Students face charges after taking guns on school camp

TWO Year 9 students are facing possible firearms charges after they took a sawn-off shotgun, a rifle and 17 rounds of ammunition to a school camp.

TWO Year 9 students are facing possible firearms charges after they took a sawn-off shotgun, a rifle and 17 rounds of ammunition to a school camp.

The weapons were discovered in the school bags of the Colac College students while they wereon an adventure camp near Bairnsdale in Victoria's Gippsland.

Police have interviewed the boys, aged 14 and 15, and are preparing a brief of evidence that could lead to firearms charges against the pair.

The students have also been suspended indefinitely and may face expulsion from the government school.

Despite a recent removal of a girl from a Ballarat school for making threatening remarks against classmates on a website, police said there was nothing "sinister" about the guns being taken to camp. "There were no threats to the school ... there isno suggestion of anything sinister," said Inspector Craig Gillard.

"We just have a couple of misguided, stupid kids who have taken firearms on a camp and not thought it through. It is an indication of a lack of maturity."

Inspector Gillard said a spotlight was found in the bags, along with the guns - a .22 calibre rifle and a sawn-off shotgun - which indicated the boys were planning to go rabbiting.

Inspector Gillard said teachers who searched the boys' bags on Tuesday last week had uncovered the weapons.

"The teachers became suspicious that they may be in possession of alcohol and found a little bit more," he said.

Inspector Gillard said police had searched a house at Winchelsea, southwest of Geelong, and said they did not know where the teenagers had got the weapons - one of which was inoperable because it was in a poor state.

Premier Steve Bracks said the students' actions were disturbing, but he praised the school for its handling of the matter.

"Of course I'm disturbed by it and I want to congratulate the school for taking immediate action, for reporting that to police ... even if it was country students going out on a rollick somewhere," he said.

"Nevertheless, they (guns) are prohibited from events such as camps and I'm glad that the teachers took the necessary steps."

Colac College principal Richard Cooper said the students had been suspended indefinitely and expressed disappointment with the actions of the pair.