indicate sites of special significance such as ceremonial sites and birthing sites as well as to mark walking routes.By 1830’s almost all aborigines had died. Some hundreds perhaps were killed as settlers moved into Hawkesbury flood plains. Many died in tribal wars as they were squeezed onto each other’s land. Mostly died from disease (small pox, measles, flu)Some of the history can be found here Darkinung Tribes

Internal Gate 2

Handrail the creek towards the Colo River, leave the gate as you find it

Cattlecrossing

This double gate is used to move cattle between the east and west pastures, crossing the creek.Currently the eastern paddocks are needing repairs following the flood event of April 2024.Again your choice here - cross the creek to the other side or continue to follow the track to visit the Colo River before crossing the creek at the road - 10 minute detourPlease leave the gates as found.

Internal Gate 3

Front Gate #3

You've reached the front of Colo Campus. Be award of traffic moving quickly and cross the creek at the road to enjoy a view of the Colo River from the open gate / fence line opposite.The campus includes 300 metres of river frontageYou can turn around and walk back via the road (beward of 70km or faster traffic) to the main campus entrance or continue on the tour around the eastern side of the lagoon via the Primary Industries / Ag shed

Gate 5 Front

If you walked to the Upper Colo Rd to check out the river, you can return via the south side of the property thru gate #5 - close it behind you please, watch for snakes and mud in the next few fields

East Lagoon Internal Gate 5

Walk throught the east side paddock from the creek or having crossed at the cattle crossing, follow the trail towards the lagoon and the cattle yards ahead

Gate 8

Gate 8 (internal), you should get a good view of the lagoon looking back towards the west from here - watch for snakes as the trail narrows

Upper Cattle Yards

Upper cattle yards adjoining the primary industries / ag farm shed

Turpentine Tree

Very old tree - read the sign on the Bobsled post

Skills Park

Mt. Biking action and training occurs here before students are out and about on the single track course, of which there is approximatley 2km.

Open fire cooking

The students cook their dinners here over open fires they have to start with a flint, wood they collect themselves. Colo burgers, nachos and speghetti are the primary meals cooked this style.The shelter is a recent addition to provide a central point for food service / teacher supervision

Maintenance Shed

Maintenance shed, the heart of the property where all things needing fixing and repairs go.Behind the shed is the septic treatment plant, designed for a regular group of 50 for long stay residents on the property. Waste is treated in three containers, settled and clorine added until it goes into the ponds (the ducks love it there). Eventually it's pumped to the east side of the property and distributed back into the environmentWe have multiple ATV's, tractors, mowers, farm machinary and it's all stored around this area

Free Play

Free play area, a new concept which encourages the students to have down time which is unstructured but supervised play is offered. Not free time, but free playThere's climbing and exploring in the garden, fishing, shelter building or playing with large Jenga blocks.

Old Ropes Course

The old ropes course can still be see in platforms and steel climbing staples in the trees. The new course from 2019 is adjacent to it towards the cabins.Initiative / teambuilding activities are in the lower gully from here, plus extensive Mt. Biking tracks under development currently