More than 200 people will converge on Cobbold Gorge in Etheridge Shire later this month for an annual family camp that serves to provide social connection for rural and regional families in far north Queensland.
In its seventh year, Camp Cobbold is a five-day camp, from 26 to 30 September, which delivers programs and support mechanisms that strengthen social cohesion and connectivity, and grow community capacity to cope in the face of disadvantage and prevailing drought conditions.
Camp coordinator Katarina Keough said this year’s camp was themed Journey of Discovery.
“For the younger participants there will be dinosaur discovery activities and for the high school age it’s a time to think about life ambitions and leadership programs,” Mrs Keough said.
This year’s camp has drawn families from Etheridge Shire, Charters Towers, Richmond, Hughenden, Greenvale, Croydon and the Tablelands.
Mrs Keough said as part of the camp’s ongoing objective to promote resilience in the community, past participants from the local area were being engaged to deliver various parts of the program, alongside leaders from outside who brought “fresh eyes” to the region’s issues.
“This not only supports people in our own community but empowers them and gives them the confidence to develop their own business,” Mrs Keough said.
The jam-packed program includes film making and singing workshops, an agriculture based leadership program for youth, an interactive based education program from SU Qld Chaplains and activities like arts and craft, woodwork, canoeing and swimming. Mental wellbeing and health services will also be on offer.
Mrs Keough said at a cost of $200,000, the camp was only made possible through generous donations and in-kind support, which this year included $66,000 from the RACQ Foundation, $40,000 from the Vincent Fairfax Foundation, $10,000 from Etheridge Shire and $5000 from Uniting Care.
Other services were donated or discounted, while the Cobbold Gorge also discounted the use of facilities, which allows the cost of the camp – $40 for the week – to be kept to a minimum.
