Service Support Officer Jodie Mackenzie said three staff attended the camping trip which was the clients’ idea.

“Every month we go to different locations around Mount Isa to fish. Our clients said it would be great to be able to spend more time out in the bush,” Ms Mackenzie said.

“It was a new experience for some clients because they had never been camping at the Gregory river before,” she said.

“The idea of camping is a way of reconnecting clients to the healing power of nature and to help heal their troubled minds from mild forms of depression and low self-esteem.” 

Ms Mackenzie said the camping trip was a scheduled dry event.

“It acts to moderate the clients’ alcohol consumption while promoting positive social activities away from the cycle of drinking,” she said.

During their stay at teh Gregory, the intrepid adventurer’s fished, went bush walking and enjoyed swimming.

On the first night the campers engaged in a yarning session, there were no phones and no internet service allowed.

“Instead we all connected with nature or colleagues in the natural surroundings.”

Ms Mackenzie said they had a campfire on the last night and used the fire as the only source of light while everyone enjoyed a warm healthy roast and veggies cooked in the camp oven.

“We all sat around the fire using it as our focal point, everyone was encouraged to participate in a yarning session where we opened up a discussion on how much everyone enjoyed the camping experience and what they got out of it.”

One client said it was good to interact with other clients and staff in a different environment and they all got on really well.

Another client said she had never been camping, swimming or fishing before, it was lovely and she had a good time.

A male client remarked how being around nature has helped them shift to a natural sleep cycle making it easier to go to sleep at night and wake up in the morning.

Ms Mackenzie would also like to thank BCF for kindly donating straw hats to the clients.