Summer Camp 2027

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Summer Camp 2027 >

We are so excited for Summer Camp this January - it’s going to be our biggest camp yet and we’ve got lots of updates to share with you.

At the start of 2026, we absolutely maxed out the space in the Acacia building and adjoining conference room. We realised pretty quickly that we would need more space for Summer Camp 2027. We were able to add an additional accommodation building onto our booking - although it is only available from Wednesday to Friday. We’ve carefully adjusted our plans for Camp, and we are so pleased to be able to welcome all our students completing grades 5 through to 12 in 2026.

We will be taking two groups to Summer Camp - one on Tuesday and the second on Wednesday - and then joining together for incredible sessions in the bushland-surrounded auditorium, which will give us much more room for praise and worship as well as games and social activities.

ASCEND STUDENTS:
When: Tues 12 Jan, 8:00am - Fri 15 Jan, 8:00pm
Where: Departing from Life Unlimited Church in Charnwood, returning to the same location.
Who: Grades 8-12 (grade completed in 2026)
Cost: $385 + optional recreation activity ($25)
Includes: Transport, accommodation, catering
Beach baptisms are available for this group as we will spend time at the beach on Tuesday afternoon.

EMERGE STUDENTS:
When: Wed 13 Jan, 8:30am - Fri 15 Jan, 8:00pm
Where: Departing from Life Unlimited Church in Charnwood, returning to the same location.
Who: Grades 5-7 (grade completed in 2026)
Cost: $270 + optional recreation activity ($25)
Includes: Transport, accommodation, catering

Limited early bird tickets are available ($305 for Ascend, $210 for Emerge). You can secure a place with a $40 deposit (plus $25 if choosing a paid activity). Sponsorship is available. Please contact church@lifeuc.com.au

Below we have additional information, including the packing list, recreation activity details, and some FAQs. If you have any other questions, don’t hesitate to email Skye at skye.g@lifeuc.com.au or text our digital Clearstream number: 0481 611 426

RECREATION ACTIVITIES

On Thursday, we will have the opportunity to participate in on-site recreation activities, led by the amazing outdoor educators at the Tops. These activities are optional and come with an additional cost of $25 per person. We also have free activities supervised by some of our youth leaders for those who might not be feeling quite so adventurous.

Photos and a brief description of each paid activity are available below.

Bubble Soccer
Drifters
Archery
Treeline Adventure (12+ years)
Abseiling - Cliff (12+ years)

Bubble Soccer is a high-energy, laughter-filled activity that combines traditional soccer with a fun and physical twist. Participants are strapped into inflatable bubble suits that cover the upper body and head, allowing them to bump, roll and bounce safely as they compete.
Teams face off in short, fast-paced matches where balance, coordination and teamwork are just as important as ball skills. While scoring goals is the aim, the unpredictable movement and light-hearted collisions make every game engaging and memorable.
Sessions are facilitated by the experienced staff from the Tops, who provide a safety briefing, fit participants with their bubble suits and referee the games to ensure a safe and structured experience.
Bubble Soccer is ideal for building team spirit, encouraging active participation and creating plenty of shared moments of fun.
Minimum age - Year 5 (10 years)
Drifters is a high-energy, skill-based activity that always brings the fun! Riders develop control and coordination as they learn to drift smoothly through corners and navigate the course with speed and precision.
Sessions can include structured relay races and team challenges, as well as Drifter Basketball, where participants pass and shoot while riding. Drifters is a great way to build confidence, teamwork and resilience - while keeping everyone active and engaged.
Minimum age - Year 3 (8 years)
Archery provides its own unique sense of fun, competition and personal achievement whilst also encouraging concentration, patience and perseverance.
Your professional instructor will teach you techniques that will help you get closer to that elusive bulls eye.
Minimum age - Year 3 (8 years)
The Treeline Adventure course challenges your balance, coordination and confidence as you navigate six elevated elements set among the trees. Suspended above the ground, each obstacle requires focus and teamwork as you move from platform to platform, building momentum and skill along the way.
The experience finishes with an exhilarating 70m zipline, giving participants a rewarding and memorable end to the course.
A buddy checking system is used throughout the session, making this an excellent activity for strengthening communication between pairs and encouraging shared responsibility. It provides a supportive yet challenging experience that promotes resilience and teamwork.
Our experienced guides will equip you with harnesses, helmets and safety systems, and oversee the session in a controlled environment using industry-approved techniques.
Minimum age - Year 7 (12 years)
For those looking for a thrill in an amazing environment, it’s hard to beat abseiling on a natural cliff face. With fantastic views over Stanwell Park this is a great activity for groups looking for an activity to challenge the individual and provide a shared experience for the entire group.
Minimum age - Year 7 (12 years)

Guest Speaker

Pastor Austin Ward

Austin is the Youth Pastor at Hope Unlimited Church as well as serving as the Youth Alive Regional leader for the Central Coast.

Austin looks after six youth ministries across the Hope Unlimited campuses, providing direction and support to young leaders.

We are so excited to have Austin joining us to share God’s word at Summer Camp 2027.

Frequently Asked Questions

This year we have two accommodation buildings; Acacia from Tuesday to Friday (for students completing grades 8-12 in 2026), and Boronia from Wednesday to Friday (for students completing grades 5-7 in 2026).

Each of these buildings has an upper and lower floor, which generally allows us to have female leaders and students on one level and male leaders and students on another.
Most rooms have capacity for 6 people to sleep in them. Leaders do not share rooms with students; they have their own rooms which are clearly marked and easy for the students to find during the night if they need anything. Males and females also do not share.
Generally speaking, we try to ensure the students in each room are close in age to one another. We are especially mindful to have a separate room for graduating students (over 18 years of age) and College students (over 16s).
Our leaders all have WWVP cards, Care and Protection Training, and most have additional training including a Safer Churches workshop, and mental health first aid training. We also have a team of first aid qualified leaders.
As detailed in the sleeping arrangements section, our leaders and students do not share sleeping spaces. Each bedroom has its own ensuite, which also allows for an additional level of privacy and child safety.
Our policies include not having any leaders 1:1 with students and we maintain careful ratios, with overnight events requiring a minimum of 1 leader for every 8 students.
When you register, you will be asked if there is anyone your student would like to share a room with. Wherever possible, we will fulfil their request. Please be patient with us - room allocations become complicated very quickly as we get subgroups of people who don’t want to be separated and we have to make some difficult choices sometimes.

Requests won’t be granted if students ask to be in a room with a leader, a student of the opposite sex, or a student much older or younger than themselves.

Please note that students attempting to sleep in a room they haven’t been assigned to will be sent home. Ask your student to speak to Skye or Danny at camp if they experience any difficulties and would like to change rooms.
Room allocations will be sent out in the week leading up to camp, and you can contact Skye if you have any concerns. We are as flexible as we can be, and will do our best to rearrange things and help each young person feel comfortable and connected.
Yes, you can text us at any time on our Clearstream Digital Mobile Number: 0481 611 426
You can also call or message Danny & Skye’s work mobile during Summer Camp: 0493 405 311

If we need to contact you during the event, it will be on 0493 405 311
We have to book the site almost a year and a half in advance, so our booking for January 2027 was already in place before Summer Camp 2026.

Our youth ministry has seen incredible growth in the last 12 months and we are staying flexible to allow for this.
We are also incredibly grateful that an additional building was available for the Wednesday - Friday as we weren’t sure we would even be able to secure any additional accommodation!
During registration, you can request to be considered for a Tuesday-Friday place if one opens up.
Choosing yes doesn't commit you. We will contact you first, and you'd only pay the difference in ticket prices if you accept.
The short answer is maybe. A lot of it depends on availability and room allocations. It’s best to contact Skye if you are in this situation so we can have a conversation before registering.
It depends on how much of an age gap there is between them. While we really do want to make everyone happy, room allocations are incredibly complicated and we have some safety parameters to work with.
If the difference is a year 7 student staying for the three nights in Acacia, or a year 8 student staying two nights in Boronia so they can be with their friends, we are very open to this.
In other circumstances, we will gently say no. At the end of the day, our goal is to help each young person to connect with peers their own age and form friendships that will endure throughout high school, college, and beyond.
As we visit the beach as part of our journey on Tuesday, only the students registered for Tuesday to Friday will be able to visit the beach.
While we are incredibly aware that this will be disappointing for some students, a smaller group of leaders will be travelling on Wednesday and we cannot safely take the students to the beach in these circumstances.
Yes. We will have beach baptisms on Tuesday 12th January, during our trip to Austinmer Beach. Families are welcome to join us for the baptisms and a BBQ lunch at the beach.
You can register students and guests here.
We are aware that some students attending from Wednesday may wish to get baptised at camp. If this is the case, please contact us so we can discuss the options.