Queensland & Northern NSW trip

Hello, it has been a hectic couple of days but very worthwhile. I have really enjoyed the opportunity to visit some members and prospective members. I have seen some great camps in brilliant locations and have also had the chance to get some feedback from a number of obviously passionate camp operators.

Got into Brisbane airport where our erstwhile President John Woods picked me up and we headed off to Camp Goodenough in Bilambil, NSW where Wayne and his partners showed us around their camp.

Then we headed off to Inter-Action Experiential Learning at Uki, NSW where Greg Smith gave us the run down on his camp and shared his ideas for issues the ACA should be pursuing.

Then it was on to Midginbil Hill Outdoor Education Centre in Midginbil, NSW where we were met by Tony Snellgrove and given a grand tour of his camp including wallabies, bush turkeys and his flock of chickens.

We talked about the need for the ACA to encourage consistency in the Adventure Activity Standards now being developed and implemented in a number of states.

Operators were also passionate about eco sustainability and are looking for the ACA to talk to government to provide advice and assistance to camps towards a zero carbon footprint. This would need financial assistance to implement things like water recycling and the installation of solar panels to generate power.

Camps would then be in a very strong position to demonstrate to school children practical sustainable practices.

A consistent approach to curriculum links to camp programs across the country was also an issue seen as important.

We were also urged to continue to facilitate the sharing of information between camps using things like the prices and occupancy survey (stay tuned it will be out soon for 2008).

Then John and I made the long drive up to Apex Camp Mudjimba in Mudjimba, Qld arriving about 10pm, to spend the night with Vince Boeske.

Early start Tuesday to have a look around Camp Mudjimba, Qld and then off to see Dave Lee at Luther Heights, Qld and then Noosa North Shore Resort, Qld to meet Kate Brown and finally a visit to Dave Rowlands (there are a lot of Dave's in our sector aren't there!) from Wildeco, Qld. We talked about the benefits of becoming a member of the ACA and I hope they will be joining us soon - at least in time for the new Guide to Camps coming out in February 2009.

There was enthusiasm for advocating for sustainable camps and also for promoting the benefits of the camp and outdoor experience.

We then headed home (for John) to Edmund Park in Thornton, Qld for a home cooked meal (thanks John) and some shut-eye.

This morning we headed of to Emu Gully Adventure Education Group in Toowoomba, Qld and a tour around their Anzac themed camp - including a couple of working WWII aircraft and a range of tanks. Thanks to Barry and Gwenyth Rodgers and Mark from their Board for showing us around.

Donna Little (brand new CEO of QORF) and I had a positive and encouraging meeting with Tim Condon and Rob Ashton from Sport & Recreation Qld. I am confident that we can all work together to promote and develop the camps and outdoor sector in Qld. Donna and I will write to them to follow up the meeting and to put some more concrete proposals forward. I am also hopeful that their remaining 7 camps might join the ACA and in a very real sense work with all of us to further our sector.

Visits to a couple more camps tomorrow and then onwards to the National Outdoor Summit on Friday and Saturday - for now it is time to hit the sack for me.

Last Child in the Woods

Following advice from Andrew McGuckian I started reading Richard Louv's Last Child in the Woods on the flight from Melbourne to Brisbane this morning. I have to say it is an enthralling read so far.

I have very fond memories of my childhood in Warrnambool riding my bike around with my mates, climbing trees and time spent waist deep in water at the swamp catching frogs and tadpoles. These are things I have sadly discouraged my children from doing to my eternal shame. Maybe my efforts to protect my children from harm will have long term consequences that I haven' t factored in until now?

Perhaps we are focusing too much on the immediate threats to our children's well being - bumps, bruises & bad men - and not enough on the long term impacts of "bubble wrapping" our children - obesity, mental illness and a lack of resilience to deal with the undoubtedly turbulent times ahead.

"A kid today can likely tell you about the Amazon rain forest - but not about the last time he or she explored the woods in solitude, or lay in a field listening to the wind and watching the clouds move". (Richard Louv, Last Child in the Woods 2005 pp1-2)

Louv also talks about the "criminalisation of natural play" whereby we move to protect the natural environment by restricting access, when the best way to do this might instead be to encourage interaction - if our children's only experience of the natural environment is via the Discovery Channel, then how can we expect them to value and protect it?

"Countless communities have virtually outlawed unstructured outdoor nature play, often because of the threat of lawsuits, but also because of a growing obsession with order". (Louv p28)

"The cumulative impact of overdevelopment, multiplying park rules, well meaning (and usually necessary) environmental regulations, building regulations, community covenants, and fear of litigation sends a chilling message to our children that their free-range play is unwelcome, that organized sports on manicured playing fields is the only officially sanctioned form of outdoor recreation". (Louv p31)

I have a clear memory of a careers counsellor addressing my Year 11 or 12 class in 1977-8 and advising us that we should all consider a career in the leisure and recreation industry because, with modern technology, we would all be working 3 or 4 day weeks by the turn of the century (2000). Therefore people would have 3 or 4 day weekends - the possibilities for leisure would be endless! Well it hasn't quite panned out that way has it.

And finally "Based on previous studies, we can definitely say that the best predictor of preschool children's physical activity is simply being outdoors...and that an indoor, sedentary childhood is linked to mental-health problems" (James Sallis, Active Living Research Program in Louv p32).

I will keep you up to date as I work my way through this book - so far I am finding it thought provoking.

Adventure and Nature Based Tourism Forum

Last week I went to the Victorian Adventure and Nature Based Tourism Forum. It was held at Latrobe at Beechworth, who are ACA members. Great venue. It used to be the May Day Hills Psychiatric Institution and has a long and tragic history. Thankfully most of these institutions are now closed.

Latrobe at Beechworth is now providing accommodation and a conference venue. More about the conference in a later blog (I left my notes at the office!).

The images above are of the front entrance of the venue and (a little blurrier) the old hospital at night. The night image is at the start of the ghost tour that started up 4 months ago. It was a very entertaining tour for about 90 minutes and although I didn't see any ghosts we heard a lot about the history of the place and the way the patients were treated (mostly badly).

The other amazing bit of information we learned was that since the tours began 4 months ago they have had about 4,000 people join the tour.

Many of those coming for the tour are also staying and dining at Latrobe at Beechworth and so this has been a great success for both the tour operator and the venue. It is great to hear what can be achieved by following your passion. Congratulations to all involved.