2011 is shaping up as an exciting one for Queensland Conference and Camping. The year is off to a flying start with record guest numbers through February. Some of the new initiatives we’ve been working on for several years are being launched and are quickly growing.
And we’ve started this year serving our new vision and mission statements.
Vision statement:
As a ministry of Queensland Baptists, QCCC exists to create life-changing experiences through excellence in hospitality, service and teaching.
Particularly impressed with the dedication and professionalism of your activity leaders .....
One of the most rewarding parts of our job is the feedback we get from guests about their enjoyment of our programs, and how it builds into the lives of those we host and teach. Here’s a small sample – a letter we received from a school this week:
Dear Neil, I would just like to thank you and your staff for the fantastic camp that our school experienced this week. As discussed with you I was particularly impressed with the dedication and professionalism of your activity leaders. It is clear that they love and are passionate about their work. It is great to see them passing on their individual skills to the students they assist by being friendly, caring, disciplined and polite.Continue reading →
QCCC is piloting now a new concept we hope will become the backbone theme of our programs from 2012 onwards, across our three camp sites at Mapleton, Tamborine and Brookfield (Brisbane). The working title for the concept is “R1202“, a reference to the biblical Romans 12:02:
“Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within.”
Also known as “The Hand” we believe the R1202 theme will enable us to partner with visiting groups to reflect on the key attributes and values required for a successful life.
As it is developed we will make it a flexible tool that can fit the objectives and outcomes of each group who visits us. We will also develop resources so that the lessons learned from R1202 on camp can last long after it concludes.
R1202 will become the major tool used by QCCC in our teaching and service to clients. Our staff have identified approximately 70 object lessons that can be drawn from R1202 using colours, fingers and other concepts.
As the curtain closes on 2010 it’s a good time to reflect on a record year of camping and conferencing for QCCC.
QCCC Expeditions are hotting up, driven by our provision of the Duke of Edinburgh Award.
Here’s a little of what our great team has managed to achieve this year:
Hosted over 500 individual groups across our three sites, that’s an average of 10 groups each week using our facilities.
Provided a quality accommodation experience to more than 35,000 people, an average of 700 people each week staying with us.
Served more than 200,000 meals. We’re convinced quality hospitality is a vital part of any successful camping and conferencing program.
Facilitated more than ten outdoor education instructors as they provided programs for more than 200 schools through the year.
Made great strides in building partnerships with like-minded organisations, the fruits of which will start to be seen in 2011 as we roll out new services and programs.
Developed a pilot theme for all of our Centres that will add significant value to the programs and outcomes of groups using our facilities (watch this space).
Further developed our Expeditions program and taken several groups through their Duke of Edinburgh Award.
Kicked off our training program for future staff – providing a Certificate III in Outdoor Education.
It’s not uncommon for a camper leaving one of our sites to tearfully express their resolve to return one day – to work. If you’ve been in that category, here’s your chance!
QCCC Mapleton has an extensive range of outdoor education focussed adventure activities for guests to enjoy.
An opportunity exists for enthusiastic people to be involved in a Christian workplace (QCCC Mapleton) providing outdoor education programs to school groups. The casual positions involve supervising and facilitating students, from grade 3 to grade 12.
Activities such as initiative games and team building, canoeing, archery, raft building, climbing, abseiling, high ropes and bushwalking are used to teach and promote a Christian values-based program. To a lesser extent, rostered Kitchen and Maintenance work forms part of the role.
Applicants need to be self motivated team players, willing to work rostered weekends, possible early mornings and public holidays. Experience in teaching, outdoor education or youth work is essential.
In a recent magazine article our Director of Camping, Andrew Grant, wrote “one thing that has fascinated and challenged me recently is that the deep and continued goodwill towards camping from people across generations is somewhat dampened by a sense that life has crowded in and made camping less achievable’.
The rainforest walk at Mapleton
He went on to say ‘I’m confident that camping retains a great relevance to modern life. Our role is to make camping accessible to ensure the potential of camping is unleashed in the lives of people.’
Over the last year we’ve spent a lot of time and made a lot of progress in assessing what we have in QCCC, and how we can grow and expand our services, and more importantly grow our ability to service camping and conferencing in our State.
Some of these involve some left-of-field thinking, where we’ve taken an innovative approach to push the envelope and broaden horizons, delivering camps with a difference.
Over the next few weeks we’ll throw out some ideas ideas we have for the future in an attempt to find churches, schools and groups to consider partnering with us in some pilots. We’d like to soft-start some of these ideas with innovative partners to make sure they can work. After review and trouble-shooting we can then offer them to a wider audience.
In recognition of the important role of chaplains in Australia’s school communities, Queensland Conference and Camping Centres (QCCC) has decided that chaplains accompanying school camps will stay free at QCCC facilities for the duration of their school camp.
Chappy's stay free when joining their school camps in enjoying the amazing QCCC facilities.
QCCC is growing partnerships with other, like-minded organisations and the staff bodies of the three QCCC Centres are firm believers in the validity and importance of chaplaincy in schools.
Camping establishes an environment for out-of-the-ordinary experiences, which tend to be remembered more than experiences in ordinary settings. QCCC would like to enable school chaplains to be a part of this process as much as possible and will therefore waive all charges associated with a chaplain’s attendance at a school camp.
Queensland Conference and Camping Centres (QCCC) Mapleton proudly takes an holistic approach to its outdoor education programs.
QCCC Mapleton has an extensive range of outdoor education focussed adventure activities for guests to enjoy.
We have a team of highly qualified, full-time, outdoor educators whose sole purpose is to provide programs of excellence that build into the lives and programs of our guests. Because of this QCCC Mapleton cannot always match the monetary price of the other options but we will always back our safety record and the quality of our product and experience.
Mapleton Centre’s programmed activities are perfect for school, corporate, youth and family groups whose goals are to have fun while challenging themselves by stepping out of their everyday environment.
Built within our spectacular rainforest setting, high on the Blackall Range, our guests enjoy a wide range of challenges and activities that promote teamwork, communication and build self confidence. Our activities are a great opportunity for people of all ages to embark on a uniquely different series of mental and physical activities that will challenge you as an individual and groups as a whole. Our guests choose from the following activities:
Brisbane is a sought after destination for school camps and QCCC Brookfield is ideally located to cater for an excellent school camp, retreat or conference.
Brookfield also has lots of facilities to help your group to relax when on-site.
As State capital of Queensland Brisbane has a wealth of educational and recreational facilities. These are easily accessed from Brookfield, just 15km or 25 minutes from the CBD and even closer to the many attractions in the south west, surrounding Mount Cootha.
The QCCC website now has a specific page for Brisbane school camp groups to access, highlighting the many activities enjoyed by our guests during their stay at QCCC Brookfield and providing website links where possible. The website currently lists nearly 40 activity options in and around Brisbane, more than enough to crowd out a school camp program with a spectacular tour of the Queensland capital.
2011 is shaping up as an exciting one for Queensland Conference and Camping. The year is off to a flying start with record guest numbers through February. Some of the new initiatives we’ve been working on for several years are being launched and are quickly growing. 
Queensland Conference and Camping Centres 