Island Survival

Sydney, Gladstone, Brisbane
Whilst on the mainland you will be sharing comfortable hostel rooms with your fellow Rustic participants. The shared rooms will have private and/or shared bathrooms with hot water and flushing toilets.

Rustic Island
Every night on the Island will be camping, you will use skills taught to you by Rustic survival experts to build a shelter. There are composting toilets on the island for participant use. No showers on the island. Students will be given basic supplies and ration packs. A sleeping bag is required.

Rustic Pathways works with local community leaders and organizations to identify and prioritize the needs of each community. Please note that while we try our best to ensure we provide our advertised projects, some changes may occur due to the communities and project partners we work with.

Whilst on Rustic Island students will partake in marine and environmental service work. Students will contribute to ongoing marine monitoring projects by collecting data on marine life for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. Students will also participate in the collection and removal of rubbish from the beaches and lagoons, to help preserve this ecologically important environment.

This program involves sports and adventure activities that require students to be physically active.

All food on the island will be presented to the students in the form of individual Army Ration Packs. These packs will contain the minimum amount of basic food servings one individual would need to survive for a week. The students will have a designated cooking area with shared gear amongst their teams to use for cooking and cleaning. When not on the island, students will be eating food that is very similar to American cuisine.

Dietary Requirements/Food Allergies – We can easily accommodate vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and other common dietary requirements on this program. Please make sure to include this in your medical form so that our staff can prepare and we recommend bringing along some of your own favorite snacks!

Whist living on the island there is no running water, all water will be brought across to the island and Rustic staff will ensure that there is more than enough water for your time on the island.

Weather on the island is pleasant with daily temperatures ranging from 21-26 degrees celsius. Balmy nights follow afternoons cooled by strong north easterly sea breezes. Temperatures over night are generally between 17-18 degrees celsius.

Flights – The advertised dates for this program include travel time from the USA. Students from the USA will depart on a Tuesday evening and return on a Wednesday morning. The program within Australia runs from Thursday to Wednesday. Please refer to the itinerary for further details.

Visa – Nearly all nationalities will require a visa to enter Australia. Residents of the USA should apply for an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA), which is an online visa found at eta.immi.gov.au and costs US$25. Residents of Europe may be eligible for a free eVisitor visa. Other nationalities may require a Visitor Visa (e600), which costs approximately AU$130. Visa costs are not included in our program prices.

Internal Travel – Before their time on the island students will fly to Sydney for 3 nights. Students will fly from Sydney to Gladstone to embark on their Island Survival adventure before flying back to Brisbane to make their way home.

We want to encourage students to disconnect in order to fully immerse themselves in the experience and get the most out of their program. Thus, students will not have access to wifi. Reception for international plans is spotty and we do not recommend purchasing one for this trip. Parents will have access to our 24/7 emergency number and will also receive updates from our staff once your student is in country.

Personal gifts, internet, phone calls, and snacks are not included. All other costs (accommodation, meals, in-country transportation, and activities) are included in the program price. Students will have the opportunity to shop for souvenirs and snacks whilst in Sydney. We recommend $150 to cover these extra costs. Plus additional for any optional activities that you would like to do.

The following is a list of possible add-on activities and their cost:

* Climbing Sydney Harbour Bridge (approx. $150 – $255USD depending on age and type of climb).

For this program you will have two sets of clothing, one set which you will take with you on the island and another set for your time in Australia before and after the island experience. With this in mind, you should have enough clothing and not need to do laundry on this program. If doing laundry is required you may have the option in Sydney after your time on the island.

In general, Australians tend to dress quite casually. Students will leave all belongings behind in Gladstone except for 5 things they want to take to the island + mandatory items + ration packs provided by Rustic. Whilst on Rustic Island students will need to be dressed for practicality and comfort. Please refer to the packing list for detailed information on what to bring.

If any of your questions were not answered, our Global Program Advisors are here to help! Give us a call at 800.321.4353 or request a call here.