A secondary student from a Melbourne school was on a trek when he fell ill and died during a camp in South Australia.
The Age reported the student from the Huntingtower School in Mount Waverley died while on a Year 11 camp at Plumbago Station.
The cause of the boy’s death is not yet known, with police saying they are waiting for the results of an autopsy. He became unwell during their first day of hiking in the Plumbago. The Royal Flying Doctor Service was on its way to the boy at 5pm on Monday, but turned around mid-flight after crew were notified that he had died. Paramedics were treating him at the time, and police were notified of his passing a short time later.
Plumbago Station is located about 420 kilometres north-east of Adelaide and 200 kilometres west of Broken Hill. It comprises 2000 square kilometre station comprises rugged, pastoral terrain.
Huntingtower students have been attending Plumbago Station as part of the school’s “outdoor education experience” for the past 35 years. Students spend one week hiking through the arid South Australian station.
The school holds information sessions with students and parents in the lead-up to the trip and students are encouraged to hire a backpack, sleeping bag and weatherproof clothing. The students typically carry a 70-90 litre backpack with their belongings.
Each student carries a seven-litre water bag, but they have access to 10 litres of water in total each day for cooking, cleaning and drinking.