When I wake up, it’s still a bit cold (okay… really cold), and I can hear the cockatoos outside being super noisy and waking everyone up. Inside, the cabin is warm and cosy, and people are starting to stir — a bit of chatting and some quiet laughing from the bunks.
One of our camp counsellors knocks on the door with a cheerful “Good morning, rise and shine!” I don’t know how they do it, but they’re always full of energy — even when we’ve kept them up talking and laughing way too late the night before. There are a few counsellors looking after our group for the week, and they’re always around if you need something or just feel like a chat.
Before breakfast, we clean our rooms. Everyone actually tries pretty hard because we want to earn points for the Cave Hill Creek Cup. Then the ‘Inspector’ comes through to check our rooms (which sounds scary but is actually very funny), and we wait to see how we did. Once we pass, we head off to eat, hoping we’ve earned some points!
We put on lots of layers and head to the pavilion, calling out to the kangaroos grazing on the oval as we go. The fire is already lit, which is the best. We sit with our colour clans, and it’s nice getting to know people my own age — the ones I’ll be hanging out with all week. I’m in Yellow Group. I grab some porridge and toast for breaky — perfect on a cold morning — and we all chat about what we’re doing today.
After breakfast, it’s time for activities. I was a bit nervous at first — especially when we got to the high ropes — but the activity instructors are really encouraging. They help you through it, cheer you on, and before you know it, you’re doing something you didn’t think you could. When you get down, everyone’s cheering and it feels awesome.
Later we go bushwalking in the Mt Cole State Forest. Everything feels different in winter — quieter and kind of peaceful. Our activity instructor shows us things we would never notice on our own, like animal tracks and cool little details. I’m also trying to find the longest leaf, because there’s a camp competition and a prize for whoever finds the biggest one – I’ve got to find a big one to beat those that other campers have already entered! After the walk, we have lunch at Richard’s Campground — hot baked jacket potatoes topped with bacon, cheese, coleslaw and all the trimmings, which taste soooo good after being out in the cold.
One of the best things about camp is that no one has phones. At first, I was worried about this, and it feels a bit weird, but then it’s actually really good. You end up talking more, laughing more, and just doing stuff instead of looking at a screen.
In the afternoon, we do more activities — maybe canoeing or something different. There’s heaps to do. It’s cold, but you warm up pretty quickly (especially if there’s a bit of splashing going on). I can’t wait to come back in Summer when we can really get wet! Later in the week we get “choose your own adventure” activities — I already know I want to do bikes and cooking (making Anzac biscuits… yum!).
Before dinner, we get some free time, which is really nice. I might play cards with some friends or have a game of table tennis, while other people are playing chess or kicking a footy on the oval.
Dinner is always great after a big day — and tonight is lasagne (my favourite!). Everyone’s chatting and laughing, and it already feels like we’ve known each other for ages.
After dinner, we all go to the campfire. It’s probably my favourite part. We toast marshmallows, tell stories, and sit around the fire keeping warm. One of the counsellors plays guitar and some of us sing along. When you look up, the sky is full of stars — way more than at home. Tomorrow night we’ve got a team challenge — Minute to Win It — and our colour clan really wants to win more points for the Cup!
By the time we go back to the cabin, everyone is tired, but in a good way. We talk about the best parts of the day and joke around a bit until someone finally says we really need to sleep.
At the start of camp, you might not know anyone. But by the end of the first day, it already feels different.
You feel braver. You’ve made new friends. And you’ve done things you didn’t think you could.
And you can’t wait to wake up and do it all again tomorrow.
If you’d like to know more about Winter Camp, give us a call on 03 5349 7381 or visit:
👉 https://www.cavehillcreek.com.au/cave-hill-creek/holiday-programs/winter-camp/
