Cooinda Retreats is one of the best equipped and most enviably located sites for school camps in South Australia.
Only an hour from the Adelaide CBD, Cooinda Retreats is the ideal base for experiencing the many and varied attractions of Victor Harbor and its surrounds. Enjoy modern amenities in an idyllic rural setting, plus a variety of on-site sporting and recreation facilities.
School Camps at Victor Harbor
When it comes to school camp locations, it’s hard to imagine anywhere better than the stunning grounds, facilities and setting at Cooinda Retreats.
Suitable for primary and secondary school groups of up to 150 people, Cooinda Retreats provides a cost-effective, fully-catered camp experience on spacious grounds and featuring first-rate accommodation.
Accommodation Options
The Bunkhouses
The Bunkhouses provides a fully-catered, authentic camp experience in bunkhouse-style group accommodation.
Comprised of 5 bunkhouses, this type of camp can accommodate small to large groups of up to 148 campers.
Our modern, spacious bunkhouses have new full-size bunk beds and mattresses with freshly painted walls to brighten anyone’s day!
Working out your group’s dynamics in advance is easy with our Bunkhouse/sleeping plans.
Tents & Stargazing
Tents & Stargazing is designed for a minimal-impact camping experience, where you have exclusive use of our campground.
The campground occupies a secluded area of Cooinda Retreats and has its own outdoor kitchen, toilet and shower facilities, as well as a Teacher’s lodge.
We can cater fully or partially for you, or you may self-cater in our outdoor Camp Kitchen.
All guests are to bring their own camping equipment, but we are able to assist in providing some camp equipment. Additional cooking equipment brought on site must be compliant with recognised Fire Danger Ratings.
Lemon Myrtle Lodge
A private lodge situated on the Tents & Stargazing campground which provides the small luxuries that teachers and camp leaders can enjoy.
The lodge provides a base and indoor space for computer work and moving paper about. The deck is another great space for gazing over the campground and as a gathering place for meals and buzz sessions.
For large Bunkhouse bookings, Lemon Myrtle Lodge can be occupied by teachers and camp leaders.
Lemon Myrtle Lodge contains:
- Kitchenette with coffee machine, microwave and full-size refrigerator
- Television and couch
- Bathroom with toilet & shower
- Bunkroom with 5 bunks (sleeps 10)
- Queen bedroom
- Dining area with large meeting table
Activities
When you book with Cooinda Retreats, you have full control over your choice of activity providers, so you can structure your days in a way that best suits the specific needs of your group.
As well as being an excellent base from which to experience popular nearby tourist attractions, the campground has a range of indoor and outdoor areas for all your on-site activities.
Take advantage of the DIY activity kits we offer and make use of our extensive grounds to keep the learning on site. We have both indoor and outdoor recreation areas, as well as a hall that is ideal for group activities. Plus it’s only a short walk down to the beach, where there’s an array of aquatic adventures to enjoy.
The camp is large enough to allow you to run several team activities; your group will never be at the mercy of the weather!
Facilities & Amenities
- The Homestead (main hall & kitchen)
- Scribbly Gum Cottage (recreation room)
- Enclosed verandah dining area
- AV equipment, projectors & games
- Male/Female amenities block
- Accessible amenities block
- Extensive lawned grounds
- Basketball/half tennis court
- Sand volleyball court with flood lighting
- Native boardwalk
- Bonfire pit
- Sporting equipment use
The Homestead
Our Homestead is where gatherings take place – a wonderful base for on-site activity programs or an amazing Retreat experience.
The Homestead is a large indoor space with an open fireplace, additional heating, and air-conditioning, equipped with AV equipment for all your media and audio needs. It also leads onto the commercial kitchen where our handmade meals are served from.
The Homestead’s sizable balcony dining area has exquisite views down to the coastline and overlooks the greater Bunkhouse area. In summer, open the café blinds and let the breeze float in, or enclose the verandah and enjoy heating during winter months.
Scribbly Gum Cottage
A renovated yet rustic open space cottage primarily used as a recreation room – but is also perfect for workshops, concentration, reflection or another room for presentations.
Scribbly Gum Cottage can also be converted to a stretcher-bed space accommodating 21 campers.
Catering
We are serious about food.
With a desire to adopt a healthy attitude towards everyday food selection, our expert catering team take a holistic approach to menu design, food preparation and service delivery.
Our food is handmade and cooked on-site using fresh produce. We serve dishes that are wholesome, tasty and full of variety.
We strive for a sustainable catering experience – we use compostable plates and cutlery, with reusable serving plates and bowls.
We offer a menu to suit many dietary needs including Gluten-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian and Lactose-Free.
Whilst we cater for Gluten-Free, we take Coeliac Disease extremely seriously and we would need to talk further with you about any individuals with Coeliac Disease.
Individual dietary likings may be catered for, but will also attract an additional fee. Individual dietary likings may include FODMAPs, Keto, Paleo, Colour Avoidance diets and the Rainbow Diet.
Sample Menu
- Delish-Burgers with our special house-made Retreat Relish
- Nourish Bowls bursting with goodness
- House-made Pizza
- Vego Chili Bean bursting with flavour
- Gourmet Barossa Smoked Hotdogs
- Lunchtime Cheeseburgers
- Selection of Delicious Cakes
- Homemade cookies (that smell divine!)
- Raw vegetable and fruit platters prepared with a variety of healthy dips
- Harbor Bakery delivered rolls to prepare huge lunch feasts
- Continental Breakfast
Site Layout
Our site is positioned at the top of a hill overlooking the stunning Victor Harbor coastline. Our main buildings, bunkhouses and amenities are together on one side of the campsite; with our minimal impact campground on the other side of the site, surrounded by nature and away from all the hustle and bustle of camp life.
With a range of indoor and outdoor spaces, a number of learning and creating hubs can be established. Our beautiful lawned area is the perfect space for large group activities.
Frequently Asked Questions
You are in luck! Both are great. In the Bunkhouses you are with all your friends and a hard roof over your head. In the Tents you are with your bestie and the stars are over your head. You could always try both!
Absolutely. Just like other camp spots. We are unable to secure your booking until a deposit is paid.
Your booking is confirmed once the deposit is received. We request a deposit of 25% of the total booking to secure your camp. Should you cancel your booking, the deposit amount will be forfeited against the cost of creating and securing the initial booking and re-opening the dates for a future booking.
If staying in Bunkhouses:
Generally, no, but there are exceptions. Weekend groups often have the option to self-cater at our Camp Kitchen. There are limited washing and cooking facilities for self-catering. Bringing crockery and cutlery and all the necessary condiments can be a big exercise, and it is much easier to sit back and enjoy our wonderful feasts.
If staying in Tents & Stargazing:
You can either self-cater or we can cater for you. Self-catering is in our camp kitchen, and fully-catered is through our commercial kitchen. For large groups, we recommend a fully-catered camp.
We are a camp venue, but we have created a special place where your teachers, students and the “others” can come and enjoy a little piece of serenity and what we call “away-ness”. It is peaceful here, you are surrounded by beauty and the environment here makes you feel like you are being nurtured and given the opportunity to escape the busy-life.
We provide a lovely crisp white sheet for your bed and ask you to provide a pillow and sleeping bag/quilt/doona/throw rug/ (you get the picture). All of your toiletries, a shower towel and a beach towel if you prefer to dry off in the shower without a sandy towel. Warm clothes as we never know what the weather will be like coast-side. It is always best to be prepared!
Bring shorts & a hat, or a warm jacket and beanie. We have a fireplace and amazing diesel heaters to keep you toasty in the Homestead, and large air conditioners to keep you cool when it is a scorcher. The Bunkhouses are fitted with fans.
We have a 98-inch TV and it is wicked! Your media is beamed up to the big screen by plugging your HDMI cable into our HDMI socket.
Absolutely. We have 3 taps outside the Homestead to fill up your water bottles with filtered water. We have reusable cups for breakfast juice only. We do have awesome Cooinda Retreats water bottles to purchase if anyone comes unprepared.
It goes into our compost heap and soon, to our hens – which we are very excited about!
Book your School Camp now!
We are committed to making our first-rate camp facilities accessible to all, and are always happy to provide a free, no-obligation quote based on the specific needs of your school. However, if you want to book an incredible school camp at a time that suits, you need to reserve your place as soon as possible! Call us on 1300 445 910 or fill in the enquiry form.