Early this year, some Year 9 and 10 students travelled to Wee Waa (and Narrabri), by train. Mr Bulgin and Ms Janzen accompanied the students. Arriving at West Ryde train station on a Monday at about 7am, we changed trains to the ‘Country Explorer’ at Hornsby station. The Country Explorer took about 6 hours to get to Wee Waa.

The Narrabri Principal met us at the station and took us to Narrabri High School. We met our billeting families, had dinner (kangaroo and emu), and went ‘home’.

Tuesday morning was very ‘in-your-face’ because I had to get up sooo early. Showers, breakfast and get out the door was soon to follow. Sometime in the three days we went to Burren Bore, for a swim; observatory; CSIRO; Mount Kaputar; Cotton Growers Industry of Australia; Cattle markets; Cotton farms as well as a lot more I can’t remember!!!

Looking at the stars in the country is something I don’t get to do every day, it was pretty cool. At the cotton farms, we all started siphons and got all dirty and disgusting. The cattle markets were, of course, full of cattle (and their smell!). CSIRO was full of the sciency bits and pieces of cotton. Cotton Growers Industry of Australia was the business side of everything.

The last thing I remember about Wee Waa was the night at yet another cotton place, where we played games and watched a movie.

On Friday morning, we all got ready to leave and had breakfast. The train ride home was pretty dull, except a HUGE cockroach that made its presence felt. Then we reached West Ryde train station. Woo Hoo!!! Home!!! We all had fun and my favourite memory was getting a cotton plant from my billeting family.

By Natalie Leybourne