Every Melbourne Cup long weekend, a group with roots in the old East Doncaster YCW packs the cars and heads for a YMCA camp. The tradition began on Phillip Island in the late 1970s. These days, the convoy turns up the hill to Mt Evelyn Discovery Camp in the Dandenongs, where Camp Manager Jai and the team know them by name.
What keeps them coming back is what happens to the kids. “We come for the kids,” says long-time organiser Gerard Wilson.
You just watch them running around three days straight. They are not on their phones much. They are doing exercise and just having a ball.
It has become a three-generation tradition. The children of the original campers slot back in with cousins and long-time friends almost instantly, while the parents see the familiar weekend take shape.
Mt Evelyn makes that easy. Ropes courses, a giant swing and the pool give young people a reason to try something new and do it together. Trivia nights in the dining hall and casual walks through the bush fill the gaps. The campus layout helps too. “The nature of the building keeps everyone together,” says Gerard. “Why drag everyone elsewhere when the space works for the whole group.”
Outside, time stretches. Conversations last longer and shared moments stack up quietly. As Gerard puts it, they “realise, I’ve got other things to do, we don’t need technology and screens all the time,” and the talk around the dinner tables follows.
Mt Evelyn makes that easy. Ropes courses, a giant swing and the pool give young people a reason to try something new and do it together. Trivia nights in the dining hall and walks through the bush fill the gaps. The layout helps too. “The nature of the building keeps everyone together,” says Gerard. “Why drag everyone elsewhere when the space works for the whole group.”
It is also a practical holiday, making it a welcome option in a cost-of-living crunch. Accommodation is comfortable, catering is available, and the planning burden is light. “It is an affordable camp. It has always been an affordable camp,” Gerard says. “It is nice to just jump in the car and head on down and it is all taken care of.” For big families and friendship groups, bunk-style setups mean more people can come without blowing the budget.
“The staff have been amazing. Very welcoming and friendly every time,” Gerard says. “They go out of their way to communicate and make sure everything is right.”
If you are looking for a simple, healthy way to spend time together this summer, a YMCA camp weekend does what screens cannot. Kids connect. Parents exhale. A tradition begins.
