30 Stories for 30 Years
Wed 11 Jul 2018 | 30 Stories for 30 Years
The beginning….
In 1986, Tim’s parents, Ian and Julie Chandler, were looking for a change.
Ian, a farmer, and Julie a school teacher- were both creative, visionary people who loved the outdoors and were keen to try a new adventure of their own.
The seed of an idea to build school camp was planted, and the perfect location soon came along with it. Back then the block of land at the base of Mt Cole was an untouched sheep paddock with a lot of potential, a blank canvas. There was no lake, no buildings, and just a handful of mature trees. Ian and Julie approached the owners to purchase the land and had their offer accepted.
Ian and Julie had amazing vision and they set to work, often persisting when faced with challenges and resistance, to design and build a stunning location where many happy memories could be created, both for them and their families, and for every person who visited Cave Hill Creek.
Julie’s networks as a school teacher slowly helped to build a starting client base from the education industry and her practical skills helped her to develop exemplary hospitality processes. Ian’s practical skills, hard work, project management, and foresight were the driving force behind the beautiful venue that we have today. Tim (at 10), his sister Kate, and brother Pete were also much involved in the project, helping on the building site with all manner of jobs.
In May 1988, nearly two years after the land was purchased, the lake had been built, and a dining hall and on-site accommodation had been completed. Cave Hill Creek opened with 66 beds and started the exciting business of hosting school camps – teaching kids about the environment and encouraging them to enjoy the outdoors.
The first group to stay at Cave Hill Creek was a “Life Be In It” camping group – friends and family were on deck the night before their arrival to make sure the venue was ready for their first camp. Since then Cave Hill Creek has hosted thousands of camps and is a destination for all manner of functions, weddings, camps, and retreats – a place to create and share memories with others.
Every person that visits is so lucky to benefit from Ian and Julie’s amazing legacy.