LIFE'S A BEACH!
For many years, Don Bosco Camp has specialised in having fun. Whether it be on the beach or around the campsite, the sounds of young people enjoying themselves are part of Don Bosco’s history.A special part of that history is a commitment to hospitality. Your camping experience is important to us, and we will make every effort to ensure you have a wonderful, memorable stay. The new facilities built in 2007 include another two accommadation units that brings our accommadation up to 128 people in small rooms of 8 with bathrooms all under the same roof.
Just a minutes walk from Safety Beach, and 2 kilometres from the Dromana township, Don Bosco is an ideal place to explore the bay-side environment. The campsite’s five hectares of open, grassy spaces surrounded by ti-tree and the sounds of the nearby waves, offer a great sense of freedom and relaxation.
Our proximity to Melbourne (just 70 km from the CBD) also means transport is a breeze. You don’t need to spend your first precious day on a bus! Most groups from metropolitan Melbourne take less than 1.5 hours to reach Safety Beach.
MANAGEMENT
Don Bosco Camp is owned by the Salesians of Don Bosco, a Catholic religious order committed to working for the young and the disadvantaged. The Safety Beach site has offered holidays for young people since 1945, and its Summer and Winter Holiday Programs continue the tradition. The camp is managed by a Committee of Management. The Camp Managers live on-site and take responsibility for the day to day management of the Camp. In the tradition of Don Bosco, the Camp is committed to supporting young people especially the disadvantaged by offering recreational, retreat and educational experiences in short term, group settings.
The site is open to a wide range of community groups including schools, youth groups, sporting and community organisations. It is available for use mid-week and on weekends and it offers full catering as well as complete facilities for self-catering. Don Bosco Camp is keen to be approached by people with disabilities and the campsite’s flat grassy grounds, gravel paths and disabled showers and toilets make wheelchair access easier.
The Camp can accommodate 128 people. Our four ‘Homesteads’ each accommodate 32 campers in rooms of eight. All have heating, adjoining bathrooms and a common room. Each Homestead has a separate Leaders’ rooms with en suite facilities.
The large dining room has gas space heating and great views of the camp. It is serviced by a modern commercial kitchen and scullery complete with commercial dishwasher. The dining room opens out onto a large timber deck, a great space for lunch and gathering your group.
There are also three recreation halls suitable for a wide range of activities. The ‘Games Hall’ is set up with table tennis, table soccer and indoor games, the ‘Theatre’ has a stage, movie screen and audio visual equipment. The ‘Rec Room’ is a large meeting room with lounge chairs. The ‘Chapel’ is our sacred space for prayer and reflection. All are heated. All the furniture can be packed away or folded up if you just need indoor open space. For small group work we also have four meeting rooms. Rain or shine we have plenty of space for everyone.
The Camp’s five hectare grounds include big easy-to-supervise grassed playing fields, a separate large oval, a camp fire, volleyball, trampolines and barbecue facilities.
The Camp’s five hectare grounds include a big easy-to-supervise grassed playing fields, a separate large oval, a camp fire, volleyball, trampolines and barbecue facilities.
ON SITE ACTIVITIES
Don Bosco offers a range of on site activities including:
WHAT TO DO ON THE PENINSULA
Talk to us aboutorganising:
CATERING
Don Bosco has a full catering service which provides delicious home-cooked meals at very reasonable rates. We know what hungry campers like to eat, and we know how busy leaders need to relax and enjoy their meals while on camp.
Our catering service includes a breakfast of cereals, toast, juice, milk, tea and coffee, morning and afternoon teas of fresh fruit and cordial, tea and coffee, fresh lunches, a two course evening meal and a freshly baked supper with hot chocolate milk, tea or coffee. Meals are planned to suit your requirements and we are happy to prepare picnic lunches for day activities off-site. Self-serve fresh fruit, cold drinks, tea and coffee are available between meal times and we cater for special dietary requirements.
We also offer a “semi catered” option for weekend groups where we supply and prepare all the food and you serve it up. This is a great option if you want to save the hassle of doing it yourself and keep your costs down. Our kitchen facilities are also available to small self-catered groups.
DUTY GROUPS
On catered camps, campers are required to assist kitchen staff in setting tables and cleaning up. Each duty group should comprise of 4-8 Campers and one group leader to supervise. A duty group is required 15 minutes before each meal to set the tables. After each meal, another group is required to clear up and wash the plates and cutlery with the help of "Frank" dishwasher.
Semi catered weekend groups in addition to the above need one or two people to set out meals, clean kitchen and wash the serving-up utensils and containers in the dishwasher for each meal.
WHAT TO BRING
Individual campers need to provide their own sleeping bag/blankets and sheets, and a pillow. They should also bring a towel and personal toiletries. In summer, a hat and sun screen should also be brought. Camp organisers may wish to bring any special recreational gear. General sports gear for football, cricket, basketball, table tennis, billiards and volley ball is available for camp use.
In the kitchen, self-catered groups should bring an ample supply of tea towels, matches for the gas appliances and all food-stuffs.
This includes:RESPONSIBLE CAMPING:
YOUR RESPONSIBILITIESGroup Leaders are responsible for the discipline and supervision of campers at all times. Ministry of Education guidelines relating to ratios of teachers/adult supervisors to young people/students, and the necessary expertise for certain activities must be adhered to at all times.
Organisers are responsible for First Aid and should bring general first aid gear. They should also ensure that there is a qualified First Aider available for campers and leaders at all times.
Organisers must promptly report any damage or breakages. Any damage to the Camp site, furniture, facilities or fittings during the period of the hire will be paid for by the hirer. Group Leaders are responsible for ensuring the Camp and it’s facilities are maintained in a clean and hygienic throughout the camp. Prior to departing the camp must be cleaned.
- all rooms cleaned and swept,
- bedrooms vacumed and cleaned
- showers and toilets cleaned, swept and mopped,
- dining area swept, mopped and cleaned thoroughly,
- grounds clean and tidy,
- bins emptied and relined with garbage bags.
Camp organisers should ensure all garbage is placed in sealed garbage bags in the wheelie bins provided. Recyclable plastic, glass, and metal should be placed in the blue wheelie bins provided. If the Camp is not cleaned to a satisfactory standard a $200 cleaning fee will be charged.
OUR RESPONSIBILITIES
The Camp Manager is in charge of the facility and has over-riding veto on the use of all facilities and arrangements within the Camp.
In the event of an emergency, the On-Duty Camp Manager must be notified immediately. He/she will take on the role of Emergency Co-ordinator and will be responsible for implementing the Camp's Emergency Management Procedures.
GENERAL PROCEDURES & RULESNo smoking is permitted within the Camp buildings and alcohol is not permitted on the premises. Children are not to leave the Campsite unless accompanied by an adult. Particular care should be taken in supervising and accounting for campers.
We ask you to respect our neighbours by observing an 11pm curfew on outside noise and loud music. A weekend booking begins on Friday afternoon after 5 pm and continues through to 3 pm Sunday afternoon. Extensions of these times can be made in advance with the Camp Managers.
Times for mid-week bookings are by arrangement though generally an overnight stay begins at 5 pm and concludes the next day at 3 pm.
The campfire may only be lit with the permission of the Camp Manager who will observe Total Fire Ban Days, Fire Restriction Periods and prevailing wind conditions. Campfire must be thoroughly extinguished by 10:30pm.
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT & SAFETY BRIEFINGAll Group Leaders/Staff will be supplied with a comprehensive Emergency Response Booklet, which forms part of the Camp’s Emergency Management Plan. Please download and read before your stay with us.
We ask that you familiarise yourself with its contents and offer your full co-operation with the procedures which have been designed for the safety of campers. The Plan calls for a safety briefing to Leaders and Campers at the start of your camp. In this briefing, (about 10 minutes) a member of the Camp Management Team will highlight Emergency Assembly Areas, evacuation procedures and some basic safety guidelines.
Please note: should any injuries, incidents and emergencies occur, they must be reported to the Camp Manager and recorded in the Camp Incident Book.
CAMPER LISTAs part of the Camp’s Emergency Management Plan, Group Leaders must have a complete and accurate record of all campers and leaders using the site (Camper Roll). This Roll should include individual campers’ health and medication details, parental permission forms (where campers are under 18 years old) and home contact information.
On booking the camp, the Group Leader is required to provide an abbreviated Camper List to the Camp Manager (ie names only) and to sign an undertaking that the Group Leader has the complete records available in the event of an emergency. This condition is part of the Hire Agreement. To make this as simple as possible, we included a List for your use. Please ensure it is accurate and up-to-date.
HOW TO BOOK:
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Telephone (03) 5987 2692 All Hours
E-Mail:
ashley@donboscocamp.orgFax (03) 5987 2100
Tentative bookings are held for 14 days. Bookings are confirmed with the return of a signed Hire Agreement and a deposit of 20 per cent of the camp booking fee. Please read these general guidelines carefully as they form part of the Hire Agreement.
Camp Buildings Layout
Forms to Download
Click to See Photos of Buildings
Don Bosco Camp
52-62 Dromana
Parade, Safety Beach 3936
70 km from Melbourne GPO
(Melways
Map 160: Ref. C3)
How to get here..... [Google Map Link]
Tel:
(03) 5987 2692 All Hours,
Fax: (03) 5987 2100