Cataract Activity Centre, set on 160 hectares of bushland, has created an action packed program to empower young girls in years 4 to 12.

A recent study in April 2022* found that exercise rates among Australian Youth plummeted by more than 70% during the last 2 years of lockdown – with young girls being affected the worst. According to the study, boys aged 15 to 17 were three times more likely to get enough exercise each day than girls of the same age. Cataract Activity Centre offers an exciting and adventurous solution to this problem.

By choosing our outdoor adventure program, young women may experience the benefits of ‘green exercise’ or exercising in nature. Benefits are myriad – it can improve our mood, self-esteem, attentional capacity, and our overall wellbeing. And it is in our younger years that long-term habits are set, so it’s essential that we expose young women to physical and mental challenges as well as rewarding outdoor experiences so we can promote physical health whilst eroding unhealthy gender roles and creating a foundation where they know they can do anything they set their minds to.

Confidence and team building are core to the action-packed activities at CAC, which include caving, abseiling, orienteering, high ropes, team rescue, archery and bush craft, to name a few.

We want to combat the influx of low self-esteem and show girls and young women their strength by challenging them physically and mentally. This isn’t a solo effort, either – among the challenges are opportunities for team building and the forging of new friendships and support systems.

We know the next generation of women are capable, strong and resilient – we need them to know it too.

*Study done by Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), Deakin University