PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS• LearntoSCUBADiveintheGreatBarrierReef,Oneofthe
SevenNaturalWondersoftheWorld
• ExploreWooroonooranNationalParkandVolunteerata
WildlifeRefuge
• SleepBeneaththeStarsonaLive-AboardBoatintheStun-
ningWatersoftheCoralSea
• TeachEnglishtoFijianSchoolchildrenandHelpImprove
CommunityInfrastructure
• ParticipateinaTraditionalSevusevuCeremonywithFijian
Chiefs
• ExploretheFamousOperaHouseandDiscovertheSitesof
Sydney
• 40HoursCommunityService
Spotlight Project: Naiwaisomo Village
For over 15 years, ARCC students have ventured into the heart of Beqa Island, comprised of nine unique villages
and known as the ‘Island of Firewalkers’. Here locals live as they have for centuries and struggle to improve their
livelihoods due to a lack of support and resources. Through projects directed by the Village Chief, we have installed
community generators, refurbished classrooms, constructed sidewalks and a seawall, incorporated English educa-
tion in the local primary school and more. Continuing our work on milestone projects, we feel an overwhelming
sense of community and impact.
ARCCPrograms|Australia/Fiji:IslandVillageInitiative
Days 1 - 2: Travel Days
AllparticipantsarriveatLosAngelesInternationalAirport(LAX)wheretheyaremetbythegroupleaders.Af-
teraninitialorientationandicebreakeractivities,weboardourflightboundforSydney,Australia.Wecrossthe
InternationalDateLineandloseadaywhichwewillgainbackattheendofourtrip.Accommodations: Overnight
flight
Day 3: Cairns
Today we fly to Australia’s tropical town of Cairns (pronounced “CANS”), located on the northern coast of
QueenslandandthegatewaytotheGreatBarrierReef.Throughgames,teambuildingactivitiesandeatingourfirst
mealstogether,theadventuretrulybegins.Wealsointroducetheroleof“LeaderoftheDay”whichisanessential
componentofeveryARCCtrip. Accommodations: Guesthouse
Days 4 - 5: Wooroonooran National Park & Wildlife Refuge Service
WebeginthedayvolunteeringwithalocalorganizationcalledTreeForce
toplantmuchneededtreesinthelocalarea.Thisgivesusagreatintroduc-
tiontotheimportanceofsustainingnaturalecosystemsasweprepareto
exploretherainforest!WethenmakeourwaytoWooroonooranNational
Park,oneofthemostdiverseplacesintheWetTropicsWorldHeritagearea
andhosttosomeoftheoldestcontinuallysurvivingrainforestsintheworld.
Weexperience this beautiful area aswe swimunderwaterfalls and slide
downanaturalrockslide.Ourguidealsoteachesusabouttheenchanting
creaturesoftherainforest liketheUlyssesButterflyandGreenTreeFrog,
andifwe’relucky,wemayspotthem!
Attheendoftheday,wearriveatanon-profitwildlifecenterandrefuge
inPortDouglas. This rehabilitationcenter is home for countless injured,
sickandorphanedanimals.Underthesupervisionofawildlifeexpert,we
havetheopportunitytocomeface-to-facewithwildlifewhichmayinclude
kangaroos,wallabies,birdsofprey,goannas,quolls,snakes,lorikeets,cocka-
toos,owls,akoalaortwoandanassortmentofotherAussieanimals.We
helpwith servicework,basedonourown skills and interests, thathelps
keepthewildlifehospitalgoing(ex:makingsigns,repairingenclosures,
tendingthevegetablegardenfortheanimals’food,etc.)Thisisagreatway
tocontributetothecommunitywhilesimultaneouslyhelpingwildlife.
Afterourworkatthewildlifecenteriscompleted,wemakeourwayback
to Cairns and prepare for our SCUBA and snorkeling adventures ahead.
WeparticipateinaReefTeachpresentationledbylocalmarinebiologists
tolearnmoreaboutthefascinatingunderwaterworldoftheGreatBarrier
Reef.Accommodations: Wildlife Center
Days 6 - 9: Great Barrier Reef
ForthenextfourdayswelearntoSCUBAdive,*spendingtwodaysina
classroomandpoolandthenprogressingtoopenwaterdivingonthe
incredibleGreatBarrierReef.ThePADIOpenWaterdivingtakesplaceoff
aliveaboardboatwhichallowsustheabsolutebestaccesstothereef.We
log5divesamongcorals,turtles,andanarrayoffishthatcouldonlyexist
intheunderwaterparadiseofthisfascinatingreefsystem.Thosealready
certifiedtakeathree-dayPADIAdvancedOpenWaterDivercourseand
log9divesontheReef,includingaspectacularnightdive.Non-diversare
abletosnorkelfor3dayswheretheadvancedstudentsarepracticingtheir
dives.
SincemostofthespectacularsealifeoftheGreatBarrierReefiscloseto
thesurface,diversandsnorkelersalikeenjoyclose-upviewsoftropicalfish,
turtles and a kaleidoscope of corals. Accommodations: Guesthouse and
Liveaboard boat
*Please Note: To become SCUBA certified, you have to study, take quizzes and pass a final written and practical exam. You also need to pass a thorough physical exam performed by a dive physician. You cannot have used an inhaler or suffered from asthma in the past three years. Additionally, students with ADHD who are or have been taking Ritalin, or any of its derivatives, will not be permitted to dive. Quite a few ARCC students have failed the medical exam in the past for a number of conditions: history of migraines, childhood chest pains, Ritalin prescriptions, etc. Standards vary from doctor to doctor, but Australia has some of the toughest diving standards in the world. If you pass the course here, you can safely and confidently dive anywhere in the world.
ARCCPrograms|Australia/Fiji:IslandVillageInitiative
Day 10: Cairns
Todaywe have a relaxingmorning and explore the town of Cairns. We
spendtimeatthepopularesplanadeandswiminafreshwaterlagoon.Our
eveningcontinueswithanAussieBBQaswe lookbackatouradventure
thusfar.Excitementfillstheairaswegetreadyforournextdestination,
Sydney!Accommodations: Guesthouse
Days 11 - 12: Sydney
WesaygoodbyetothecoastalcommunityofCairnsandheadtothebus-
tlingcityofSydneyforacoupledaysofseeingthesights.Sydneyishome
totheworld-famousOperaHouseandHarborBridge,bothatthetopofour
listofthingstosee.Locatedintheheartofthecity,ourhostelletsustaste
thebestSydneyhastooffer.WeareashortwalkfromDarlingHarbor,and
abeautifulferryrideawayfromManlyBeach.Accommodations: Hostel
ARCCPrograms|Australia/Fiji:IslandVillageInitiative
Days 13 - 14: Nadi, Fiji
WemakeourwaytothetropicalIslandofFijiwherewecontinuethenext
partofouradventure!InNadi,wespendadaybecomingorientedwithFi-
jiancultureaswelearnabouttheircustomsandtraditions.Wethenmake
ourwaytoBeqaIslandbyboat,alsoknownasthe‘IslandoftheFirewalkers’,
andtaketimetoenjoyournewsurroundingsandprepareforourservice
projectsahead.Accommodations: Hotel
Days 15 - 17: Spotlight Project: Naiwaisomo Village
Forthenextthreedays,wearebusyteaching,lessonplanningandleading
activitieswiththestudentsofRaviraviSchool.Wedonateschoolsupplies
andteachsubjectsinEnglish,mathandscience.Wehelptheyoungerstu-
dentswith theirEnglish skills through funactivities andgamesandhelp
teachtheolderchildrenaboutgeographyandlifeintheUnitedStates.Ac-
commodations: Traditional Burres
Day 18: Nanuku Island
Todaywetravelbyboattoourownspecialisland—Nanuku.Nanukuissim-
plysandandpalmtrees,andwecanwalkarounditintenminutes.Aperfect
placetorestafterourhardwork,Nanukuistrulyatropicalparadise.Young
Fijiansfromaneighboringvillageoftensailouttohelpusgathercoconuts
fromthepalm trees.Wesetupcamp for thenightandenjoy this island
paradiseswimming,snorkelingandcampingonthebeachunderthestars
atnight!Accommodations: Beach Camping
Days 19 - 20: Spotlight Project: Naiwaisomo Village
WeheadbacktoNaiwaisomotoparticipateinserviceprojectsthatare
mostneededinthevillage.ARCChasbeenoperatingprogramsinFijifor
overfifteenyears,andwehavebuiltlong-lastingrelationshipswiththeFi-
jiansinNawaisomo.Theserviceprojectsaredesignedspecificallytohelp
improvetheircommunityandvaryfrompaintingandrepairingtheschool
tobuildingafootpaththroughoutthevillageorworkingonarecycling
project.Accommodations: Traditional Burres
Want to Learn More? Contact the Regional Director:
Eben Coenen | Regional Director: Australia / [email protected]
Day 21: Pacific Harbor and Nadi
TodaywedepartBeqaIslandbyboat,headingbacktothemainland.We
arriveinPacificHarborwhereweenjoylunchandexplorethecolorfulmar-
ketsandcoastaltown.WethenmakeourwaytoNadiwherewecelebrate
ouradventuresandnewfriendswithafinalfeastandclosingceremony.
Accommodations: Hotel
ARCCPrograms|Australia/Fiji:IslandVillageInitiative
Day 22: Departure
Eventuallyallgoodthingsmustcometoanend.Wesaygoodbyeto
AustraliaandFijiandbeginourjourneybackacrossthePacific.Oncewe
arriveinLosAngeles,wegeteveryonetotheirconnectingflightshome.
Thememoriesoftheexperienceandthegroupwillcarryusthroughto
nextsummer!