13-17 JANUARY 2025
CAMPER GUIDE
B E L L I NGEN
WELCOME TO THE 39TH CAMP CREATIVE
MARK YOUR CALENDARS! JOIN US IN 2026 AS WE CELEBRATE OUR 40TH ANNIVERSARY - A MILESTONE YEAR YOU WON’T WANT TO MISS! NEXT YEAR’S CAMP CREATIVE WILL TAKE PLACE 12-16 JANUARY 2026
WELCOME TO THE 39TH CAMP CREATIVE!
Camp Creative acknowledges and pays respect to the past and present Traditional Custodians and Elders of the Gumbaynggirr Nation.
We acknowledge the value, diversity and integrity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait island art, culture and expressions as an integral part of Australian heritage.
We acknowledge the important role that art has played on these lands for thousands of years and feel privileged to work alongside artists continuing the creative practice of one of the world’s oldest surviving cultures.
Welcome back to those who have enjoyed previous camps and a special welcome to those who are experiencing the joy of creativity at Camp Creative for the first time.
Despite the state of the nation, Camp Creative is alive and well. We have challenges such as affordable accommodation and the rising costs associated with putting on the camp, but we do whatever is possible to make the camp the best experience for everyone. We are working on several options to make it easier to attend future camps (such as a layby system) more about this during next year. We are very excited to celebrate an extraordinary 40 years of Camp Creative in 2026.
So, how can I make the most out of this creative week? Be
kind to yourself – it is natural to be a bit nervous when beginning any new experiences. It is a good time to step out of your comfort zone and see what happens!
Be open to new ideas and allow yourself to have fun and enjoy the process.
Attend all the special events – even though you may be exhausted! Tuesday – Bellingen Music Experience; Wednesday –Open Mic night; Thursday – Party in the Park; Friday – Grand Finale Concert (see details on pages 14-15).
If there is anything you’re not sure about, please see our friendly guides or volunteers in the Camp office.
Michelle and I look forward to meeting you. We love popping into your classes to say hello.
2025 CAMP CREATIVE INFORMATION
VENUES
Bellingen High School and St Mary’s Primary School are the two main campuses (see maps on page 30 and 32).
Some courses are located at venues around Bellingen. These are marked on the town map on page 28. For event locations please refer to pages 14-15.
Please note the below:
• No WiFi available at any venues
• No dogs allowed at any venues
• Camp Creative is a smoke (and vape) free event
COURSE HOURS
Most courses run over five days, from Monday 13 January to Friday 17 January. Courses are either full day, half day, 3 days or 2 days.
FULL DAY COURSES
Start at 9am and finish at 4pm.
HALF DAY COURSES
Morning courses run from 9am until 12pm. Afternoon courses run from 1pm until 4pm.
OTHER COURSE FORMATS
This year we have a few courses in slightly different formats.
• Cut, Paint Stitch is running for 3 full days, Monday to Wednesday.
• Intro to Rug Making is running for 2 full days, Thursday to Friday.
• Walton’s Orchestra has 2 separate afternoon slots starting at 1pm and 2.45pm.
There is a 1 hour lunch break from 12pm until 1pm. Pages 16-19 detail cafe and lunch options.
If you need assistance at any time, there are lots of Guides around to help! Keep an eye out for their bright green t-shirts. We want you to have an amazing and inspiring week at Camp Creative. So don’t be afraid to ask for assistance.
Images throughout are courtesy of Bellingen Shire Council, Stuart Scott, Michelle Stockton, Nicole Ruigrok, Rachel Wright and 2024 students of the ‘Oh Shoot’ course.
LOGISTICS
CAMP creative OFFICES
Each school campus has a Camp Creative Office - your central hub for information and enquiries.
OFFICE HOURS
BELLINGEN HIGH SCHOOL
8.30am - 4.00pm daily
Phone 6655 1315
ST MARY’S PRIMARY SCHOOL
8.30am - 4.00pm daily
Phone 6655 1432
We have plenty of systems in place to ensure your week goes smoothly.
If you need any help or have a question, feel free to visit the staff at the office or ask one of our Guides. Your tutor is also there to assist you!
GUIDES
Looking for assistance? Our enthusiastic Guide team (wearing distinctive green t-shirts), is ready to help you find your way.
NAME BADGES
To help your tutor and fellow students learn your name more quickly, wear your name badge each day. Consider leaving it on your desk after class so you’ll have it ready for the next session. Staff also need to see your badge for entry into evening events. If you need a new name badge, please see the Guides in the copy room (see map on page 30). If you are not located at the high school, please call the office on 6655 1315.
DAILY BULLETIN
Each day you’ll get an update on all things Camp Creative - you’ll find them in your classroom or on noticeboards. Contact the Camp Creative Office by 3pm if you have a relevant item to add to the bulletin for the next day.
ART AND CRAFT SUPPLIES
If you’re in an art class and need extra supplies, you can order from Gail Cardow at Island Art Supplies. Please go to the high school office and fill in the order sheet, Gail will deliver the next day.
Alternatively, you may find what you need at Weave, on the main street of Bellingen (42 Hyde Street, opposite the Police Station). They have a great range of art and craft supplies.
PHOTOCOPYING
If you need photocopying or printing, head to the print room next to the high school office.
Alternatively, you can email your request to campcreativeguides@gmail. com. Please ensure that you let us know your room number so your printing can be dropped off, or let the guides know in your email that you will come by to pick it up.
LOST PROPERTY
If you find any lost property, please take it to the office at one of the schools or Youth Hub. Alternatively, please give to your tutor so they can give it to a staff member. If you leave at the end of the week and realise you have lost something, please contact the Coordinator on 0419 379 146 or email info@ campcreative.com.au. Local items will be available for pickup, nonlocal items will incur a postage cost.
Security
We suggest that you take home any valuable equipment after your class has finished for the day. Classrooms are locked overnight and there is CCTV, but we won’t cover the loss of any Camper’s items.
Accessibility
The majority of our venues meet accessibility standards, and we are focused on making Camp Creative as accessible as possible. Please get in touch if you require more information about the accessibility of venues and courses for your needs.
CAMP Survey
We are always looking for ways to improve! You can help us by completing our survey, which will be emailed to you the day after Camp Creative. If you require a hard copy, please see staff at the high school office.
PHOTOS & VIDEO
By attending Camp Creative, you agree to being filmed and
photographed. This media will be used for marketing and promotional purposes ongoing, on social media as well as print media.
If you do not wish to be photographed, please let your tutor know. You must wear a coloured arm band at all times, so you can be identified. If you are at Bellingen High School, St Mary’s Primary School or the Bellingen Youth Hub you can get a band from the office. All other venues will have a small supply of bands, so please ask your tutor. If you cannot obtain one from the tutor, please call Nicole on 0419 379 146 and a band will be delivered to you.
MEET THE TEAM
Camp Creative isn’t a large organisation - we operate with one Coordinator and 14 volunteer committee members. During Camp, we’re joined by extra volunteers and teen Guides.
We run this labor of love to see your happy faces and welcome returning participants each year. Let’s not forget our tutors, we even have some that are 20-year veterans!
Back row: Pru Borgert, Nicole Ruigrok (Coordinator), Nick Martin, Sean Slavin, Carol Ruigrok (Treasurer).
Front row: Kristy Holding, (Violet), Rob Stockton (President), Michelle Stockton (Secretary), Sandrena Brennan, Libby Knight.
Absent: Eva Wright, Merren Asquith, Jackie Lee, Jaimie Garson, Katie Cornelius.
Camp Creative Incorporated is proudly non-profit.
KIDS & TEENS
We want your kids to have lots of fun! We also want to them to have a safe and exciting experience, so we have some guidelines in place. If your child’s course requires parent permissions, the tutor will give you a form on day one, please fill this in when you drop off your child.
Allergies & Medical Conditions
When you purchased tickets, you should have filled in any relevant health information for your child. If there is anything you have missed that we need to know, please call the high school office on 6655 1315 and let them know immediately. Please also let your child’s tutor know. We do not manage medications under any circumstances.
PERMISSION FORMS
Students aged 14+ are allowed to leave the premises at lunch time, please let their tutor know if you don’t approve this for your child. Students aged 12-13 may leave their venue during lunch break, but only with parental permission.
If you would like to give your child permission to leave at lunch time, please ask their tutor for a permission form.
Please ensure your young person wears their badge daily, this really helps our staff. If you think your child might forget to bring it in each day, get them to leave their badge in their classroom at the end of the day. If your child is to be excluded from photos, they must leave their coloured wrist band on all week.
LUNCHTIME
Tutors are not responsible for students during the 1-hour lunch break.
There is no daily bus to the high school from external venues, unfortunately this isn’t logistically possible for us anymore.
There are supervised lunch/play areas at Bellingen High School and St Mary’s Primary School. All children aged 5 to 13 at these venues will go to these allocated
areas, unless otherwise advised by parents/carers.
Photos & Video
There will be photographers visiting all venues and classrooms. All photos and videos taken at Camp Creative will be used for ongoing social media posts as well as print media, for marketing purposes.
If you do not want your child to be photographed, please let their tutor know. Your child must wear a
coloured arm band at all times, so they can be identified.
If they are at Bellingen High School, St Mary’s Primary School or the Bellingen Youth Hub you can get a band from the office.
All other venues will have a small supply of bands, so please ask the tutor. If you cannot obtain one from the tutor, please call Nicole on 0419 379 146 and a band will be delivered to you.
meet OUR event COORDINATOR
Hi everyone! For those I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting yet, I’m Nicole. When I got this role in April 2023, I discovered this wasn’t just a jobit was the dream job I never knew I was looking for! I’ve called Bellingen home for 14 years now, and my husband’s roots run even deeper, having grown up in Gleniffer.
My journey with Camp Creative started as a family affair - my children Jasper (13) and Lyra (11) participated for two years before I took the leap to become a sewing tutor. After incredible experiences teaching in 2020 and 2023, I’m now fully immersed in Camp Creative full-time in my role as Event Coordinator.
I truly believe Camp Creative stands in a league of its own - there’s really nothing quite like it anywhere else in Australia. Please don’t hesitate to come say hello if you spot me during the week - I’d love to meet you!
Image: Nicole Ruigrok (Event Coordinator) with her husband Aaron and their children, Jasper and Lyra.
medical contacts
For Bellingen healthcare information and enquires:
BELLINGEN HOSPITAL
Phone 6659 5800
BELLINGEN PHARMACY
Phone 6655 1124
BELLINGEN HEALING CENTRE
Phone 6655 0000
THREE RIVERS HEALTH CLINIC
Phone 6655 0663
Safe Work, Safe Classrooms
Safety is a high priority for Camp Creative - for all Campers, tutors, staff and volunteers.
You’ll get a safety induction from your tutor on Monday morning. Where necessary, they will also provide safety guidance throughout the week.
We ask that you respect all guidelines around safety and wear the appropriate clothing, footwear and protective gear as required.
Medical
For medical attention, there is a first aid room at Bellingen High School near the main office (see map on page 30). At St Mary’s Primary School and the Youth Hub,
please see staff in the office. All other venues, please notify your tutor who will call the First Aid Officer if necessary. All external venues carry a basic first aid kit. If you have any further first aid questions, please call the First Aid Officer, Katie Cornelius, on 0416 635 136.
Beat the heat
Bellingen is very hot in January, which can affect your health. Wear cool, loose clothing and if outside, sunscreen and a hat. Drink plenty of water and spend time in airconditioning whenever you can. There are cool water filling stations at the High School.
Those doing outdoor courses may wish to take lunch breaks inside airconditioned rooms.
COVID
As per NSW Health Guidelines, rapid antigen testing for businesses is not required in NSW. Camp Creative will not provide RAT tests. We do however have masks on hand, please see the high school office if you would like one.
COVID is now endemic in the community and it’s up to all of us to make decisions that reduce the risk of infection for both ourselves and others.
More information is available from NSW Health www.nsw.gov.au/ covid-19/protecting-yourself
Camp Creative does not offer refunds or credits in case of illness.
Bellingen is an amazingly beautiful and unique place!
The team at Camp Creative is dedicated to implementing waste reduction initiatives wherever we can.
environmental initiatives
We need you to help us achieve this too, this is how you can help:
• Please use the correct rubbish and recycling bins
• Bring your own reusable coffee cup
• Bring your own refillable drink bottle
• Bring your own reusable utensils for lunches
• Keep classroom doors and windows closed while air-conditioning is on
It is these little things that add up to a lot if everyone pitches in!
Community Mug Library
Bellingen is embracing a movement to phase out single-use coffee cups! Like the idea? Get involved!
When you’re in town and craving a takeaway coffee, look out for our town-wide Mug Library
Simply pick a cup from the basket at your chosen café, order your favorite hot drink, and head on your way - whether that’s a stroll through town or a drive. Once you’re done, you can drop the empty cup off at any participating café, where it will be commercially cleaned and returned to the library.
GETTING AROUND
Parking
HIGH SCHOOL PARKING
Front Entrance
The main car park is in the front entrance on the Waterfall Way. There is no parking at the top level near the administration block.
Rear Entrance
There are a small number of car parks near the Crown Street bus stop. There is plenty of street parking on Crown Street and surrounding side streets. DO NOT PARK IN THE BUS BAY AT ANY TIME.
DISABLED PARKING
The Camp Creative Shuttle bus runs mornings and afternoons daily. It runs in a CLOCKWISE loop through the
A valet disabled parking service is available at the High School. Camp Creative staff can meet your car at the top drop-off zone and park it at the bottom. Your keys will be kept in secure storage at the Camp Creative Office. Your car will be driven up for you to collect when you require it. Please call Rob Stockton on 0403 227 599 to organise this service.
ST MARY’S PRIMARY SCHOOL
There is plenty of street parking available around St Mary’s Primary School. Please leave the onsite parking for staff and tutors.
TOWN PARKING
Please be careful to note parking restrictions when parking in town. Electronic monitoring will occur (tyres will not be marked by inspectors). Electric car charging is available on William Street, near BCU Bank.
See list below for free and unlimited car parking in town:
• Sustainability Centre, 6a Church Street
• All of William Street
• Memorial Hall, via Creek Lane
• Church Street
• Oak Street
• Bridge Street, next to river
Camp Creative Shuttle Bus
The Camp Creative Shuttle bus runs mornings and afternoons daily. It runs in a CLOCKWISE loop through the town. Each loop runs in fifteen-minute intervals.
• Bellingen Showground 37 Hammond Street
• Opposite Memorial Hall 29 Hyde Street
• Bellingen High School 1125 Waterfall Way (if required for less able patrons)
• Bellingen High School
Rear Bus Bay Opposite 73 Crown Street
• St Mary’s Primary School 20 Park Street
• Bellingen Youth Hub 2 William Street
One bus is fitted for wheelchair access, the other with a ramp. Please call Rob Stockton on 0403 227 599 to organise the right bus for your pick-up.
MORNING LOOP
Starts from Showground at 8.00 am, departing in fifteen-minute intervals until 8.45 am.
AFTERNOON LOOP
Starts from Bellingen High School at 4.00 pm, departing in fifteen-minute intervals until 4.45 pm.
SHUTTLE BUS ROUTE
THIS YEAR'S EVENTS
If you haven’t attended our evening events before, they are a major Camp Creative highlight!
We combine local as well as student and tutor talents, to bring you a great selection of entertainment.
SUNDAY 12 JANUARY
While our Welcome Dinner requires tickets, all other events are completely FREE!
Don't forget to wear your official name badge to every event! This helps our staff quickly identify you.
Please see town map on page 28 for event locations
WELCOME DINNER
6.00pm - 8.00pm
Bellingen Showground 37 Hammond Street
Begin your Camp Creative experience by mingling with fellow participants and tutors, while savouring delicious local cuisine and enjoying a drink. A wonderful way to start the week!
PRE-BOOKED TICKETS ONLY.
TUES 14 - FRI 17 JANUARY
LUNCHTIME CONCERTS
Tuesday to Friday, 12.15pm - 12.45pm
Bellingen High School
Students and tutors from the performing arts classes share their talents with a fun daily showcase.
TUESDAY 14 JANUARY
BELLINGEN MUSIC EXPERIENCE
7.00pm - 9.00pm
Stockton Hall Gold Coin Donation
Experience an inspiring evening of music featuring promising emerging artists. This event honours the legacy of Gillian Helfgott and her dedication to nurturing young musical talent. The program includes a performance by the engaging woodwind educator Mark Walton.
Unfortunately, David Helfgott our long-time patron and star performer will not be with us for this year’s Camp Creative. We are saving him up for a special concert night as part of our 40th Camp Creative celebrations.
WEDNESDAY 15 JANUARY
OPEN MIC NIGHT
7.00pm - 9.30pm Golf Club
1172 Waterfall Way
Come down and get yourself some dinner (Bistro open from 5pm) at the Golf Club and enjoy an entertaining evening at our Open Mic Night! Whether you’re keen to watch or brave enough to take the spotlight - solo or
with friends - this is your chance to shine. Want to perform? Pop into the Camp Creative Office and sign up before 10am Wednesday 15th of January.
THURSDAY 16 JANUARY
PARTY IN THE PARK
5.00pm - Sunset
Maam Gadyung Park
Experience Camp Creative in the heart of Bellingen at Maam Gadyung Park. Join us for an outdoor celebration featuring live entertainment on stage, alongside delicious local food vendors. The evening showcases talented Camp Creative students and tutors performing alongside local artists, creating an unforgettable blend of music and performance.
FRIDAY 17 JANUARY
Classroom Exhibitions
12.00pm - 1.00pm
Bellingen High School
Explore the classrooms to discover the creative artworks and handcrafted pieces produced throughout the week.
KIDS & TEENS EVENTS
KIDS SHOWCASE
2.00pm - 3.45pm
Stockton Hall
Prepare to be amazed! Experience an unforgettable showcase of young talent featuring spectacular dance performances, dramatic theatre, dazzling circus acts, and so much more.
All masterfully created by our incredible youth performers in just five days. Be there for this remarkable display of creativity and skill!
GRAND FINALE CONCERT
REHEARSALS 4.30pm -5.30pm
CONCERT 6.30pm - 8.00pm
Stockton Hall
Join us for a dazzling celebration showcasing the week’s finest performances from our diverse arts classes.
We’ll reveal all raffle winners throughout the evening. Performing students will receive specific meeting times and locations from their tutors before the event.
BELLINGEN HIGH SCHOOL
Bellingen is famous for its restaurants and cafes, which line the main street. You'll find many full of local art and often hosting live music.
There is a huge variety of food on offer from fine dining to familyfriendly bistros, cafes to burger bars, pizza, fish and chips... and more.
The canteen at Bellingen High School will be open from 8am until 4pm daily. The canteen only offers a delivery service to St Mary’s Primary School and the Bellingen Youth Hub. The onsite café will also be open. They will be serving coffee, as well as other hot and cold drinks, and sweet treats for takeaway. There is also a coffee van and ice cream stall. Please see the map on page 30 for all locations.
Free fridge space
You are welcome to store any chilled items in our communal fridge (see map on page 30).
ST MARY's PRIMARY SCHOOL
Unfortunately, we were unable to source anyone to run a canteen onsite this time.
Delivery is available to this venue from the high school. See pages 18-19 for canteen menu and delivery information.
ALL OTHER VENUES
We are unable to deliver to other external venues. There are many restaurant and café options available in town.
Scan the QR code to discover the town’s dining options.
Jenni’s Café, operated by Hospitality teacher Kendl Cramer and Bellingen High School students, serves hot and cold beverages and baked goods for students and staff during the school week. The café provides students with real-life skills in customer service, cash handling and food preparation in a hospitality industry setting.
Proceeds from the café and catering events fund new equipment and resources.
Some examples so far: a milk jug rinser, ice machine, EFTPOS system, commercial blenders, slushy machine and café renovations.
During Camp Creative, we will offer a full drink menu and freshly baked goods using quality ingredients and White Horse Coffee, prepared by barista Makayla Day, fully endorsed by the coffee connoisseurs of Bellingen High School.
THINGS TO DO
Welcome to Bellingen! A cultural community with a country town vibe.
Bellingen (known as ‘Bello’ to the locals), a charming town nestled in the heart of New South Wales, Australia, is a haven for nature lovers and creatives alike.
Known for its lush rainforests, vibrant arts scene, and eclectic community spirit, Bellingen offers a unique blend of natural beauty and cultural richness.
There are numerous ways to enjoy Bellingen's beautiful natural surroundings, whether it's paddling a canoe along the winding Bellinger River, or witnessing the breathtaking sight of thousands of flying foxes taking off at dusk as they soar down the river.
Visitors can explore the stunning Dorrigo National Park, enjoy the serene beauty of the Bellinger River, and immerse themselves in the town’s lively markets, cafes, and galleries.
With its laid-back vibe and welcoming atmosphere, Bellingen is the perfect destination for those seeking a tranquil retreat or an inspiring adventure.
Town is quite small, so it is easy to have a wander to check out our local stores.
In the evening you could have a drink and a meal or see a band
at the Federal, or even take in an evening film at our boutique movie theatre The Dark Room.
WANT TO EXPLORE MORE?
Take a scenic drive to Dorrigo, home to the World Heritagelisted Gondwana rainforests of Dorrigo National Park, where you’ll find walking trails and stunning waterfalls.
Urunga, just 15 minutes away, is a charming seaside town popular with summer holidaymakers, offering swimming, beach walks, and cozy cafes.
Mylestom is perfect for fishing, swimming, and enjoying delicious fish and chips.
Sawtell features a fantastic selection of cafes and restaurants, along with beautiful beaches, walking trails, and boutique shops for a bit of retail therapy.
If you’re looking for more, a 30-minute drive will take you to Coffs Harbour, where you can enjoy beaches, nature experiences, shopping centers, botanical gardens, and plenty of familyfriendly activities.
BELLINGEN COMMUNITY MARKETS
SATURDAY 18 JANUARY
8.00am - 2.00pm
Bellingen Community Markets is one of the oldest, largest, and most diverse markets on the coast. There are over two hundred stalls, from handmade creations to recycled, upcycled, and everything in between, including a wide selection of fresh produce, delicious food, coffee and drinks. Live music erupts on the main stage from 10am to 2pm and there’s often inspiring buskers at every corner. Our helpful and friendly community group shakes the bucket as they welcome all through the gates.
Bellingen Community Markets is an inclusive event, celebrating community, culture and diversity. Come and join the fun.
Bellingen Community Markets... Not just a marketplace, but a great place, to be!
Want to share your talents? Students are invited to perform at the market stage and share the skills they’ve learned during Camp Creative. Interested? Contact Kaz at 0400 261 693.
Camp Creative is a Bellingen success story, culturally, socially and financially.
Beyond its exuberant promotion of creative arts learning, and the profile-raising boost it confers on the shire, there’s the simple fact that it brings a massive influx of people and tourism dollars to the town every January. And it’s been doing that for decades.
This article has been featured in full, with permission from the author, Janene Carey. Originally published in the Bellinger Valley Herald 15 May 2024.
Join us in 2026 as we celebrate our 40th Anniversary! a milestone you will not want to miss! 2026 will take place from 12-16 January.
Scan the QR code to to read the second part of Janene Carey’s article on our website.
An adman with a passion for music founded Camp Creative. After a highly successful career that saw him running his own agency, Bill Lockley retired to Bellingen, gathered a small band of helpers from across the region, and used his business acumen and extensive network of contacts to develop a weeklong creative arts event for adults that blended fun and learning.
The executive committee assembled in 1986 included Chairman Geoff Edwards (Dorrigo), Registrar Bill Lockley (Bellingen), Secretary Marcia Douglas (Nambucca), Treasurer Chris Fahey (Bellingen) and Publicity Paul York (Nambucca).
They had no experience staging an event like this, so they paid a visit to the state’s biggest music camp, “Tamusca” in Tamworth, to get advice on how to do it.
Bellingen was chosen as the location because of its
idyllic environment and its convenience for key organisers. On the registration brochure, the event was billed as “a multi-art-form camp for talented people”.
The first Camp Creative was held January 16–26, 1987. It offered courses in acting, movement (related to acting), painting, music (strings, woodwinds, brass, choral) and weaving. It cost $15 a day and 168 people came along.
The acting course started five days before the others. Its first week coincided with a run of 40-degree,high humidity days, so the thespians moved to the RSL Club, the only large airconditioned building in Bellingen at the time.
Unlike modern Camp Creative courses, which generally cater for all ability levels, in 1987 participants for each course except weaving were expected to have at least two to three
years of experience in their chosen field.
The tutors were top calibre. Actor and director Hayes Gordon, founder of the Ensemble Theatre and its training school, was recruited to run the drama segment. Archibald Prize winner Guy Warren took the painters. Musicians handpicked by the Sydney Conservatorium taught the singers and instrumentalists. Bellingen resident Diana Conroy, one of Australia’s top tapestry artists, taught the weaving.
Familiar components like the welcome dinner, the tutors’ concert, the arts and crafts exhibition, the have-a-go bash and the grand finale performance were all part of it from the beginning.
In his detailed account of the 1987 camp, Bill Lockley conservatively estimated that the 200 visitors would have pumped $10,000 into Bellingen’s economy via their spending on accommodation,
food and other items. These days, the annual boost Camp Creative gives to Gross Regional Product is estimated to be $1.12 million, given 1200 attendees, with 80 per cent of them coming from outside the local area.
But despite the success of the first Camp Creative, it didn’t stay in Bellingen. It moved around the North Coast for the next 13 years, popping up in Grafton, Coffs Harbour, Nambucca Heads, Taree. It even spawned a sister Camp Creative in the Blue Mountains. The idea was to spread the cultural and economic benefits around.
The 1988 camp was 30 per cent bigger than the first. There were 16 tutors covering 13 disciplines. Pottery, quilting and creative writing had been added.
By 1990, the range of courses had ballooned. The brochure lists photography, music, dance, embroidery, poetry, writing,
big band, leather work, choral, woodwork, stained glass, wood sculpture, communication, cooking, painting, clowning, weaving and dying, acting, theatre design and pottery.
The tenth camp in 1996 had bestselling author Bryce Courtney as Patron, and Gillian Helfgott, the wife of famous pianist David Helfgott, as President. Bill Lockley was Vice-President, Irene Glassop was Secretary and Christine Fahey was Treasurer. Kerry Child was Camp Coordinator.
But the peripatetic nature of the camp was becoming problematic. The ambition to spread the benefits around the region was admirable but not practical, said Rob Stockton, who joined the committee in 1999. “It was clearly losing ground as it moved from town to town,” Rob said. In 2001, Camp Creative returned to Bellingen and has been there ever since.
bellingen town map
" Working with Camp Creative
has been
a dream come true. I have loved creating artwork that aims to connect people to this beautiful area as well as promote this incredible festival"
Take home a Camp Creative memory! Merch will be available to purchase all week at Bellingen High School, from Sunday 12th to Friday 17th January.
You can find the store at the High School administration block (see map on page 30).
If there is enough stock left, there will also be a stall at the Party in the Park event on Thursday evening.
MERCHANDISE INCLUDES:
• Adult T-Shirts
• Kids T-Shirts
• Aprons
• Hats
• Cotton Bags
$30
$20
$25
$20
$15
• Cotton Hand Towels $20
• Lapel Pins
$8
• Vinyl Stickers $2
MEET THE ARTIST
CRYSTAL TATE
Our artist this year is Crystal Tate, a passionate local creative residing and creating on Gumbaynggirr land. Having been born in Dorrigo, raised in Bellingen, and now raising her own family in Urunga, Crystal is a true local who cherishes the natural beauty of the Shire.
Crystal delights in creating vibrant landscapes and fun mud maps. Each artwork is lovingly hand drawn in her unique and quirky style with the intention of connecting us to the places and people we love. Self taught, evercurious and always growing - Crystal currently produces most of her art by hand in Procreate on her Apple iPad.
Crystal (like many creative types) is always up to something new!
Discover more of her incredible work by following Crystal on instagram @ctillustrations or visiting www.ctillustrations.com to stay updated on her latest creations.
RAFFLE
Our annual raffle will be drawn at the Grand Finale Concert on Friday 17th January.
PRIZES INCLUDE:
There is a huge prize pool this year! Thank You to our generous sponsors. Tickets are $2 each or 3 for $5 (EFTPOS available) and are available from: Merchandise Stall (High School), Guides will be visiting classrooms at the high school & Party in the Park (Thursday evening).
• 1x Camp Creative course
• $500 Quilt Handmade by Gail Slater
• $300 Emporium Bellingen
• $200 voucher from Bellingen Kitchen Shop
• $100 voucher from Hyde Café
• $100 voucher from Island Art Supplies
• $100 voucher from Kombu Wholefoods
• $100 voucher from Bellingen Gallery & Framing Studio
• $79 picnic backpack from Stylish Camping
• $69 woven bag from Dervish
• $60 voucher from Vivid
• 2x $60 sunset canoe tours from Bellingen Canoe Adventures
• $30 voucher from Valley Quality Meats
Camp Creative 2024: A Celebration of Creativity & Community!
It’s always such an uplifting week, packed with creativity and excitement, and the most important part is YOU! A big thanks to all who join us at Camp Creative, both returning and new students. We can’t wait to see you again next year for our special 40th anniversary - don’t forget to spread the word to your friends!
