Outdoor Education

Orohaki Outdoor Education Centre

Riccarton High School is very fortunate to have its own outdoor education facility at Glentui in North Canterbury (about 50 minutes from Christchurch).

Year 9 and 10 students engage in a programme that provides the opportunity to develop self-confidence, team and leadership skills in an outdoor education setting that is facilitated by specialists.

The programme is a compulsory part of the school curriculum and it serves us well in helping to develop well-rounded individuals. Often, our graduates refer to the outdoor education experience as the highlight of their time at Riccarton High School.

The students undertake activities such as team-building challenges, tramping, canyoning, mountain biking, and raft building. They also learn about our native NZ environment and the history of the area.

The property itself includes a main lodge with an open plan kitchen, dining and living facilities, and 3 bunkrooms that sleep 40 people, along with staff bedrooms that sleep 4.

The property includes 1.3 hectares of land, ⅓ of this in protected beech forest, and borders Department of Conservation land. Blowhard Track (suitable for walking, mountain biking, or horse trekking) is right at the gate, and a short drive away are the Mt Thomas walking tracks the Ashley, Garry, and Okuku Rivers, as well as the Woodend Gully walking trails. For more information about Orohaki, go to the Orohaki website.