Happy CYC 60+
birthday to our
Supporters,
Friends& Staff.
A tri-annual insight into CYC’s work & ministry
Do everything readily and cheerfully—no bickering, no second-guessing allowed! Go out into the world uncorrupted,
A breath of fresh air
in this challenged society. Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God. Carry the light-giving Message into the night so I’ll have
good cause to be proud of you on the day that Christ returns. You’ll be living proof that I didn’t go to all this work for nothing.
Phil 2 14-16 ( The Message)
One summer change of many >>>
We had two brothers come
to camp - here is their ‘dot
point’ testimony…
SUNDAY
“We are atheists, we don't have any religion”
MONDAY
”We have so many questions”
TUESDAY
”Can we please have a Bible so we can read
more?”
WEDNESDAY
”We want to become Christians!”
THURSDAY
”We're worried what our parents will say when
they find out we've become Christians”
FRIDAY
(Parents talking to the boys' Leader after
camp) "The boys have come back from camp
really excited and want to get involved in a
youth group… Do you know any in our area?"
And… This time last week they weren't even
at camp yet! - Lloyd -McLean
A Catch up on
The CYC Journey - Part 1 (1949 - 1999)
"We've been holding monthly rallies and
camps for our young people on rented
properties for many years now, and it's time
we bought a property of our own for them.",
said a member of the Open Brethren Young
People's Committee in the late 1940's, and so
was born Christian Youth Camps (CYC). A site
was found at Cowes on Phillip Island, and in
1950 the five acres of grass and ti-tree
swamp was purchased (for 1200 pounds) by
the Christian Brethren for use by the
Christian Brethren Assemblies. After much
work by volunteers clearing and fencing the
property, the first camps were held under
canvas in Christmas 1951,
The next year an appeal was made
to the people in the Christian
Brethren Assemblies to raise 1500
pounds to commence building, but
it wasn't until the following year
that the first building was erected.
The building had one large room for
meeting and dining, with cooking
and washing being done in a lean-to
outside and behind the building.
Accommodation remained in tents
until in 1955 two dormitories were
built
either
side
of
the
meeting/dining area with 3 rooms
containing 20 beds in each.
The site became available for weekend selfcatered groups at a charge of 50 cents per
night, with bookings made from a
Melbourne home.
Five years later an
additional building was erected for dining
and kitchen and the first school group hired
the site at a fully-catered price of $3.50 per
day .This new source of income (school
camping) enabled a faster pace of
development and staffing. A manager, and
more staff were appointed, and with the
help of volunteers at the re-commenced
monthly working bees, an office was built,
and ensuites added to the accommodation
areas.
In 1976 CYC NSW and CYC Cowes
Over the 60
established and ran the first
Australian camping conference
or so years
at Eltham Park followed by
hundreds of
another in 1978 CYC Cowes.
people have
These gatherings were the
harbinger of the Christian
supported
Camping International Australia
CYC,
(CCI-A) established at Adanac
and the Australian Camping
thousands
(ACA)
have backed Associationrunning conferences
still
today
it, and tens of About this time ‘camping’
moved out of the exclusive
thousands
domain of the not-for-profit
have come
banner
With no staff on site, working bees were held
and
mainstream business,
under the enteredit government regulations,
every month for 4 years, and in 1965 a family
bringing with
block was purchased and moved onto the site.
gospelrequirements and reporting necessitating
By then one camp was being held in each of
the school holidays. A caravan was brought on
site to be used as accommodation for cooks
on summer camps. Others soon brought their
caravans too. In 1968 the telephone was
connected to the site, and a full-time
caretaker was appointed and the first
residence built
CYC to move from a committee based
group to an incorporated association. In
1985 a gym was built, and in 1987 the first
computer was purchased for $6,500.
Three years later another dining and
meeting area were added.
(Continued on back page)