Young People Ahead have told Mount Isa City Council of their five-year-plan to reopen the Youth Camp at Lake Moondarra.
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Young People Ahead launched a petition to reopen the camp formerly known as the Lions Youth Camp and the petition has over 170 signatories.
On Wednesday YPA's Alvin Hava presented their plan for the camp at the fortnightly Mount Isa City Council meeting.
Mr Hava said they had been lobbying the council since 2014 to reopen the camp which was closed in 2010 (though it was briefly reopened and closed again in 2016 after Joyce McCulloch's council was elected as being too costly to maintain).
Mr Hava said in 2016 he met with then Mayor Joyce McCulloch about a proposal to reopen it involving a $1,000,000 donation from a corporate sponsor but that was declined by council.
"That funding is still on the table as far as I am aware, as well as additional funding from business partners," Mr Hava.
"We want to find a way of reopening the site."
He said they wanted to partner with the council and business partners to reopen the camp again for young people.
Mr Hava proposed a five year timeline to fully reopen the site at a cost of $3.5 million though he admitted his costs were "ballpark" though he hoped the site could be self sustaining after a few years.
Mr Hava said the first step would be to prepare a business plan but he believed that in the first year a million dollars would cover the cost of reopening the camp.
Future steps include setting up a vegetable and fruit garden and eco-tourism opportunities as well as setting up traditional Aboriginal cultural tourism and initiating traditional native land usage with a strong educational component.
Mr Hava said plans could include training and employment opportunities in primary industries, aqua/agriculture, tourism, cultural heritage, land and conversation management, while showcasing to the world the Great Outback Experience through bush camps, treks, cultural walks, water activities and corporate events.
He said YPA's vision was to once again make the youth camp a premier location for the benefit of youth and community so as to reignite long lasting memories for future generations to come.
The camp was closed in 2010 and Mount Isa Water Board handed it over to Mount Isa City Council in 2014 and Council said at the time it would approach community groups, including the PCYC and Young People Ahead before reopening the camp.
It was renamed the Mount Isa Youth Camp in early 2016 and reopened for business however it was quickly closed again after new mayor Joyce McCulloch said the camp needed extensive repairs and upgrades, including a filtration system to meet compliance.
A council tourism strategy released in 2019 earmarked the camp for development to create a glamping eco village aimed at boosting the tourism market and enhancing the region's appeal as a premier outback destination.
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Derek Barry
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
