ABOUT THE CAMP

DO YOU WANT TO COME?

FOR 2008 CAMPERS

Travel

Armidale is a city of 25 000 people located on the New England Tablelands in Northern NSW, midway between Sydney and Brisbane. Driving along the New England Highway the distance from Sydney is around 550km.

Since the 1800's Armidale has been a city of schools and churches, with two impressive cathedrals (Catholic and Anglican), a university (The University of New England), two independent girls schools (New England Girls School and PLC Armidale) and an Anglican boys school (The Armidale School, TAS) Armidale's altitude of 1000 metres ensures its summers are cooler than most parts of Australia, while its winters are bracing, seriously bracing!

Transport Links
Armidale is well served by air, bus and train. Campers attending the Forensic Science Camp by any of these methods of transport will be met on arrival, and seen off when they depart. For this reason it is essential that you keep the Camp organisers up to date with your travel arrangements.

Bus
There are several bus companies servicing the Armidale region from North, East and South but not many buses arrive or depart at times that suit the camp schedule.

Air
There are several flights each day, some of which may be appropriate for students attending the Camp. We will meet all flights into Armidale provided we are notified of the Flight Number and its arrival time.

Rail
Countrylink trains move between Sydney and Armidale daily, and stop at most stations between Sydney and Armidale. The usual times for this service are a 10am departure from Sydney, arriving in Armidale around 7 pm, with the similar arrangement for return times. These times DO NOT fit in well with the timings for the Forensic Science Camp and thus should only be used as a last resort. If you need to check the times, please check the Countrylink Train Services website.

Special Forensic Coach
In past years the number of campers from the Sydney and South Coast region as well as Canberra have been sufficient to justify chartered Forensic Coaches to and from the Camp.

The price disadvantage of the Special Forensic Coach is that it has two Armidale-Canberra/Wollongong trips with no passengers, and thus this cost must also be covered. The advantages of the Forensic Coach are that campers are all together and begin the week with preparatory activities and video presentations. They are also fully supervised, and are taken directly to the Camp location, The Armidale School. Due to the steep increase in fuel prices the charge for the forensic Coaches has also risen sharply but it is still competitive with commercial coaches.

How to book a seat on a Forensic Coach
If you indicated on the excel document 'YourName 08Details' that you intend to use the Forensic Coach consider your seat booked. If you decide at a later date, to either use the coach, or to cancel your earlier booking, please email forensiccamps@ bigpond.com .

Payment
Payment for the coach can be made by:

1. Sending payment via one of the modes that are specified for the payment of Camp Fees (see |COSTS|) once your application has been accepted.
   
   or by
   
2. Paying the coach supervisor at the time of boarding, in cash or by cheque but not by card. If your payment is by cheque, please ensure that it is made out to “The Armidale School-Forensic” and NOT to the coach company.

Please have the correct money (or cheque) in a sealed envelope with the camper’s name and amount enclosed, written on the outside of the envelope. No change will be given.

Food on the Coach
Passengers may bring non-messy sweets and/or a bottle of water onto the Coach but please, no other food and no sweet drinks.

Contacting the Coach
The mobile phone number of the coach supervisor will be notified to all seat holders a few days before campers depart for Armidale.
If a last minute disaster happens in your household and you look like being late or have to miss the coach altogether, you can ring the coach supervisor.

Don't be Late
The schedule is tight and delay at one pick-up spot will have consequences for many others throughout the journey. The times indicated on the schedule are departure times but we would appreciate you being ready at the stop at least 15 minutes before this time. This will allow the Coach to make up time where it can.

Excess Baggage
It is tempting to take everything including the kitchen sink but it won't fit on the Coach. Please be considerate when packing. The Coach driver will refuse to load any excessive luggage.

Behaviour
Sorry to introduce a negative note, but it must be said. The highest standards of behaviour are the only standards accepted at the Forensic Science Camp and for the last ten Camps the detectives have delivered nothing less. A long journey by Coach is difficult, but the same standards of behaviour are expected of children as are expected of any coach traveller. Passengers must remain seated, seat belts must be worn at all times and conversation is directed at immediate neighbours and at a volume that doesn't disturb other travellers. The supervisors have volunteered to supervise the coach to ensure the safety of the detectives, not to teach them how to behave.

Spending/meals Money
It is the Detective’s responsibility to bring enough money to purchase food on the journeys to and from Armidale.

Fares
The fares indicated on the schedule tables below are for either one-way or return travel. There will be no reduction for travelling one-way only.

From Canberra- $240.
From Goulburn- $230.
From Southern Highlands- $225.
From Sydney (Wentworthville, Chatswood or Hornsby) - $190.
From Wollongong- $200
From Newcastle- $165

Details of Coach stopping locations and times will be emailed to campers who book a seat.

One Forensic Coach or two?

There will definitely be a coach starting from Canberra. If the demand is sufficient, a second coach will start from Wollongong