AS ONE of the region’s longest-running local charitable events, BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort’s 20th annual ‘Camp and Scare’ once again didn’t disappoint, as local and regional families descended on the ghoulish fantasy land, on the weekend.
With the resort full of excited children and parents enjoying plenty of spooky fun, the in-demand Halloween family minibreak for a good cause was once again a sell-out.
Booked up to two years in advance, Camp and Scare proved as popular as ever, while raising a staggering total of $15,008.87 for the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) North Australia.
Camp and Scare is an annual family charity weekend held by BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort, not only to raise funds for local charities, but to also offer a special family experience for locals to enjoy the great outdoors for a night of camping under the stars or in the comfort of a cabin.
BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort then donates all money raised from Friday night’s camp site bookings and from gold coin donations raised from a weekend of super fun and super scary activities.
From the moment of check-in, families enjoyed a weekend of Halloween style fun, including a monster pancake breakfast, eerie outdoor disco, scary sausage sizzle, witches brew slushies, spooky sand art, freaky biscuit decorating, crazy hair and braiding and, of course, the ultimate Halloween activity, Trick or Treat, along with loads of other spine-tingling fun!
Guests went ‘all out’ decorating for the spookiest campsite, cabin, family costume and individual costume competitions, which saw sites and cabins transformed into scary haunts, and guests young and old dressed up in creepy costumes, creating an atmosphere to rival any Halloween celebrations.
On top of the many special activities, Camp and Scare also offered plenty of free entertainment with a host of amazing facilities, including the huge water park, animal park feeding and Halloween themed movies at the outdoor cinema.
Each year, the resort chooses a local charity to support and raise funds for, with last year’s recipient being Whitsunday Housing Co’s Tiny Homes Project and, in recent years, RACQ CQ Rescue, the Whitsunday Neighbourhood Centre and the Proserpine Community Centre.
On Monday morning, the BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort team presented Samantha Baker, the Community Engagement Executive for the Mackay & Whitsundays Region at Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) North Australia, with a charity cheque for $15,008.87.
Ronald McDonald House Charities North Australia is dedicated to supporting families in the Mackay and Whitsundays region through vital practical care programs, including the Ronald McDonald Family Room and the RMHC Hospitality Cart, which operate in the Paediatric Wards of Mackay Base Hospital, in addition to the Ronald McDonald House, in Townsville.
Expressing her gratitude to the community for their support, Ms Baker said the funds raised will assist Mackay and Whitsunday families who rely on RMHC’s important services in times of need.
“A huge thank you to the team at BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort for choosing Ronald McDonald House Charities North Australia as the Camp and Scare fundraising beneficiary,” Ms Baker said.
“Without this kind of support, we wouldn’t be able to offer the facilities we have in Mackay, as well as the Ronald McDonald House in Townsville.
“More than a third of the families who stay at the Ronald McDonald House in Townsville are from the Mackay and Whitsunday region and most of us know a family that have used these services and facilities during difficult times.
“It was fantastic to attend Camp and Scare and to be part of the judging process. It was a wonderful vibe and I enjoyed chatting to the many locals who supported the event, while taking some valuable time out for a fun weekend with their families.”
In 2023 alone, RMHC helped more than 2,200 families from the Mackay and Whitsunday region.
The Mackay Family Room provided a comforting space for 1,350 families, with 240 using the sleep rooms for much-needed rest.
Additionally, 25 local students who missed school due to illness or injury benefited from the Ronald McDonald Learning Program.
BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort CEO Phil Casey said the resort’s annual charitable activities were well ingrained and aligned with the long-term ethos of the resort’s owners, the McKinnon family.
“This is the 20th year that we have held Camp and Scare, with this particular event now being a key component in our annual community charity program,” Mr Casey said.
“While we support our local community in many, many ways throughout the year, Camp and Scare has become an annual family event not to be missed, while raising funds which will directly support families in our local community in times of need.”
BIG 4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort holds Camp and Scare every year, in late October or early November. For advance bookings, please call BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort on 4948 5400.
