About the Don Bosco Camp

Don Bosco Camp’s mission is, and always has been, to provide holiday camps for poor and disadvantaged young people. Being a not-for-profit organisation, the camp hires the site out during term time to finance the holiday camps for young people who would otherwise go without.

Established in 1945 as a summer holiday camp for poor young boys, the camp has grown over its 70 years to include a wide range of clients including schools, youth groups, sporting and community organisations. The inclusion of additional clientele has allowed the camp’s mission work to expand to include additional programs such as winter camps, leadership programs and Asylum Seeker holiday programs.

History of the Don Bosco Camp

The Don Bosco Camp was established in 1945 by the Salesians of Don Bosco, a Catholic religious order founded by an Italian priest, Father (Don) John Bosco during the 1800s. Don Bosco firmly believed that education was a matter of the heart; that it is not enough for the young to be loved; they must know that they are loved.

It is this tradition that commits the Don Bosco camp to supporting young people, especially the poor and disadvantaged, by offering recreational, retreat and educational experiences in short term group settings. The Safety Beach site has been offering holiday camps for young people since 1945, and its summer and winter holiday camps continue this tradition today.

The Salesians of Don Bosco continue to operate worldwide with more than 20,000 members involved in over 2700 various works. It is the third largest missionary organization in the world. For more information on the Salesians of Don Bosco, please visit their Australia website: www.salesians.org.au