Exploring Our Backyard

Connection to Country, People and Family

With International travel on hold right now there are of course incredible life transformational opportunities for school students to embark on right here in our back yard in Australia. This is not at all surprising when we reflect on the tens of thousands of young people that descend on Australia every year to explore, study, learn, perform, compete and have fun in our vast, diverse land, across a wide range of educational, cultural, sporting and music horizons.

Jamie and Brooke Wansey, owner/ founders of Student Horizons know first-hand the positive impact travel across Australia had on them and on their three young children. A few years ago the Wanseys embarked on an Aussie dream of circumnavigating Australia. They successfully completed the ‘big lap’ covering 33,000 kms, exploring some of the country’s most exquisite, untouched natural wonders.

The unifying purpose of the family trip was to create ‘experiences for life’ for their children and for the family, through adventure and exploration. Sitting underneath this core purpose were three key pillars:

Connection to country
Connection to people
Connection to family

Their seven-month expedition did not disappoint, with so many memorable experiences for life created. Jamie and Brooke cannot speak highly enough of the merits in exploring ‘our backyard’. Their children gained in confidence and their horizons were broadened. Learnings about people, places, history, geography and science were literally daily occurrences as the Wanseys learnt by doing in their ever-changing surroundings.