"They will soar on wings like eagles"

Isaiah 40:28-31

​Who Are We​ 

Introduction from Executive and Directors​​​

There is no greater joy than to see young people grow and live lives of hope and joy. Camp Eagle is about Fun, Chilling out, Building Relationships and discovering a faith in Jesus. Youth participate in Camps, receive Bibles, join Church youth programs, and grow in faith and hope. Our youth have a purpose, are significant, and have wonderful strengths, they are our future.

Camp Eagle is run on Christian values and is supported by the Churches of Mackay,Mackay Schools Chaplaincy, Scouts, Rotary and community sponsors.

Background Camp Eagle
The first camp was started by the founder Phil Hall, taking two foster kids up to Finch Hatton Gorge to get away from all the drug influences of their lives and to spend some quality time with them. After the weekend away he noted what a tremendous positive change and influence this one camp had on them. This was the spark to start the Program with the same type of youth he was dealing with in the High School as the Chaplain. The early camps were only with boys and have grown to include girls and all the High Schools and State Primary Schools. Camp Eagle has 4 major goals it uses to impact the students in a positive way, (Fun activities to engage them, Relationships building with Leaders and peers, Chilling out the students using natural father & son type activities, and Introduce the Christian faith in a natural and non threatening way.
Many leaders have built this program over the years and to them we give thanks to God. When Miss Jonelle Bruning teamed up with directing camps, we saw a huge expansion of the senior program and likewise with Mrs Susan Philips, we saw the expansion into primary camps with great success. Camp Eagle has been well supported by community and Churches.

Camp Eagle Mountain Retreat
The founder of Camp Eagle Mountain Retreat, Mr Philip Hall first had a vision in early 2004 to establish a perpetual wilderness camp facility for the youth and Churches of Mackay. As the Chaplain of Mackay State High School, Mr Hall had already been running a Weekend Camp Program over several years for the marginalized at risk youth of his school. For about 6 years Camp Eagle used a piece of forest land up in Finch Hatton gorge owned by Chris and Hesta Van Houweninge. Camp Eagle Mountain Retreat LTD was established 23/11/2006 as a not for profit, limited by guarantee public company (ABN:43122822235)
The support for his vision has grown as the need for low cost, wilderness camping venues close to Mackay has also grown. In 2007 Mr Hall was approached by the Scout Association to look at using a piece of land at their Rowallan Park as a possible site for Camp Eagle Mountain Retreat. With this in mind the vision was set to be become a reality with some exciting possibilities. By 2011 most of the building phase was complete through very generous donations from the community, service clubs, and individuals. God has been faithful in providing both finances and people to fulfill the vision of Camp Eagle.

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Values

Reliance on God and His Word in the areas of vision, provision, leadership and  decisions.
The guiding verse from the Bible

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Isaiah 40:​
28. Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, [that] the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? [there is] no searching of his understanding. 29. He giveth power to the faint; and to [them that have] no might he increaseth strength. 30. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: 31. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew [their] strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; [and] they shall walk, and not faint.

Building partnerships based on integrity and trust.

Belief in the nurture and potential of young people.

The natural environment as an expression of God.

A culture of  fun.
A culture of chilling out.
A culture of building relationships.
A culture of introducing a faith in Jesus.​​

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Vision

Camp: tent camping, camp kitchen, toilets, showers, and no other major structures, low cost, priority given to youth. 

 
Eagle: focus on Christian teaching and spiritual renewal, prayer, evangelism, fellowship, Churches. (Isaiah 40:28-31),

Mountain: wilderness, quiet, back to nature experience, perpetual site.

Retreat: isolated, away from city, caretaker, cater for individual, small or larger groups. Catering up to 100 campers.​​​

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Mission​​

Camp Eagle Mountain Retreat’s mission is to be a leading venue and equipping ministry for youth camping in Mackay. We aim to provide a place for tent camping in a bush environment whilst providing a holistic Christian framework. Due to our ongoing commitment to youth and our vision, we seek to build working partnerships with Churches and community groups who share similar objectives. Please join with us in this exciting journey.

Camp Eagle Mountain Retreat LTD.

Camp Eagle Mountain Retreat was established to provide a framework for the vision of the campsite and the camping program. It provides public liability insurance of the campsite, facilities, maintenance and equipment, financial management and a 3 yearly contract with Scout Australia to use their land.
Mr Philip Edward Hall (Director 1/Secretary)
Mrs Leanne Kay Hall (Director 2)
Mr Euan Noel McDonald (Director 3)

Scouts Australia

Scouts own  the land on which we have permission to camp and establish facilities. Their role is to provide the land, a general oversight of Rowallan Park, water, waste disposal and general slashing when required. Scouts also offer the use of  their facilities if required and available.

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