phone 07 5533 3622 | email [email protected] | web www.binnaburralodge.com.au
at Historic Binna Burra Lodge
SCHOOLS & UNIVERSITIES
SCHOOLS & UNIVERSITIES AT HISTORIC BINNA BURRA LODGE
Complemented by the unique surroundings of Lamington National Park, Binna Burra Lodge and
Campsite offers a memorable and fun experience for you and your students.
Education providers have been bringing groups up to this natural wonderland for over 60
years, which has resulted in a highly experienced and passionate team to help you achieve
your camp and educational goals.
Students are provided opportunities to learn about and become immersed in the diverse
environments first hand in our multi-faceted, flexible activity program which also provides
opportunities to build trust, leadership, cooperation and initiative.
ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS There are four different styles of budget accommodation to select from, available for both students and teachers.
GROOMS COTTAGE (Environmental Education Centre)
Stay in Arthur Grooms original cottage
78 years ago, Arthur Groom (co-founder of Binna Burra)
built this wonderful cottage as his family home. The
cottage has been preserved, and is a charming facility
for large or small groups.
This rustic timber cottage has an adjacent four-room
bunkhouse with a total of 36 beds (9 beds in each). It is a
perfect facility for University & School groups. The
bunkhouse rooms are basic and just a stone’s throw
away you’ll find showers and toilets, gas barbeque, plate
washup area, coin operated clothes washing/drying
facilities. Accommodation at the Cottage itself
comprises 7 single beds and vanities in two upstairs
rooms, making it an ideal accommodation for teachers,
leaders or parents. Grooms Cottage is equipped with
kitchenette facilities including fridge-freezer, stove,
microwave and wood-burner.
ON-SITE SAFARI TENTS In the campgrounds Binna Burra offers 15 safari tents,
accommodating up to 48 students. These include 11 x 6
man, 1 x 4 man and 3 x 2 man tents which consist of a
double bed, bunks or single beds. The safari tents have a
light, fly screen windows, side tables and a verandah with
table and chairs.
CAMPING For a more adventurous style camp, students have the
opportunity to supply their own tents. The Rainforest
Campsite has undercover BBQ areas with picnic tables,
and coin operated BBQs are available for groups to use.
Fire pits are permanently placed in the camping and
safari tent areas. Firewood can be purchased from Binna
Burra.
Amenities include hot and cold showers, toilets, coin
operated laundry and wash up area.
Mountain Lodge accommodation is also available.
Enquire with our Groups Coordinator for prices:
[email protected] or call 07 5533 3622.
CATERING Breakfast and dinner are served at the Lamington Teahouse. Lunch and morning/afternoon tea is
served as takeaway.
BREAKFAST Continental breakfast includes a selection of cereals, toast with condiments, fresh fruit, orange &
apple juice, hot chocolate.
Hot breakfast, choice of bacon, egg, sausage, tomatoes and mushrooms.
LUNCH Takeaway rolls with choice of:
1. Ham and salad
2. Chicken and salad
3. Cheese and salad
Lunch includes a piece of whole fruit, and a home-baked biscuit.
Drinks extra – bottled water $1.50, bottled juice $3 each.
MORNING OR AFTERNOON TEA
Fresh piece of fruit with a home-baked biscuit.
DINNER All served with salads (coleslaw, potato, tossed) or vegetables.
Choose from one of the following:
1. Fish and chips
2. Spaghetti Bolognaise
3. Crumbed chicken schnitzel
4. Beef or vegetarian lasagne
5. Pizza and salad.
DESSERT Choose from one of the following:
1. Seasonal fresh fruit salad
2. Chocolate mousse
3. Vanilla ice-cream and topping
4. Served with milk or Milo, and tea/coffee for teachers.
Changes to the menu will result in additional charges.
Students and Teachers- $56 per day
ACTIVITIES ABSEILING Abseiling is a great personal challenge, an activity that takes participants out of their comfort
zone while remaining extremely safe. Abseiling is also a team challenge as it is the support of the
team that provides the encouragement that many participants need to succeed. Abseiling is
offered on two levels. An introductory level using one of two 10 metre cliffs and advanced levels
at 40m and 90m. Recommended for 8 years and above.
FLYING FOX Whoosh through the trees on our 165 metre flying fox situated 20 minutes walk from the Lodge in
Bellbird Clearing. Our Flying Fox is an exhilarating and challenging experience. All flyers are
securely and safely harnessed to a pulley system. Our instructors are responsible for attaching
flyers to the pulley, but the descending and subsequent recycling of the pulley requires
teamwork. It is possible to introduce other challenges on the flying fox including blindfolds, night
flying and the incorporation of it as part of a circuit of initiative games.
Recommended for 8 years and above.
LOW ROPES COURSE A series of wires and ropes set up in the trees (about 30-50cm high) where the students work in
small groups to help each person achieve personal goals (e.g. balance, trust, communication)
while getting across the activities.
Recommended for 8 years and above.
HIGH ROPES COURSE The High Ropes increases the challenge by elevating the activity 5-7 metres above the ground.
There are three elements of varying degrees of difficulty. Each involves ascending a rope ladder
and completing a traverse of a cable or ladder between trees. Participants are in a harness and
attached to a safety line operated by one of our guides or preferably, two of the other team
members. Training is given in the operation of safety ropes. The High Ropes tests trust between team
members as well as the team’s ability to provide moral support and engender enthusiasm.
Individuals are challenged to a high degree by the height and the difficulty. This is an excellent
activity for groups with physically active people but is also suitable for groups that need to be
challenged outside their comfort zone. Recommended for 12 years and above.
INITIATIVE GAMES These games vary according to the needs of the students. The objective of the initiative games is to
test a groups ability to respond to the challenge of a problem that is completely removed from
normal tasks. Most are not threatening in a physical sense and are therefore suitable for all groups.
These games are presented individually or as part of a more complex scenario involving rogaining,
bushwalking, or a series of initiative games. The range of initiative games is endless but the following
are a sample of some of the popular ones: Billy on a Pinnacle, The Canyon Bridge, Islands, Blind
Leading the Blind, Blind Tent Pitch. Recommended for all ages.
ARCHERY Learn the medieval sport and one of the oldest sports in the world. By the end you may even be
able to split an arrow like Robin Hood, or shoot an apple off your guides head like William Tell.
Recommended for all ages.
ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS ACTIVITIES Eco talk – Binna Burra Lodge is a recognised world leader in eco-tourism practices. There
is a group discussion and tour of the Lodge operations. You will learn why we are
‘Advanced Eco-Tourism’ accredited with ‘Eco-Tourism Australia’.
Earth walk – A guided walk in the rainforest using the five senses to discover and learn about
the intimacies of the natural environment rather than facts and figures.
Senses Trail – A chance for the children to lead/guide their blindfolded friends in small groups along a track that has a
rope as a guide. A great group-work activity where they are also discovering the rainforest in their own way.
Dip netting – The children will research and inspect the residents of the small pond in Bellbird Clearing. Using nets
they try to find the animals that live there and work out what type of water we have running down from the
mountains.
Environmental Awareness activities are recommended for all ages.
Other team activities include initiative games run by our Guest Activity staff, Rainforest Art, and Bush Survival.
NIGHT ACTIVITIES • Spotlight walk investigating nocturnal animals with special red filtered spotlights.
• Campfire night with billy tea, damper and story telling.
• Full moon flying fox
• Trivia and quiz nights
• Theatre presentations
EDUCATION PROGRAMS Binna Burra offers three styles of camp programs: Environmental & Sustainability, Leadership, and Biological
Science. Each of these different orientations can be tailored to meet your curriculum. If a particular learning
objective is required for the class, please advise our staff before commencement of the camp and this can be
incorporated in the program to deliver the required outcomes. Call for further information on specific courses.
ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY EDUCATION PROGRAM The objective here is to promote environmental awareness
to all students and to update teachers and guardians for
them to understand how their actions influence and impact
all aspects of our dynamic environment.
Outcomes are achieved by students undertaking guided
interpretative walks to witness the delicate natural
ecosystems that are in equilibrium within different forest
communities. The process is reinforced with games and
activities that require teamwork and build upon the basic
knowledge of environmental processes. Activities are set
based on the age and expected knowledge level of the
students.
Students are then educated on the link between
environmental awareness and sustainability. By the
completion of every activity at camp including shower and
meal times, students will learn how their environmental
impacts contribute to sustainability and why it is important.
Efficient use and conservation of water is
demonstrated and explained through Binna
Burra’s own water supply from the Coomera
River. Students are also provided with insights into
a well established recycling program for
cardboard, glass and aluminium cans and
complex worm farm with a tour of these facilities,
and an explanation of how they work and their
importance to Binna Burra.
The knowledge gained from completion of the
program, both entertaining and educational will
empower students to apply the principles in the
larger context at home, at school and for the
future.
LEADERSHIP SCHOOL CAMP Leadership is a vital skill for children and
teenagers to help them grow in confidence
throughout their school years and prepare them
for life. The leadership camp at Binna Burra
teaches students how to work together and
effectively communicate in a group environment.
To encourage the best results, students are
separated from their usual social groups and
provided the opportunity to work and interact
with students they normally wouldn’t. The exercise
ultimately teaches students how to work outside
their comfort zone, a life-skill that is highly
regarded as students develop in their careers.
Students may be challenged, but in a controlled
and regulated program.
All activities are underpinned with a team
building theme and structured to the specific
desired outcomes. Activities can include high or
low ropes, abseiling, problem solving games, self
navigated walks and orienteering. All students
benefit, because as well as identifying those
students who are natural leaders, it also provides
students the opportunity to learn from each
other how to cooperate in a team.
Students will derive a sense of purpose and have
a sense of achievement as they have the
opportunity to get to know each other in a
relaxed environment while having heaps of fun. The
effective communication skills and knowledge of group
dynamics gained by completion of the leadership camp
will enable the students to contribute more fully in the
school environment and also help prepare them for their
next step in life.
BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE SCHOOL CAMP Lamington National Park protects many species of rare,
vulnerable and endangered species listed under various
government legislations. Binna Burra’s location adjacent to
this World Heritage-listed area provides an opportunity to
conduct activities where it is possible to observe many of
these species in their natural habitat.
Students are provided with the proper equipment and
instruction for the correct procedures required to undertake
activities such as bird watching, frogging, dip netting and
spotlighting. Specific programs can be developed and
complemented by team members with relevant expertise
to maximize the learning capacity.
On completion of the camp, students will have an
understanding of the different plant & animal groups and
species and how the relationships of these diverse groups
contribute to the environment.
phone 07 5533 3622 | email [email protected] | web www.binnaburralodge.com.au
at Historic Binna Burra Lodge
SCHOOLS & UNIVERSITIES