30 Jan School’s Back! The tale of many buses
Just after peak hour motorists on Queensland’s major highways will often see fleets of buses heading in all directions – particularly on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. These cavalcades are one of the best ways to understand the scope and breadth of the Outdoor Education industry in our State, with Queensland Conference and Camping Centres (QCCC) one of the major contributors in Queensland.
Now that school is back thousands of school children will be enjoying camping programs in Queensland each week, a chance to build community, learn resilience and enjoy Queensland’s Great Outdoors. Outdoor Education operators make a significant social and relational investment in society by working with school communities to provide innovative and holistic camping programs. However, there’s an impressive economic contribution too.
QCCC employs more than 100 people to deliver its programs. The modern Outdoor Education Centre is a multi-faceted operation requiring expertise in hospitality, administration, guest services, compliance, maintenance, grounds, environmental services and of course instruction in Outdoor Education. When parents entrust their children to a school campsite they should expect the highest standards of compliance and safety. QCCC’s sites are regularly inspected by multiple government and independent agencies to ensure they have, and continue to operate with, industry best-practice standards.
Over the course of 2017 QCCC will host more than 400 school groups at its venues and in its expeditions programs, providing a wonderful stay for more than 40,000 of Queensland’s school children annually. This will cover a multitude of formats beyond Outdoor Education formats. Term One sees many large schools staying on our sites to practice for Eisteddfod – QCCC’s sites are so renowned for music camps that they’re the perfect host for the Queensland and Sunshine Coast Youth Orchestras and the bi-annual Musically Outstanding Students (MOST) programs. Many schools use QCCC for their Spiritual retreats and leadership camps, with QCCC Tamborine’s ambience and specifically themed activities perfect for the purpose.
QCCC Tamborine is also a great destination for bonding camps as children transition into High School. Capable of hosting Queensland’s largest schools, with both hard-top and tent-camping options, QCCC Tamborine is a premiere destination for Grade 7 camps. Brookfield hosts many country schools running Brisbane Camps, visiting the many outstanding attractions of the Brisbane CBD. As the closest accommodation to the city providing exclusive use for schools QCCC Brookfield hosts urban programs from all over the country, and internationally.
Many schools have engaged QCCC to provide integrated sequential programs, with QCCC’s choice of professional campsites and expeditions programs capable of providing a unique experience for every year group. As a leading provider of Queensland school camps QCCC works with each school to develop bespoke education camp formats. Schools are assured of unique programs suited to the goals and purposes of their camping investment.
When every bus arrives at our facilities there is a palpable air of excitement as children excitedly disembark to explore the campsite and enjoy the next few days of fun, food and friendship. And sometimes when they leave there’s tears because they want to stay on. So next time you see a fleet of buses packed with children, take yourself back to your own days of wonder and joy when you were heading to your childhood camps and give them a cheery wave.