Take the hassle out of the school holidays and give your kids the adventure of a lifetime with a PGL Holiday Camp!

PGL Kindilan in Redland Bay runs Holiday Camp programs, specially designed for 8-14 year olds. This is your chance to get them off the couch, off their screens and into the outdoors to create some great memories and meet new friends during their holiday break!

What Happens At PGL Kindilan?

What will they do at PGL Kindilan, you ask? Well, they will be enjoying adventure activities galore – think ziplining over a lake, raft building, a giant swing, aeroball, archery, canoeing…

But these holiday camps are about so much more than adventure activities. Kids will learn important life skills such as resilience, self-confidence, teamwork and leadership, as well as challenging themselves to do things they never thought possible.

Everybody knows how important these characteristics are for success in life, and these are learned under the guise of fun at a PGL camp. Win-win!

Overnight and Day-Camp Options

PGL offers a range of camp options:

• 5-day residential camp (Mon – Fri)
• 3-day residential camp (Mon – Wed)
• Adventure days (Mon – Fri available)

Overnight holiday camp program

Your child can stay at one of PGL Kindilan’s amazing holiday camps and experience the adventure of a lifetime! An overnight stay at a holiday camp offers a learning experience that transforms, enthuses and inspires children.

What’s more exciting than staying overnight at camp? Choosing your bunk bed, having a few nights of independence from your family and throwing yourself into fun and adventure. These camps include all accommodation, meals, adventure activities, evening activities and pastoral care from dedicated Group Leaders.

Adventure day camp program

If you want to get a little taster of what life is like on a holiday camp, then why not explore one of PGL Kindilan’s adventure days? Your child can experience an action-packed day with fun and excitement from the first minute they arrive, all the way throughout the day until it’s time to depart for home. 

Day camps offer a full-day program experience of exciting adventure activities before being picked up in the late afternoon. Day camps include lunch, morning and afternoon tea, exciting adventure activities and pastoral care from dedicated Group Leaders.

What’s included in a PGL holiday camp?

This is a week where you will not have to worry about a thing! PGL Kindilan will provide everything to give your children the best possible experience, including:

• Excellent pastoral care provision from dedicated Group Leaders
• Professional, caring and encouraging activity instruction
• Accommodation in shared bunk-style rooms (overnight camps only)
• All meals while on camp, including 3 meals per day in the dining room, as well as morning / afternoon tea and supper (Adventure day campers receive lunch, morning tea and afternoon tea)
• Non-stop adventure activities during the day
• Fun-filled evening activities (overnight camps only)
• The PGL magic (you don’t know until you try!)

About PGL Kindilan

Located just 40 minutes from Brisbane and an hour from the Gold Coast, PGL Kindilan occupies a beautiful, 220 acre bushland site in Redland Bay, zoned a Conservation Area in South East Queensland.

The camp accommodates up to 300, and holiday campers will stay in bunk-style rooms with children of the same gender and age group.

Who is PGL?

PGL has been running school adventure camps for over 65 years, so they know exactly what goes into creating the perfect camp! Their Group Leaders and Activity Instructors are highly trained to ensure the safety and security of all children in their care.

PGL is accredited by the Quality Tourism Framework (QTF) through the Australian Tourism Industry Council, as well as being a member of the Australian Camps Association and assessed by the Australian Adventure Activity Standard (AAAS) to meet all requirements. Your children are in safe hands.

To find out more about the holiday camp programme at PGL Kindilan, please visit the PGL website.

Testimonials

“The staff were friendly, patient, encouraging and had a great sense of humour. One of the first things my son said when he got home was ‘can we go for a day trip!’” – – Leah

“Wow!!! Great facilities, lovely accommodation and food and staff who are just amazing!” – Vanessa

“I had THE BEST camp ever here!!” – Corban

YMCA Camping is owned and managed by YMCA Brisbane. YMCA Brisbane are Queensland’s leading provider of childcare, fitness, camping, education, hospitality, youth, recreation, and community programs and services.

The services provided at YMCA Brisbane help fund the benevolent arm of their organisation, Y-Care (South East Queensland) Inc. Among other benevolent services, Y-Care provides facilities and programs for marginalised and disadvantaged young people in need of help as well as providing affordable accommodation for people who have been without a home.

Adventure Day Camps Program Philosophy

Adventure Day Camps are designed to challenge and inspire through adventure and are aligned with the YMCA mission – to provide opportunities for children to grow in body, mind and spirit – underpinned by their values of Honesty, Caring, Respect and Responsibility through appropriately developed and engaging activities for children in our care.

Why Adventure Day Camps?

The Adventure Day Camps program is designed to get children moving in a safe and supportive environment. The program offers young people fun and unique experiences with an opportunity to explore the outdoors, meet new friends, discover new interests and create memories that last a lifetime. Adventure Day Camps are a brilliant way of getting children out in the fresh air, away from their electronic devices and enjoying the company of other children.

Activities at Camp

Adventure Day Camps program is designed to get children outside and active in a safe, fun and challenging environment. Activities may include Low Ropes, Indoor Climbing, Archery, Giant Swing, Catapult Challenge, Canoeing, Tyre Tubing, Raft Building, Stand-up Paddleboarding, Pool Games, Geocaching and more. All activities are run by qualified YMCA Outdoor Leaders.

Adventure Day Camps also holds ‘Special Activity Days’ where they bring in a third-party activity provider or equipment to add an extra element to the program. Previous activities have included a Petting Zoo, Reptile Show, Mechanical Surfboard, Laser Skirmish, Inflatable Obstacle Course and more.

YMCA Camping also works with local community and environmental groups – at their recent Adventure Day Camp program they were visited by Pine Rivers Koala Care who were releasing a young male koala on the property who had to be relocated due to a housing development.

Adventure Day Camp Bookings

Cost: $75.00 per day. Cost includes morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea. An additional $15.00 is charged for ‘Special Activity Days’. Camp Warrawee can also cater for children with special dietary requirements.

Location: Bundalong Bushcamp is located in beautiful natural bushland on the North Pine River, 35 minutes north of Brisbane. Camp Bundalong combines fascinating natural diversity with a wide range of adventure activities. (Address: 64-74 Byrnes Road North, JOYNER QLD 4500)

To find out more, please visit the Adventure Day Camp website at https://www.ymcacamping.com.au/programs/vacation-care-adventure-camp

Where kids have just as much fun as you do!

Have you always wanted some time to yourself but are way too nervous to leave your children with anyone other than family? Now you can! Coastal Babysitters aren’t just anyone! They have gone through a strict selection process and have the most qualified and experienced staff on their team which are personally selected and interviewed.

Who are Coastal Babysitters?

Created by a mum of two, Coastal Babysitters is an award-winning babysitting company that connects Brisbane families with professional, trusted and qualified sitters who will ensure your children are having a fun experience of their own so you can enjoy yourself without the guilt!

Coastal Babysitters believes all parents deserve time out while knowing their kids are in safe and trusted care but all while having FUN! They understand that mums and dads like you LOVE your kids, but somewhere between gliding an aeroplane spoon through the air and doing the ‘toilet time’ dance, your identity’s taken a backseat. But guess what? A full, uninterrupted day at the office, attending a super important event, or letting down your hair with a 5-course dinner date featuring bubbles and massages (too far?) doesn’t *have* to include a frantic call to the in-laws, a “Can I have a favour?” to a friend, or even a ‘will-they-come-home-sick?’ daycare fiasco.

Coastal Babysitters are the Gold Coast, Brisbane and Byron Bay’s go-to babysitters. They help grownups like you enjoy your world, while your little ones experience theirs. They get that you might feel a little nervous (which is normal!), concerned your little one might not like their babysitter, or worried if you’ll truly be able to relax while you’re out. How do they know? Because most of them are mums ourselves. So it’ll excite you that they’re delightfully easy to contact, will put you in touch with your sitter ahead of time and promise to keep you updated the whole way through.

Coastal Babysitters have over 300 brilliant babysitters on their books, with more than 500 5-star reviews from more than 7,000 families after 20,000+ kid-friendly experiences since 2016!

Frequently Asked Questions

What qualifications and safety checks do Coastal Babysitters have?

All babysitters at Coastal Babysitters have their Blue Card, First Aid, and CPR Certificates, which are always kept up to date. The sitters are either mothers themselves, or have worked in childcare for at least three years. They are also fun, professional and have glowing references. In addition, most of the Brisbane babysitters have a Certificate 3 or Diploma in Child Services.

How are babysitters chosen by Coastal Babysitters?

All babysitters with Coastal Babysitters must have the required qualifications listed above and be lots of fun. Founder and mum of 2 Orly (the owner of Coastal Babysitters) would only send babysitters out to your family if she would be happy for them to look after her own children (and she’s very particular herself!). She personally interviews each sitter, with a focus on whether she’d feel comfortable having this sitter look after her little ones (because often they do!). So, beyond Blue Cards, Working with Children checks, First Aid and CPR Certifications, your sitter also receives the very legitimate mum stamp of approval. 

What length of time can I hire a babysitter for?

You can hire one of the babysitters for as long as you need. There is a minimum of three (3) hours, but no maximum amount of time. Overnight stays are also available throughout Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

How do I make a booking?

There is an easy online booking system which can be found on the Coastal Babysitters website. Coastal Babysitters are also very responsive by phone and email.

What can I expect once I’ve made a booking?

• The team will assign the sitter that is best suited to your family based on ages of your children, location, and any other information you have provided.
• Once a sitter is assigned, you will receive an email confirmation with the sitter’s profile and photo.
• Your sitter will phone you the day before your booking to say hello and give you a chance to speak to them in person.
• Your sitter will bring fun activities to keep your children entertained.
• Your children will find that their babysitter/s are fun and engaging, giving them 100% attention the whole time.
• You will be sent photos of your child throughout the day and a text message to say when they are asleep.
• A little report card will also be left so you know exactly what happened ‘while you were out’.

Do any sitters have special needs experience?

Yes! All kids are special in their unique and different ways and Coastal Babysitters cater for all of them. Many of the sitters have experience with children who have special needs or require additional assistance.

Testimonials

‘Coastal Babysitters are excellent, our sitter broke the ice very easily with the girls and they had a lot of fun, the girls loved how she played board games with them and kept them entertained. I found the service during booking to be professional and it put me at ease to receive a call from Sophie the day before the booked time for babysitting for her to introduce herself and to give me an opportunity to ask questions. I found the price we paid very reasonable and the service excellent.’

‘AMAZING!!! We had Theresa look after my babies, 4 and 8 months, first time we have ever had someone who is not family look after our children, and she was amazing. Could not recommend more! Made us feel so comfortable and the kids too! she went above and beyond!! Would definitely use this service again next time we are in Brisbane!’

‘Friendly service. Quick responses. My children really enjoyed having our babysitter over. She arrived a little early and was quick to help out with before school jobs with the children while I got organised to leave. My children have not stopped talking about our babysitter and are looking forward to her visit again next week. Thank you for making me feel so comfortable and at ease with updates via text and a kind note on my fridge when I returned home. I will definitely be using this service many more times in the future.’

Coastal Babysitters were winners of the Gold Coast Girls in Business Service Excellence Awards in 2019, nominees of the Telstra Business Women’s Award in 2018 and 2019, and nominees in the AusMumpreneur Awards in 2019. To find out more about Coastal Babysitters and the services they offer, please head to the website at www.coastalbabysitters.com.au.

For more info about Before and After School Care with YMCA OSHC, click here.

Nurturing Vacation Care for School Aged Kids in Brisbane

The YMCA of Brisbane has developed their OSHC program after working closely with many schools, resulting in a school holiday care experience your children will be keen to return to. Their holistic approach and high-held values of Honesty, Caring, Respect and Responsibility will give you the peace of mind that your school aged kids will be enjoying their school holidays in a nurturing environment.

All of the staff you will encounter at YMCA OSHC centres are caring and experienced and are supported by comprehensive mentoring, training and encouragement initiatives to ensure the highest level of care.

Fun Activities in the School Holidays for Kids

Vacation Care with the YMCA is full of wonderful activities, trips and visitors that are guaranteed to make the holidays go quickly. Every day at Vacation Care is different, with new, age-appropriate activities, excursions and incursions every day! Some of the activities undertaken include bowling, rock climbing, wildlife encounters, magic shows, dance classes, culinary experiences, music, craft and more. The holiday activity schedules are regularly altered and adjusted to suit the specific needs of the children attending each day, so that every child attending has a great time.

Holiday Care that is Close-to-home and Affordable

YMCA OSHC now has 54 centres in South-East Queensland, scattered throughout Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Logan, Ipswich and Toowoomba. Located on school grounds, these facilities are convenient for families in the local area, but also welcome children from further afield. As the YMCA is a charity, vacation care in their OSHC program is affordable. The fees you pay are reinvested into the service to ensure that high quality toys and equipment are plentiful and nutritious meals that conform to the Smart Choices guidelines are provided for every child attending. For eligible families, additional rebates may apply through Family Assistance, as the YMCA OSHC program is a government approved childcare service. This means that, when coupled with the flexibility of choosing and paying only for the days your child will attend, your out-of-pocket expenses can be kept to a minimum.

With YMCA Outside School Hours Care, you can be assured of a safe, secure and clean environment for your children, run by honest, caring and experienced staff.

Testimonials

“Consistent, affordable, fun care at school.”

“Great activities every school holidays.”

“Conveniently located with a team that are so helpful at nurturing your child and their interests.”

“It’s so convenient, engaging and I know my child is well looked after.”

“We love all the activities on offer to the kids. They offer breakfast and afternoon tea. It’s a great environment!”

“The staff are friendly and approachable. My child leaves everyday happy!”

Please take a look at the YMCA website for a full list of YMCA childcare locations and for further information.