Testimonials – Camp Icthus

Testimonials from our 2023 campers

About their camp experience

overall the leaders the other campers and the activities were so amazing i enjoyed this years
camp so much
Camp is such a safe place for me and I have loved coming for the past 4 years. Everyone at camp is such awesome people to be around.
The people and activities are fun and engaging I love the place and the family created
It was lots of fun and I enjoyed my time a lot.
Because its Icthus
It was an experience words can’t describe
it was pretty cool
I really enjoyed all of the activities and overnighters and trying new things. And the
community built by all the people was so good, I felt safe and cared for and they made me
smile.
Because it’s the experiences I had on camp I’ll never forget
Thank you so much, I was apprehensive about going at first but I loved it.

About our volunteer leaders

the skill and ability on all of the leaders were very good as every leader knew what they
needed to be doing and had great knowledge
They were like home away from home parents.
They all knew what they were doing and I felt safe and capable in their hands, they also
provided emotional support
They were all very friendly and knowledgeable about camp.
The leaders were outstanding helped me with everything I needed, made me feel welcome
as a time first camper
They were able to answer our questions and clearly knew what they were doing, and I could
also see that they continued to learn from each other.

From the Parents and Guardians 2023

My son said it was fantastic! He wants to return.
He came home very happy. He loved the camp again and had so many positive experiences
as well as met lots of great campers and leaders. Many thanks!
He came back with so much to share and so many new skills and experiences that he will
have memories of long into the future.
Every year she finds that these were the best days of the year. She enjoys very much
engaging in activities, both with the other kids and with the camp leaders. She particularly
enjoys the fact that campers do not come from the same school, so that you don’t end up
talking about the usual things but you rather engage on different types of conversation,
enjoying the moment.
He came back very happy and having developed sailing skills (being the captain of the sail
boat)
She had a fantastic time, she came back glowing – thank you! She loved the outdoor experiences, having fun with friends and the Icthus community.
Our children love the activities and the positive environment that Icthus provides. A key drawcard is the diversity of the campers and leaders.
The kids had a fantastic time and didn’t want to come home
Camp was fun and challenging, and my son learned lots of new skills and made new friends
The communication I had with Camp Icthus was thoughtful and appropriate and I was never left wondering what the procedures would be. Follow up was when it was expected and I did not have to chase anyone to find anything out. Pro-active.
Great communication in advance of the camp. Helpful leaders. Such a positive experience for our son that we really value and have not been able to find elsewhere.
We always found that we can really trust the organisation. If we don’t hear anything, we know that this is because everything is going very well.
We also felt very supported. In previous years we learned that we could fully trust the camp leaders, and this time we were also feeling very relaxed about having xxxxx there. Once we received a call to tell us that xxxxx was having a moment of crisis, we felt that the organisation was fully able and willing to support her. We are very thankful for letting her have such a beautiful experience.
Thank you for running such a wonderful camp. Five stars 🙂
Thank you so much for providing such a unique and positive experience for kids!
We noticed that a level of more maturity returned after the camp experience. Wonderful to see.
This is an amazing organisation. Our 3 very different children have one thing in common – a love of Icthus!
The camp had a very positive impact on the kids and their behaviour at home has changed, they respect each other better.
Thank you for another wonderful camp. Both kids had a fantastic time. Camp Icthus has been invaluable to my children in helping them to build their confidence with peers (whilst having fun outdoor adventures!) They love and admire the leaders and have made lasting friendships with other campers. Our deepest gratitude to everyone who makes it possible. Thank you!

Further testimonials

“My life! Camp, and the amazing friend’s I’ve made through it, got me through high school and to where I am today.”
Lucy Wirtz – Camper, Leader, Committee member

“As a camper, I was challenged physically and emotionally to move out of my comfort zone. I was supported by friends and relatives to be honest about my sexuality and my history. I have learnt what real leadership looks like, the value of true human connection and the raw power of mother nature.”
Max Johnson – Camper, Leader, Skipper, Committee member

“Wow, after so many years, this is a hard one to answer. A husband for one and so, so many wonderful friends, so much laughter, tears, soul searching, enabling, encouraging, growing. Icthus has been a huge part of my life and continues to be. I was a shy, insecure young woman when I first became involved with very little experience in bush or adventure skills. Quickly through my years as a leader I developed confidence and leadership qualities, going on to Skipper and be President of the organisation for a time. My passion now is to assist in the mentoring of the young leaders coming through although I still get just as much joy and fulfilment from the campers.”
Jill Forshaw – Leader, Skipper, Committee member, Honorary member

“A place that was and is still mine, that I looked forward to all year, where I could be silly and physical and get dirty. in some years, it was my saving grace. camp is a big part of who i am – i grew up through camp, as a teen and then as a young adult. it has given me experiences and skills that I probably take for granted much of the time, but that I may not have developed if camp wasn’t part of my life.”
Chris Forbes – Camper, Leader, Skipper, Committee member, Honorary member

“Initially, simply a fun 10 days of my summer. I loved connecting to people from places away from where I lived (rural Victoria) and having the opportunity to meet and make friends with so many others my age out of a school environment. As I got older and continued to return each summer, I found it comforting to have Icthus as a tradition, a constant throughout the otherwise everchanging adolescent years. I also gained many hard skills in outdoor living, how to sail a boat and canoe rapids and tie knots. My perception of what I was capable of grew, and I found myself feeling very confident in outdoor activities. At 16 I planned and undertook a 3 day solo hike, with no input from others (including transport), and have now started outdoor ed work with other organisations and schools based greatly from my experience at Icthus.”
Grace Arnold – Camper, Leader

“I saw gender equality for the first time and I decided as a 14 year old that I wanted to be one of those strong, independent women. I also faced some fears and felt genuine acceptance of the “real” me.” –
Michelle Crozier – Camper, Leader, Skipper, Committee member, Honorary member

“Hi Guys,
Cannot thank you enough! The kids are dead tired, but can’t stop talking about the amazing time they had on Camp – loads of fun stories and tears for friends made and goodbyes. Nothing but thrilled for them!
They are even talking about next year!”
The Goddard/Harvey Clan