By Jed Lanyon
Flashes of fluoro green were a common sight on the Lilydale-Warburton Trail as Millwarra Primary School students prepared to take part in their bike camp next month.
Many students braved the heat on Tuesday 19 November and spent the day riding a 55 kilometre return-trip from East Warburton to Wandin.
Principal Rod Barnard told the Mail, “We have a bike camp every second year. We go up and ride a bike trails in Merton, Bonnie Doon, Alexandra. The kids ride all around that area for three days.
“We’ve done a lot of short rides. They’re riding every day at the moment. But today we chose a big ride to give them a bit more preparation before the camp starts.
Mr Barnard said that the school has 22 students taking part in the camp.
“They just love it… Most of our kids take it on board. They enjoy the training, they enjoy the camp.
“There are a lot of good friendships built out of riding along on your bikes.
“It takes a bit of resilience needed to do this bike ride… They’ve got to work pretty hard.”
Millwarra Primary School hosts a bike workshop program where the students are able to make their own bikes.
“They start with the frame and they actually build the whole bike and then they’ll take it home with them.
“It provides kids who may not be able to afford a bike to make sure they get a bike.
“And our staff are very passionate when it comes to doing these things.
“They’re doing the bike ride, building these bikes. They’re all on board, so it makes it a lot easier when you’ve got people supporting you within the school.
“They have a ball too, they’ll take their partners up there with them to be a part of the support crew so it can be some family time for them too.
“I like to think of our school as a family school.”
