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Brisbane families need not venture far these September holidays for a tranquil bush camping experience that promises to flex your teens’ imaginations and keep even the littlest hands busy and inspired, albeit a tad grubby.
Bushtime is your September Holidays sorted
Just over an hour’s drive north of Brisbane, Bushtime is a five-day camping holiday that offers a collection of self-led activities such as bushwalking and snorkelling in the lake, as well as guided workshops for children, teens and adults. There are two camps running in September 2020 (Week One: 19th – 23rd and Week Two: 26th – 30th) on the 500-acre parkland known as Woodfordia, located in the Moreton Bay Region Hinterland, on Jinibara Country.
Kids rejoice and adults relax at Woodfordia’s Bushtime
The littlest members of your crew will be delighted to hear that their favourite planet-loving songstress, dirtgirl, will be running a bush camp with scrapboy and the dirtgirlworld gang. Campers 10-years-old and under will be whisked away daily for a morning and afternoon session, where they’ll make nature art, take part in the great Mudster Chef Challenge, join in the dirtgirlworld bush choir, become citizen scientists, plant trees for the kids of the future and get funky in the compost.
Workshops for kids aged 3-11 years
When they’re not grubbing it up dirtgirl-style, there are plenty more workshops for youngsters (ages 3 – 11) to try their hand at, including:
- A Taste of Circus
- Cartooning for Kids
- Children’s First Time Ukulele
- Classic Country Linedancing
- and various nature walks and Discovery Labs led by passionate experts.
Workshops for tweens and teens aged 10-17 years
Older siblings can get their hands dirty at the Village Building project, where campers aged 10 – 17 will join forces to dream up and build a village of their very own. They’ll be using hand saws, screw guns, drills, and a drop saw, as well as measuring, marking and PPE gear. Then, of course, there’s bunting to make, flags to erect and pallet-palaces to paint. Throughout the build, there are strictly no adults allowed, apart from a handful of safety-focussed facilitators. On the final day, the kids shall name their village and open the gates to adult campers, who’ll be treated to an open mic night of the kids’ design.
Other teen activities
Teenagers with a penchant for the written word can learn from some of the best in the biz at workshops such as Fundamentals of Writing for Teens and Songwriting Experience for Teens. Mural Style Painting, Marionette Making and Watercolour & Geodes Workshops will give budding artists plenty to experiment with, while jumping beans can unite at various circus workshops or stretch out those growing limbs at a yoga class. There are also a number of guided walks and talks on offer that explore Woodfordia’s biodiversity.
Workshops for adults
When not lounging beneath the trees with a good book, enjoying drinks at the bar, or foot-tapping to one of the talented musical acts, adult campers might find time to slip into a workshop themselves. Both single and multi-day intensive workshops are on offer, including:
- Wooden Spoon Carving
- Beginners Leather Sandal Making
- Adult Circus Adventure
- Flamenco Intensive
- making Maori Style Earrings and many more.
Jinibara Cultural Heritage Programme
Kids and adults alike can learn more about the land on which they are camped at the Jinibara Cultural Heritage Programme with Jinibara descendant and artist, Jason Murphy. Participants will explore various time periods through the ‘circle back in time’ activity and discuss the important skills of Jinibara life set in the foundations of family-totem relationships, while having the opportunity to try grain grinding, fire making and twine making. Jason will also be running Jinibara Spear and Boomerang Throwing workshops on Woodfordia’s Hilltop.
Facilities to enjoy
There will be two licensed bars, a few of Woodfordia’s favourite food stalls, as well as the General Store and Café. Lake Gkula will be open daily for swimming and snorkelling and a number of yoga classes will be available for you to stretch, unwind and breathe in your surroundings. Bicycles are also very much welcome on your camping adventure and can carry you along national park bush trails to secluded picnic spots.
Should campers need to duck off for supplies or a daytrip to the surrounding areas, the Woodford township is a 5-minute drive from the campgrounds and the Sunshine Coast hinterland is on your doorstep.
The setting
Woodfordia’s Hilltop view, however, is hard to beat. Overlooking the Glass House Mountains, it’s the perfect spot to watch sunrise and sunset with a loved one. Come evening, there will be concerts on The Pond featuring the likes of Hat Fitz and Cara, The Barleyshakes, Jackie Marshall, Hussy Hicks and more. Gaze up at the stars with your family by your side, or twirl your partner around in the cool night air.
Accommodation at Woodfordia’s Bushtime
Tents, caravans, motorhomes and camper trailers are all welcome – shady spots on flat ground are plentiful and shower and toilet facilities are available in all the campground areas. If you’d rather the Bushtime crew set up camp for you, Tent City will be your home away from home – simply rock up and find your tent ready to go, complete with carpet, beds and roll-up windows.
It is a truly beautiful time of year to enjoy this expansive parkland, which is looking lush and green as it welcomes the first weeks of Spring. Let someone else plan your kids’ activities these school holidays and take the chance to explore some of your own interests, whilst relishing the serenity of your leafy surrounds.
The numbers for this camping getaway will be capped and all inside the limitations imposed by a comprehensive COVID-19 plan. If an outbreak threatens Queensland, the events will be cancelled and all tickets and workshop purchases will be refunded in full. Furthermore, if people are unable to attend the event due to illness or COVID testing, their tickets/workshops will also be refunded in full.
To find out more and to book your tickets, please visit https://woodfordia.org/bushtime/.
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