On the 3rd of July 2025, 20 students and 3 staff from Notre Dame embarked on the college's furthest and most intrepid expedition, all the way to Indonesia. After 82 hours of travelling, involving a coach, 3 flights, a 5 hour ferry ride, an interesting truck journey and a hike through the rainforest through thick mud with 7 river crossings, the group arrived at Camp Anoa on Buton Island nearly 8000 miles away and hours from civilisation.
The jungle proved a shock to the system: dormitory tents, only 4 hours of electricity per day, a basic diet and no phone signal. But this isolation allowed staff and students all to see amazing sights and experience the rainforest in its glory. Macaques, civets, bats, shrews, vipers and vine snakes, hornbills and native birds, butterflies and centipedes, ants, spiders, leeches and mosquitoes were part of everyday life as they helped collect data on local biodiversity, used to preserve the rainforest for the future. The passion of the Indonesian lecturers and guides was inspiring and their professionalism, even when rescuing some of the group from the worst flash flood in a decade.
After a week the group escaped the mud and bugs to travel to Hoga Island, an isolated tropical island where the local community maintain huts on stilts for visiting scientists and students. Here, the students learned how to dive or snorkelled in the clear blue waters of Wakatobi National Park surrounded by coral, lion fish, turtles, clown fish, octopuses, jellyfish, rays and moray eels. They also completed a reef ecology course, learning about the different threats faced by the reef, the support of the local community and the conservation efforts.
The campfire, the sunsets and the people of Hoga will live long in all their memories. A truly life changing experience for all involved.
"It was intense, but a good intense. I learned so much about the jungle, the reef ecology and it also developed my character, I had to push myself physically and emotionally." Abigail Hallam.
"I'd go back tomorrow." Adam Steele.
"Being in Indonesia was the most incredible, once in a lifetime experience, and I still can't believe it really happened. I'll be feeling lucky to have gone for the rest of my life!" Evie Warrington
Anyone interested in the research carried out by Opwall and how it is influencing conservation and ecology should check out the webinars in Optoberfest on the 3rd and 4th of October. https://www.opwall.com/optoberfest/
If this trip sounds like something you would love to participate in, university students and adults can go on expeditions by signing up at https://www.opwall.com/ Notre Dame are hoping to join Opwall in South Africa in 2027. Email here if you would like to know more.
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