The Avoca Trust Murray River School Ships Program
First entry is "Come and try term"
Expressions of interest are requested by Email to
Avoca Trust Murray School ships is a registered Senior High-tech school, a DGR trust with "Education about the Murray River Valley Environment and near coastal waters" as its Purpose. The school uses residential river boats as the living-learning ecosystem for young South Australians aged 15 to 20 needing a positive vocational education path.
Australians are all on a continuous learning journey about and care for the environment of the Murray River and coastal waters. To this end, the Australian Government provides a Deductible tax deduction incentive. All school fees and other donations become Legal tax deductions.
SA Education law:- Children (aged 6-18) must attend "school". This remains our cornerstone, which grows moss to also cover Vocational Qualification costs.
The River environment learning is encapsulated in all the standard Essential English and Maths, Physical fitness, Healthy living, Tourism, Hospitality, Care Services, Water Safety, Maritime Operations.
We provide a pathway for students who find the traditional classroom setting overwhelming. We ensure they remain connected to the state curriculum and river environmental education options.
Onboard Mentorship: Each school ship is managed by a resident teacher who lives on the ship, providing 24/7 academic and emotional guidance towards confident living.
Avoca Tech High/VET school ships provide a residential path to confidence.
TS Mundoo is now available for a new life as the leader of the school ship.
Her original function is no longer commercially viable, but with some modification and her new diesel engine, she is an ideal school ship providing group shelter, swag camping on carpet mats, overnight.
We will install full-time, advanced student crew bunks for long-term students as crew accommodation.
In addition to her College marketing and general functions work, Mundoo will host:-
The regular one-term "Time Out" program to help parents consider enrolment for their child
Special community functions, throughout the navigable river.
Crising between functions will be student training time for VETIS maritime operations, Cookery, Restaurant table service, and Water adventure skills leadership.
Music will be a major curriculum requirement. Students will form a brass band as well as other instruments, as part of their formal music curriculum learning. She will be a noisy ship.
TS Mundoo will be available for community events and catered functions throughout the river community.
Relocation cruises for events will be training events for students.
An advanced team of students, full time resident onboard, will gain experience in the commercial operations. They will be gaining a strong set of riverboat industry skills and VET Qualifications, assisting with commercial functions.
As student numbers increase, we will add other traditional houseboat-style riverbats to the fleet. Each school ship will house 16 students and their teacher.
DECISION:- After the 10-week entry term - Stay or leave
This term functions as a Come and Try school camp. The students remains enroled in their home school.
If the decision is "STAY," we confirm the formal enrolment with the school-ships VETIS tech program.
A recent ministerial decision (June '26) indicated that the Murray School ships can be funded as a special purpose State tech high school.
THIS MEANS THE FOLLOWING ORIGINAL FAMILY COST PLANNING MAY CHANGE WITH GOVERNMENT FUNDING
However, all family payments are donations to Avoca Trust VETIS school ship, 100% Tax-Deductible gifts for "Education about and conservation of the Murray-Darling River environment."
Make an instant donation (any amount) from your online bank account using the PayID in your payment options.
The Avoca Trust Bank PayID: 53867608743
Name: The Avoca Trust Fund
Include your name, address, and email. We will send your 100% DGR approved Donation receipt for your tax return.
We invite service clubs and community leaders to help us promote this life-changing opportunity for South Australian youth at risk of dropping out of school, and to assist in repairing the damage caused by large state high schools. The project expects the school ship's student numbers to expand.
Each student's family donates a student bed licence on enrolment after the "Come and try" decision to stay.
This Bed gift donation agreement applies for the first year of enrolment.
The school ship bed is then available for your family's use for subsequent years until it is no longer needed. It has no resale value. It becomes part of the school ship fleet.
Bed gift donations can be spread over the first year, then the school ship bed place is available for your family's use, or school holiday rental during vacation periods, until it is no longer needed by the family. It has no resale value. It becomes part of the school ship fleet.
First year only Bed Gift: (100% DGR):-
(NB: This is the current "Startup" capital/maintenance estimate)
$15,000. On enrolment:
OR $4,000 at the start of each term
OR $700 per fortnight in advance.
We expect most students will stay with us full-time to complete their Senior High school years.
A school ship bed is available for the family to use for each subsequent year with us. (They may change school ships during their years with us. The licence is the family gift. Siblings can continue to use the bed licence during their enrolment.
Consumable Cost Donations (100% DGR Gift):-
"Boarding costs" - $700 /fortnight when in residence.
(This provides supervision, student care, sustenance, and asset maintenance.)
NB:
This donation amount is a budget forecast and may be adjusted according to costs.
If the bed is not used, the Trust reserves the right to rent it to another student.
Principal, Capt Bouc, invites questions.
Phone: 0418 836 137 ---- Email: capt.bouc@gmail.com
OR: This form will provide the appropriate information to open a discussion for enrollment.
We believe many parents have a very good idea of the important things their children should learn. We discuss these things during the enrolment meeting and offer parents the opportunity to suggest additional topics to consider with their children. We welcome parental discussion with children present.