Queensland floods, Camporee floats

While reports of flooding throughout much of Queensland dominate news reports in Australia, preparations for the Australian Pathfinder Camporee in Toowoomba are proceeding well.

“We’re going great guns,” says Pastor Tony Knight, director of youth ministries for the Australian Union Conference and director of the camporee. “Set-up is going brilliantly so I’m quietly confident that we’ll do OK despite all the rain earlier in the week.”

Toowoomba received more than 100 millimetres of rain on December 26 and 27 as part of the wider deluge that has caused the evacuation of towns, cut roads and dampened holidays across the “Sunshine State.” Some staff travelling to the camporee site were delayed or diverted but most roads have now re-opened and the sun has been shining on the camporee preparations.

“Some have been asking if Camporee has been cancelled because of the rain and floods, and some have even Facebooked the idea that it has been cancelled,” reports Pastor Knight. “But everything is going well and we’re powering on, and there is no possibility of a cancellation.”

Most staff are now on site in Toowoomba and preparations are well underway for the Australian Pathfinder Camporee beginning on January 4.

One jouney begins

On Sunday, December 26—more than a week before the camporee begins in Toowoomba—a group from the Bunbury Pathfinder club in southwestern Western Australia set out to cross the continent by car and trailer. Brett, Alan, Adrian and Sasha plan to meet the rest of the club at Brisbane airport on January 2 before travelling together to Toowoomba.

Finishing packing the trailer.

A prayer for safe travel led by church elder Terry Preston.

The journey begins.

Thanks to club director, Wayne Wearing, for sharing these photos.

If you have photos of your club's journey to camporee, you can share them here by emailing your story and pictures to nathan.brown@signspublishing.com.au.

Travel safely.

Preparations continue

With camporee now less than two weeks away, preparations are being finalised at the Australian Union Conference youth headquarters in Melbourne, ready for materials to be transported to Toowoomba in the next few days.

Camporee booklets have been prepared and printed (by Signs Publishing Company).

Australian youth director Tony Knight is finalising the administrative side of things in his Melbourne office.

And Victorian youth director Moe Ioane Stiles was helping pack some of the stage props for the night programs at camporee.

Toowoomba knows we're coming

From the Toowoomba Mail.

News release: Glenvale youth group to host national church event

A Toowoomba youth group is excited about playing host to a national church event in their hometown this summer.

Based at Glenvale Seventh-day Adventist Church, the Glenvale Pathfinder Club is the host club for the Australian Pathfinder Camporee to be held at the Clive Berghofer Events Centre, Glenvale, from January 4 to 9. Currently more than 2500 young people and leaders from all parts of Australia have registered to attend.

The Glenvale Pathfinder club has 30 members aged between 10 and 15 from local churches and community. According to one of the club’s leaders, the young people are excited about participating in the event themselves, as well as the thousands of young people who will visit their community.

“It’s fantastic that Toowoomba has been chosen as a place that is suitable for a national gathering of this kind,” says Julian Archer, chaplain of the Glenvale Pathfinder Club. “We encourage our young people to get outdoors and learn to be practical and hard-working, rather than screen-focused. Toowoomba was built on this kind of pioneering spirit and we are happy to be able to share this with our visitors.”

And the Glenvale-based youth group stands to benefit from this influx of visitors. The club is operating a store for the many visitors and taking orders for supplies from visiting clubs. “The funds raised will contribute to building a workshop and storage shed for club equipment on the church’s property in Glenvale,” says Mr Archer, “so this event will make a contribution to our club and our community into the future.”