On the weekend of June 26 – 28 QORF partnered with Nature Play Queensland and the Australian Camps Association to look at what the future for kids outdoors and camping might look like 15 years from now. How could the “things” we do with kids outdoors make a lasting impression on them?

• How can the things we do with kids outdoors have a lasting impression?
• What services will be available to enable kids to get outdoors?
• What will traditional school camp look like in the years to come?
• What can we be doing now to ensure a bright and vibrant future?

The Details
Date: June 26 – 28
Venue: Queensland Recreation Centre Gold Coast

Partners: PFD Food Services and MAP Italian Coffee

Conference Presentations

For those people who chose not to or were unable to attend we have included most of the speaker slideshows to give you a taste of the excellent presentations, inspiring conversations and positive networking opportunities from the event.

All who attended came away with much to think about, new connections and a renewed sense of hope and commitment to the future for kids in the outdoors.

You can find the slideshows on the Keynote and Speaker sections – go the presenter and open the link.

Queensland Recreation Centre Gold Coast

Our keynote presenters were Norm Hunter (ex Principal, Hillbrook Anglican School); Rachel Sharman (University of the Sunshine Coast); Judith Locke (Clinical Psychologist, Visiting Research Fellow at the Queensland University of Technology, and Director, Confident and Capable) and Ash Nayate  (Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne)

Kids Outdoors 2030 featured an impressive line up of speakers & presenters – educators, facilitators, researchers, communicators, leaders … with presentations on topics as diverse as media and branding through the psychology of facilitation to journey based curriculum.

Day 1

Hosted by Nature Play QLD, the Nature Play Symposium explored what a well-balanced outdoor childhood could look like by 2030, and asked:

• What would a well-balanced outdoor childhood entail?
• What changes should we undertake to create a healthy and well-balanced future for our children?
• What can we achieve together?

Keynote:
Mike Lanza, Author of Playborhood: Turn Your Neighborhood Into a Place for Play.

Come Explore with Us  – a special invitation from Maggie Dent

Camps Tour – an  opportunity for delegates to visit local outdoor education camps

Day 2/3

Hosted by QORF and the ACA looking at issues and possibilities for outdoor education professionals to improve both personal practice and campsite management.

The weekend was delivered in three streams:

1. Facilitation (focused on field operators: outdoor educators, teachers, instructors, leaders, facilitators and guides),
2. Management (for camp operators, managers, teachers, organisations, boards and middle to senior management), and
3. Education (topics of interest to program and curriculum developers)

and included both practical and theoretical sessions, trade displays, activity demonstrations and trials, time to network and socialize, a tour of local campsites and a gala evening at the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary on the Saturday night.

Presentations included topics and sessions on Nature Play, futures, innovative programming, marketing, branding, and a great debate on outdoor recreation leadership. They will vary in length from 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Sponsors

The organisers of Kids Outdoors 2030 and the Nature Play Symposium are very grateful for the support and commitment of our event partners, PFD Food Services & MAP Italian Coffee and sponsors Skills Alliance, C&K, ESKAY KIDS and the Playgroup Association of Queensland

If you have any questions about the conference please email the Conference Coordinators
or call 07 3369 9455