Long Point Conference Centre – An Alternative Venue for School Camps
Long Point Conference Centre is located 46 kilometres south-west of the Sydney CBD, and has hosted groups of school students on camps for many years. It is an ideal venue for a couple of specific types of school camps, including primary school camps and high school camps.
If your school is in rural New South Wales or interstate, and you wish to take your students on a camp to explore Sydney and its surrounds, LPCC is perfect as a base to stay in.
If you teach senior high school students, LPCC is a great venue for study camps and retreats for these groups. It can also be used by groups of TAFE and university students.
Below is some information about Long Point Conference Centre and how it is well suited to the needs of your group, if you are considering or planning a school camp in NSW, of this type.
School Camp Accommodation in Sydney
Long Point Conference Centre can accommodate groups from 40 up to 150 people. The accommodation consists of ten recently renovated cabins and two dormitories. There is accommodation suitable for teachers or other adults.
The cabins sleep between 2 and 7 people and have bathroom and kitchenette facilities and a small living area. The rooms in the dormitories sleep between 2 and 8 people and bathroom facilities are shared. Pillows are provided, and bed linen can be hired on request. Laundry facilities are available.
Catering Possibilities – Full Catering or Self-Catered Camps
At Long Point Conference Centre, camps can be fully catered or self-catered.
For catered camps, breakfast, lunch and dinner are provided as well as morning tea, afternoon tea and supper. Tea and coffee are available outside meal times. The meals are cooked in the commercial kitchen on site by the experienced catering staff at LPCC. Ensure you contact the venue beforehand if any students or other members of the group have allergies or other dietary requirements, to enquire if these can be catered for.
Meals are generally served in the undercover dining area. However, if your group is planning one or more day trips away from LPCC, contact staff beforehand to request packed lunches and snacks to take along on those days, in lieu of eating lunch and morning and afternoon tea on site. In addition, if you know you will need to leave LPCC early or return late due to your program on any given day, contact staff in advance to arrange a suitable alternative time for breakfast and/or dinner if desired.
Groups also have the option of catering for themselves, using the fully equipped commercial kitchen.
Current daily rates for catered and self-catered camps can be found here.
Conference and Study Facilities for School Camps
Long Point Conference Centre is well equipped with facilities suitable for large and smaller school camps, for students of varying ages.
The auditorium seats up to 200 people and is air-conditioned. It can be used for such purposes as lectures, seminars, slideshows and movie nights. It has a stage and is fully equipped with audio-visual equipment including a multimedia projector, sound mixer and stage lights. There is an adjoining kitchen and servery for catering purposes. If you are looking to hire a hall in Sydney for a few hours (e.g., for a study lecture) instead of for an overnight school camp, this is something we offer too!
The dining area can be also used for group work or study at tables.
There are also rooms and areas suitable for smaller groups of students such as study sessions or group discussions. A small meeting room seats up to 10 people. The café seats up to 35 people at small tables. It has a pot-belly stove making for a cosy atmosphere in the colder months. A flat screen TV is available for use in either of these rooms.
In addition, there are outdoor seating areas with tables in various areas of the landscaped grounds.
Sport and Recreation Facilities for School Camps
Long Point Conference Centre is a venue with sports facilities and has good possibilities for organised or informal sport, recreation and relaxation for students.
A grass sports field can be used for soccer and other sports. Flood lights enable it to be used after dark. There are also cricket nets, volleyball courts, a basketball ring and a table tennis table. Just ensure you read up on volleyball rules before the game to avoid debates! Sports equipment may be available for guests to use, upon request.
The resort-style swimming pool can be used all year round. The inviting pool area features shade sails, landscaping including palm trees and lawn, and change rooms, toilet and shower facilities. There are comfortable pool-side chairs available for use and the electric sauna can also be utilised on request.
Children enjoy the large adventure playground which includes a sandpit shaded by a shade sail. The playground has tables, chairs and benches, also under shade sails, for adults to relax while supervising the children who are playing.
Long Point Conference Centre is located within native Australian bushland close to the Georges River. The area has a number of bushwalks, ranging from easy ones suitable for young children, to more challenging hikes for older primary school or high school students. Native flora, birds and wildlife can be seen both at LPCC and in the surrounding bushland.
Long Point Conference Centre – Best Venue for School Camps in Sydney
Located within an hours’ drive south-west of the Sydney CBD, Long Point Conference Centre is well suited as a venue for school groups who wish to experience the attractions of Australia’s largest city. In fact, it has hosted groups of tourists from interstate and even overseas for many years. Staying overnight at LPCC, after breakfast these groups then leave for the city or other attractions during the day, returning possibly for dinner or evening activities.
Coach or Van Hire
School groups coming to stay at Long Point Conference Centre from rural New South Wales will most likely travel by road, for example by coach or van. Having a vehicle available for the duration of the camp means that the group can conveniently travel to any attractions they wish during their camp.
When planning a day trip to the city, look for attractions located within walking distance of each other. Then, keeping in mind your itinerary for the day, consider where to park. Many undercover car parks have height restrictions or are otherwise unsuitable for large vehicles. However, on street parking for a number of hours can be difficult to find. By doing some research in advance, you will save your group inconvenience on the day. Some information about parking for buses and coaches in Sydney can be found here.
In addition, be aware that the most direct route from LPCC to the city includes tolls. The trip is just under 50 kilometres and takes about an hour depending on traffic.
Public Transport in near Long Point
Ingleburn Railway Station is located about 5 kilometres or approximately 6 minutes’ drive from LPCC. Ingleburn Station is on the East Hills and Airport line. The trip to Central Station takes around 50 minutes to an hour depending on the time of day. School groups that have hired a van or coach for the duration of their camp could conveniently drive to the station, park there and then get on the train. Unfortunately group train bookings are not available – each member of the group will need their own Opal card (smartcard ticket) to travel. More information about Opal cards can be found here.
Attractions Located In or Near Sydney CBD
The city of Sydney is home to many world-famous attractions and it would not be possible to name them all here. A few of the best-known are listed below.
The Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb allows you to experience the “coat-hanger” from a different angle as well as giving you stunning views of the city and surrounds. There are climbs of varying lengths and all must be booked well in advance.
Another alternative is simply to walk across the bridge using the pedestrian walkway. This is free and no bookings are required. However, the south-east pylon has a Pylon Lookout which can be climbed for a small admission fee. The walk takes between 15 and 30 minutes (not including climbing the lookout) and has views of the Harbour, Opera House, Circular Quay and the city skyline.
Taronga Zoo has a large variety of native Australian and exotic animals, as well as a great location with views over Sydney Harbour and the Sydney Opera House. Student workshops, self-guided tours and full day educational programs can be booked. Free resources for teachers are available to download beforehand.
The Sydney Opera House is an iconic landmark which is on many people’s “bucket list” to see. It is also possible for school groups to book tours or see a performance inside.
The Royal Botanic Garden is Australia’s oldest botanic garden with a huge collection of native and exotic plants. Entry is free.
The Sydney Tower Eye is the highest building in Sydney. As well as taking in the view from the observation deck, it is possible to book a Skywalk around the outside or eat in one of the restaurants.
Other well-known attractions include Sea Life, Wild Life, Madame Tussauds, Luna Park and Raging Waters. And as the oldest city in Australia, Sydney also has many sites of great historical and educational value.
Sample day trip programs to the city covering several attractions in one day can be found on websites such as this one. It is also possible to buy tickets to a number of attractions at a discount.
Other Day Trips Possible from Long Point Conference Centre
Symbio Wildlife Park in Helensburgh is about 50 kilometres or 50 minutes’ drive from LPCC. This is a family owned and operated zoo. Here your students can see many native Australian animals such as koalas, kangaroos and snakes, as well as a range of exotic animals. You can interact with some of the animals and have pictures taken with them as well as book “behind the scenes” experiences.
Symbio also has a Splash Park for water play during the summer months, and a Farmyard Precinct for those who love to feed and play with farm animals.
The Royal National Park is about 43 kilometres or about 50 minutes’ drive from LPCC. It is the second oldest national park in the world. The park has many opportunities for activities suitable for students of varying ages. These include surfing, fishing, bushwalking to waterfalls and lookouts, cycling and barbecues. This park contains bushland, coastal cliffs and beaches and has a variety of native wildlife including birds and whales (off the coast).
The Australian Botanic Garden at Mount Annan is located about 19 kilometres or about 20 minutes’ drive from LPCC. This garden, set on 416 hectares, is the largest botanic garden in Australia. It features over 4000 varieties of native Australian flora as well as wildlife. Entry is free and facilities include walking and cycling tracks, barbecues and picnic areas. The garden hosts events and activities especially for children such as craft and education sessions. Check their website for events that will be on when your school group visits.
Study Camps and Retreats in Sydney
For many Year 12 students, their final year of high school is extremely busy and stressful, as they study hard to achieve the marks required for their hoped-for future career. These students can often benefit from going away from home for a camp or retreat for a weekend or a few days, for example some time before their final exams, or before major assignments are due.
Groups of TAFE or university students could also benefit from a study camp at some point during their course.
During a study camp or retreat at Long Point Conference Centre, students can get a chance to relax in the bushland environment, as well as getting some concentrated study sessions away from the distractions of home and family life. It is also possible to organise seminars or talks for the group on relevant topics such as study techniques or stress management. The students can then return home, hopefully refreshed and “recharged” to continue their studies.
School Camp Venue NSW
Doing your research when selecting a venue for your school camp will ensure you maximise the benefit to your students. The facilities and location of Long Point Conference Centre make it ideally suited as a venue for school groups visiting Sydney, and study camps and retreats.
Disclaimer: Information provided about tourist attractions is of a general nature, and Long Point Conference Centre is not affiliated with any of the attractions listed.