An Open Table where Love knows no borders

Church Camp 2023 Info & Registration

The SYCBaps Church Camp will be held on the weekend of 13-15 October, 2023, in the coastal township of Aireys Inlet, 120km from Melbourne CBD on the Great Ocean Road. It is accessible by car, or V/Line train and bus.

This year’s camp will be different from our previous camps. Because we are now usually unable to get enough people coming to meet the minimum numbers for most dedicated group camp sites, this year we are centring our camp in a place that has a range of accommodation options which our people can choose from and book for themselves (see accommodation options below). Some of our meals will be everybody together in a local pub or restaurant, and others will be free for people to make their own arrangements.

We will use the lovely little St Aidan’s church as our central gathering place and as the chapel for our prayer liturgies during the weekend. It was built after the 1983 Ash Wednesday fires (it’s stained glass windows commemorate the fires) and has been shared by the local Anglican, Catholic, and Uniting Church congregations. In addition to the chapel, it has a small meeting room and a kitchenette, and good outdoor meeting spaces. It is located right opposite the main shops and cafes, and next door to the Big4 Holiday Park with its playground.

As in previous years, we will not be running a very tightly structured program at our camp. The focus is on relaxing and enjoying getting to know one another better, so there is lots of flexibility for people to do different things during the day. We have some set times to gather for prayer using our SYCBaps Daily Prayer liturgies, but most of the rest of the time is flexible and will operate “open space” style with people suggesting activities that others can join, or not. Nothing will be compulsory and many people will opt to go for walks, go to the beach, sit and chat in local cafes or the pub, visit the local art gallery, browse the bookshop, climb the lighthouse, play mini-golf, do jigsaws or craft activities, or just sit in the sun (or shade) and chat. We will use the Discord.app on our phones to communicate the suggested activities and their times and meeting places. Help will be available with accessing the app, and anyone who can’t use it should be able to find someone who can pass on the activities information to them. We’ll make it work for you!

We will hold our main Sunday worship service at the camp on the Sunday morning, probably combined with the local Uniting Church congregation who are long-time users of our LaughingBird resource website and have invited us to lead the service for them. For those who are unable to come to camp and those who get home early enough, there will a short Vespers liturgy online at 5pm on Sunday 15 October.

Our camp is being held at a time when COVID infections are still widespread. Understandably, there are some people who are not coming to camp because of covid concerns, and many of those who are coming also have covid concerns, but are cautiously willing to take the risk because of the social importance of the camp.

So the question is, what contribution can each of us make to reducing those concerns for others?

The concerns fall into roughly two or three categories:
  • Some people have health vulnerabilities and are particularly anxious about getting covid themselves, and so are wanting us to do everything we can to minimise that risk.
  • Some people are not so worried about their own risk, but are worried about the risks of inadvertently being the carrier who passes it on to someone else at camp whose underlying health issues might make it especially dangerous.
  • Some people have a concern that is a bit of a combination of the previous two – they are worried about catching covid in a higher risk context like camp and subsequently passing it on to a vulnerable person who they have regular contact with elsewhere.

While in our normal lives we can all make our own decisions about how we balance the perceived risks with the discomforts of various risk-minimisation measures, in the context of a church camp, that sort of individualistic approach doesn’t serve us very well. All of us need to think about what the call to love and care for others looks like in this context. How are my choices and actions in this context an expression of love and care for others present who may be feeling anxious and vulnerable? What sacrifices am I willing to make to help the people I love to feel safer and more comfortable?

The emphasis here on whether people “feel” safe is deliberate. Much about covid is still unknown, and still changing with different variants, so we are never likely to agree on the relative importance of various measures. But sometimes loving others is not just about doing what we personally think is sufficient, but doing what will make others “feel” loved, cared for, safe, and understood.

As with all physically gathered church events, we ask that people who have tested Covid-positive, or who live with someone who has tested positive, refrain from attending unless it has been at least 10 days since the positive test.

There are three other major things that individuals could do to express their love and care for others by reducing the covid infection risks, and we are requesting that all adult camp attendees do at least two, if not all, of these things:

  • be fully vaccinated;
  • take at least 2 RAT or PCR tests, one in the week before camp, and one on the day of departure for camp; and
  • wear a mask covering the nose and mouth in shared indoor spaces, except when eating or drinking.

In addition to these major things, please be aware that everyone has different expectations about what appropriate social distancing looks like. It will be up to individuals to communicate their own social distancing needs, but please ensure that you respect their requests.

There is lots of accommodation available in Aireys Inlet, much of it not far from St Aidan’s Church, and prices will depend on how many people you choose to share with. While you are required to book your own accommodation, you don't have to do it individually, but are encouraged to share. Please send an email to our church email list if you are seeking others who might be willing to share a room or a unit with you. Here are the main suggestions:

BIG4 Holiday Park, 19-25 Great Ocean Road, Aireys Inlet

Right next door to St Aidan’s Church! In addition to caravan and tent sites, there are lots of different cabins, ranging from $340 (for 2 nights) for 2-3 person budget cabins to $460 for an 8 person deluxe cabin.

Find more information and pictures, or book online at https://www.big4.com.au/caravan-parks/vic/great-ocean-road/aireys-inlet-holiday-park
or phone 03 5289 6230

 

Sunnymead Hotel  64 Great Ocean Road, Aireys Inlet

Standard suites for $280 (for 2 nights) or superior suites $360. A 400m gentle uphill walk to St Aidan’s Church.

Find more information and pictures, or book online at https://www.sunnymeadhotel.com.au
or phone 03 5289 6666

 

Aireys Inlet Getaway  2 Barton Court, Aireys Inlet

10 villa or studio cabins available, ranging from $360 (for 2 nights) for a two person studio cabin to $640 for a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom villa that sleeps six. A 800m uphill walk to St Aidan’s Church.

Find more information and pictures, or book online at https://www.aireysinletgetaway.com.au
or phone 03 5289 7021

 

Welsford Holiday House, 6 Kerrie Court, Aireys Inlet

Margie’s family have a holiday house, about 600m from St Aidan’s Church. It can sleep up to eleven people across four rooms, as follows:

  • 1 bedroom with a double bed and ensuite bathroom.
  • 1 bedroom with a queen-sized bed and a single bed.
  • 1 bedroom with a queen-sized bed and a set of single bed bunks.
  • 1 queen-sized sofa-bed in a common area of the house (not the main lounge room).

Please contact Nathan if you are interested in staying in this house, but because its use is not costing us much, our intention is to give first preference to those for whom the commercial accommodation in the town would be unaffordable.

Overboard Seaside Cottage 1 Barton Ct, Aireys Inlet

For something really indulgent, this cottage may be available if it is not already booked out. It is an 800m uphill walk to St Aidan’s Church.

The cost for the weekend would be $550 for a couple, and it can accommodate up to three extra people at an additional $70 each.

Find more information and pictures, or book online at http://www.overboardcottages.com.au/aireysinlet/index.html

 

AirBNB

There are numerous houses available on AirBnB in the area, starting at around $500 for the weekend. That would be expensive on your own, but perhaps not if you are sharing with a few people.

Find more information and pictures, or book online at https://www.airbnb.com.au/aireys-inlet-australia/stays

Of the six meal times over the weekend, half will be arranged to enable everyone to eat together in local venues. The other three you can organise yourselves with whoever you like, wherever you like. In the spirit of our "open space" approach to the weekend, if you want to opt out of the big together meals and do your own thing then too, of course you can.

Most venues can cater for Special Diets if they are asked. For complex special dietary requirements or allergies, please make contact with the venue yourself to verify their willingness to provide for you.

Friday Night Dinner, from 6:30pm, we will make a group booking for everyone who wants to come to have dinner together at The Captain Wood Fired Pizza Restaurant. If you think you will be there for that, please indicate that on your registration so that we know how many to book for. Click here and scroll down for the current menu.

Saturday Morning Breakfast or Brunch.  Organise yourselves with whoever you like, wherever you like. You could self cater in your accommodation, or you could go alone or with a small group to one of the many excellent local cafes (see suggestions below).

Saturday Lunch Organise yourselves with whoever you like, wherever you like. You could self cater in your accommodation, you could organise a picnic or a BBQ, or you could go alone or with a small group to one of the many excellent local cafes (see suggestions below).

Saturday Night Dinner, from 7:00pm, we will make a group booking for everyone who wants to come to have dinner together at the Aireys Pub. If you think you will be there for that, please indicate that on your registration so that we know how many to book for. You can view the current dinner menu here.

Sunday Morning Breakfast.  Organise yourselves with whoever you like, wherever you like. You could self cater in your accommodation, or you could go alone or with a small group to one of the many excellent local cafes (see suggestions below).

Sunday Lunch, from 12:45pm, we will make a group booking for everyone who wants to come to have lunch together at the Aireys Pub. If you think you will be there for that, please indicate that on your registration so that we know how many to book for. You can view the current lunch menu here.

Suggestions for good places to eat in Aireys Inlet (click on the names for more info)

Cafe: Mr T & Me, 42 Great Ocean Rd
Open from 8:30am Saturday and 9:00am Sunday

Cafe: The Lighthouse Tearooms, 7 Federal St
Open 9:00am - 4:00pm

Restaurant: A La Greque, Corner of Great Ocean Road and Beach Road
Classy Greek cuisine. Open from midday for lunch and dinner.

Cafe & Deli: Skinny Legs Cafe, 87 Great Ocean Rd
Open from 6:00am - 3:00pm

Cafe: Onda Food House, 89 Great Ocean Rd
Open from 7:00am - 3:00pm for coffee, and from 8:00am - 2:00pm for food.

Restaurant: Santara at Sunnymead Hotel, 64 Great Ocean Road
Open for dinner on Friday and Saturday night if you're looking for something separate from the rest of us.
Fragrant Indian-inspired dishes

Restaurant: Great Ocean Road Gin Kitchen,  32 Great Ocean Rd
Vietnamese inspired cuisine served alongside award-winning Gins.
Open for dinner or Sunday lunch if you're looking for something separate from the rest of us.

What to bring to camp

  • Your clothing (there could be cold weather), including raincoat and walking shoes.
  • Your toiletries
  • Any medications you may need
  • Any food and drink that you want for snacks or self-catered meals
  • Anything you want for activities you might wish to do or share at camp, eg. jigsaws, board games, knitting, craft materials, toys, sports equipment, bathers, surf board, DVDs, books, etc. etc.

Depending on the accommodation you choose, you may need to bring bed linen and/or towels, but some places will provide them. Check when you choose and book your accommodation.

Apart from some set times to gather for daily prayer liturgies, but most of the rest of the time is flexible and will operate "open space" style with people suggesting activities that others can join, or not. In addition to things such as board games, jigsaws, knitting circles, small group conversations, and coffee in local cafes (see the Meals info above for a list of cafes), there a number of possibilities specific to the Aireys Inlet neighbourhood. The include:

  • Beaches
    There are several great beaches. Sunnymead, Sandy Gully, and Fairhaven beaches are all beautiful ocean surf beaches, and Step Beach is a bit more sheltered and child friendly. All of those require descent down significant stairways to gain access. The Inlet beach is more accessible from street level, and has both an ocean surf area and a calm and safe area inside the inlet mouth.
  • Scenic Walks
    There are beautiful scenic walks along the cliff top paths with magnificent ocean views.
  • Bird Watching
    The Alan Noble Sanctuary is a wetlands sanctuary, right in the town with a wealth of birdlife, and easily accessible paths and seats.
  • Playgrounds
    There are good children's playgrounds at the Big4 Holiday Park, right next door to St Aidan's Church, and another adjacent to am excellent skate park down the hill at 122–136 Great Ocean Rd.
  • Fireplaces
    For those who can't imagine our church camp without a fireplace to sit around, remember that it will be mid-October this time, not mid-winter. However, if it is cold, there are fireplaces at teh Aireys Pub and in lounge of the Welsford holiday house!
  • Eagles Nest Fine Art Gallery
    50 Great Ocean Rd. Open 10:00am - 5:00pm
  • Split Point Lighthouse
    Visit the famous lighthouse that was features in the ABC Kids drama, Round the Twist. Between 10:00am and 2:00pm it is open for tours and the physically able can climb to the top for amazing 360° views of the surrounding coastline.
  • Great Ocean Road Mini Golf
    73 Great Ocean Rd. Open 10:00am - 5:00pm. Two entertaining courses at this excellent facility. Great fun for kids and adults alike.
  • Great Escape Books
    For the bookworms, this is Margie's favourite bookshop! 2/75 Great Ocean Rd. Open 10:00am - 5:00pm.
  • Aireys Inlet Market
    Aireys Inlet Community Hall, 6 Great Ocean Road
    This once a month market hasn't released its dates past July yet, so don't get your hopes up, but if it is on, some people might like to visit it between Sunday worship and lunch.

Most people will be booking and paying for their own accommodation and meals for this camp, so there is no charge beyond that for attending the camp. But we don't want anybody to miss out because of money, and we do have some people who cannot afford these costs, and so we will be subsidising those who need it. If you need help with the costs, speak to Nathan or a member of the Host Group, and we will arrange it. And if you can afford to contribute some money to help subsidise others, that would be very welcome and payment details are shown below.

Details for Internet Banking:
BSB: 704922
Account number: 100005423
Name: South Yarra Baptist Church
Reference: ‘Your Name’ & ‘Camp’
Don’t forget to put your name in the reference field so that we know it was you that paid.

Click the button below to pay with a PayPal account or with a Credit Card (processed through PayPal but no account required)

Online Registration Form

(Make sure you hit “Submit” at the end)

    Your Name (required)

    Your Email (required)

    Your Phone Number (required)

    Are you intending to be at the church camp this year?

    Who is included in this registration?





    Which nights are you intending to stay in Aireys Inlet?

    Meals
    For the following meals, we will be making bookings to all eat together, and so we need to know the numbers. Please indicate which ones you intend to be there for.

    Most venues can cater for Special Diets if they are asked. For complex special dietary requirements or allergies, please make contact with the venue yourself to verify their willingness to provide for you. Contact details, and suggestions for the other meals are included in the Meals information above.

    Health Issues or Special Needs

    Transport
    Aireys Inlet is 120km from Melbourne. If you are driving, it is freeway most of the way, and in light traffic it can be reached in under two hours. If you set off in peak hour on Friday, expect to be on the road for a lot longer! It is also accessible by V/Line train and bus, via Geelong.
    Please let us know here if you need transport or can provide transport.

    Acknowledgements


    Payment
    There are some people in our congregation for whom the accommodation and dining costs of this camp would be prohibitive, but we are not willing to have anyone left out because of cost, so we will subsidise those who need it. If you would like to contribute to help cover costs for someone else, that would be great. Just let us know.

    Please make sure you hit “Submit” button before you click anything else or leave the page