The family members of a Canberra high school student who died after sustaining injuries during a school excursion have been granted to have the site viewed as part of a coronial inquest into his death.
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Adriaan Roodt was only 17 years old when he his life was cut short during a trip with his fellow Campbell High School students to Mt Ainslie in October 2018.
The incident, during a physical education class at the nature reserve, involved a log that led to Adriaan suffering serious head injuries.
The year 10 student, who lived in Yass and was an avid boxer, was taken to hospital but tragically died.
The coronial inquest into his death came before the ACT Coroner's Court on Tuesday for a directions hearing when counsel assisting the coroner Rebecca Curran said the family asked to view the more than 2.5ha site.
Jamie Ronald, representing the family, said the viewing was "essential for a proper understanding of the evidence".
Mr Ronald said it was also in relation to the school's practice of using dense bushland at Mt Ainslie for regular physical education and it would go towards evidence about supervision and risk assessments.
"Whether or not supervision was capable of being properly provided for the students playing this game [capture the flag] on this very expansive, dense bushland," he said.
"This is ancient bushland in a nature park. In my submission, there has not been any substantial change to the bushland since Adriaan's death that would diminish the value of the viewing as part of the inquest."
Vanessa Thomas, representing the territory, said that while a view was beneficial in many cases, there were concerns in this one related to its usefulness and whether it may cause difficulties in the coroner's understanding of the evidence.
Ms Thomas said even for the purpose of "getting a feel for the scale and the look of the site" was problematic as changes "may as well have occurred over time".
"It may give your honour an incorrect impression of those critical issues - where particular people were in particular points in time and where particular events occurred," she said.
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Ms Thomas said there was already evidence of the site, including aerial photos and maps that witnesses have marked, by the Australian Federal Police and WorkSafe.
Coroner James Stewart ruled in favour of conducting a view "in advance" of the hearing.
"A view would have value in assisting the court in the scale of the activity ... that's not always easy to pick up from maps and photographs," Mr Stewart said.
"Things such as the passing of time and differences in seasons are usual matters that need to overcome when visiting a view."
He said the viewing "would be a big day for the family, no matter how many times they've been there since".
"It would be a tremendously emotional place for them to visit," the coroner said.
Since his death, a memorial bench seat has been installed at Mt Ainslie in his memory.
A small plaque on the seatback carries a brief inscription, with two small boxing gloves in the corner to signify his love of the sport.
His former trainer, Spider, described him as "a lovely young man" and being "very calm, gentle".
The inquest is listed for oral submissions next April.
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