Day 4

Day 4, we had our breakfast at 7.45am, all geared up and prepared for the long, hot dry day. We had a hearty breakfast with toasts, eggs, sausages and bacon. Right after the scrumptious breakfast, we headed for the Quaker Oats Processing Plant. Most of us were awed by the enormous silos that greeted us in the processing plant. We then went inside and Chris, the staff there gave us a presentation on the processes that were involved from the grain harvesting to packaging and exporting of the oat grains.

After that, we had the chance to actually see how these oats are processed as we toured around the factory, from the cleaning, to the hulling, kilning, rolling and finally the packaging. But before that, we had to take out all accessories, wear a hair net, and put on a neon-yellow safety vest. Safety was top priority here and the staff here meant business when it came to safety!

We were amazed when we saw all the complicated machinery and equipment that were used to process the oat grain as we went on the tour. There were many steps taken to ensure that the quality of the grains produced were of good quality and high standards. Quality and safety checks were rigorous to ensure that there were no accidents in the factory, as well as to ensure hygiene was of the highest standards. I believe this is the first time many of are actually able to go inside a factory. Many of us also got to know the health benefits of eating oats.

Soon, it was time for lunch. We had Indonesian cuisine today, and I believe that tour agency knew that by Day 4, we would be home sick, and craving for our local food. Everybody was exhilarated and welcomed having rice on our plates. There were also other dishes that were served such as curry chicken, vegetables, eggs and last but not least, fried squid. Yummy!

Herdsman River was our next destination. Herdsman River was the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Conservation. There, we met Roger, the park ranger, who was our in-house guide. He shared with us the history of the aboriginal people who were the first settlers in Australia. After that, he proceeded on to teach us to catch some river specimens to study, to know whether the area of the river is suitable for sustaining aquatic life and to know the different types of animals creatures living in such a habitat. It was an enriching experience because some of us managed to catch some river creatures that we hardly see back in Singapore. The ranger introduced us to the different species of the trees. We also had the chance to explore deeper into the ‘bush’ and enjoy the ‘sound of nature’. At one point of the journey at the bridge, Roger asked us to be silent and to listen to the sounds of nature and to breathe in deeply to take in the fresh air. He wanted us to experience nature first hand, and to fall in love with nature, for he believed that only when people fall in love with nature, would they be truly understand the importance of environmental conservation, and would desire to preserve this beautiful planet for generations to come.

After the education trip to Herdsman, it was the time everybody was waiting for… SHOPPING! We went to Harbour Town where there were many factory outlets which sold apparels and shoes. We had one and a half hours to shop there and everyone came back with hands full of shopping bags! It was very enjoyable and enriching as we learnt how to be more independent in managing our own money.

For dinner, we went to a Nyonya restaurant called D’Nonya to have our dinner, and it was Asian fare once again which was welcomed by all of us! They served us fried fish slices, curry chicken, egg omelet, fried fish, vegetables and soup. After a long day of packed with activities, all of us had a whale of a time talking about our trip and enjoying dinner. There was lots of laughter!

Overall, it was a tiring but fruitful day. It was also our last night in the hotel and I think all of us have undoubtedly begun to miss our time in Perth with our schoolmates and teachers. It is indeed a memorable experience for all of us.