About Us
Our Mission
Camp Eagle Mountain Retreat's mission is to be a leading venue and training organization 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 community groups who share similar objectives.
Our Campsite 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.
Our Values
Reliance on God and His Word in the areas of vision, provision, leadership and decisions.
Building partnerships based on integrity and trust.
Belief in the nurture and potential of young people.
The natural environment as an expression of God.
The guiding verse from the Bible
Isaiah 40:28-31
28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. 29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Our Culture
A culture of fun.
A culture of chilling out.
A culture of building relationships.
A culture of introducing a faith in Jesus.
Our History
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 affect 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.
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, (Stages 1, 2, 3) were completed 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. In 2014 stages 4 & 5 (female and male leader tents and storage shed) were the final structures to be established to complete the campsite vision. The campsite was officially opened 29/11/2014.
We give thanks to God for his provision and the many leaders have built this program over the years. 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.In 2014 the first Youth Leadership Camp was started and directed by Peter Reed. Camp Eagle has been well supported by individuals, community and Churches.