Mill Valley Ranch is a Christian Youth Camp in Tynong North, South East of

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

, Australia.

History

Established by Arthur & Bonnie Bartlett, Joy & Warren Carrol & Eric Watts in 1967, upon the invitation of the Weatherheads, a

sawmilling A sawmill (saw mill, saw-mill) or lumber mill is a facility where logs are cut into lumber. Modern sawmills use a motorized saw to cut logs lengthwise to make long pieces, and crosswise to length depending on standard or custom sizes (dimensi ...

family who pioneered the area. The idea of an inter-denominational Christian camp for young people, designed as a western village, the campsite began small. Along with Arthur and Bonnie, a builder and a cook joined the team to develop the campsite. The name "Mill Valley Ranch" was chosen to reflect the main business of the area, which was

, the campsite's location, the valley, and the nature of the campsite, being a

horse riding Equestrianism (from Latin , , , 'horseman', 'horse'), commonly known as horse riding (Commonwealth English) or horseback riding (American English), includes the disciplines of riding, driving, and vaulting. This broad description includes the ...

ranch. On 10 June 1967, Arthur and Bonnie with their 3 young children Donald, Debbie & Deanna came to live in the valley. Eric Watts the Cook & Warren the builder and Joy Carroll with Robert (2) and newly born Peter also came to make the team that started Mill Valley Ranch. Wagon wheels and chassis were donated from all over

Gippsland Gippsland is a rural region that makes up the southeastern part of Victoria, Australia, mostly comprising the coastal plains to the rainward (southern) side of the Victorian Alps (the southernmost section of the Great Dividing Range). It cove ...

. Four Sleeping Wagons and a Dining Wagon which sat 40 were built; a Chuck Wagon of the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

was restored as a Kitchen. On 6 January 1969 the first camp was held with 28 Campers and 10 Staff. The cost was just $24.

Christian Youth Camps

Christian Youth Camps, most initially established by churches or groups of churches, offer programs for young people during school holidays. Programs revolve around activities, usually in the outdoors, as well as spiritual input and development. Mill Valley Ranch is unique, in that it was established from the very beginning, not by any specific denomination, but specifically as an inter-denominational camp. Activities at Mill Valley Ranch focus on developing the individual, while being fun for the children. Some of these activities include

, archery, team games, initiative courses and the ropes courses, as well as others, which each present challenging situations for the children to learn from. In this way, the children are encouraged to develop skills in

leadership Leadership, both as a research area and as a practical skill, encompasses the ability of an individual, group or organization to "lead", influence or guide other individuals, teams, or entire organizations. The word "leadership" often gets vi ...

initiative In political science, an initiative (also known as a popular initiative or citizens' initiative) is a means by which a petition signed by a certain number of registered voters can force a government to choose either to enact a law or hold a ...

teamwork Teamwork is the collaborative effort of a group to achieve a common goal or to complete a task in the most effective and efficient way. This concept is seen within the greater framework of a team, which is a group of interdependent individua ...

and

self esteem Self-esteem is confidence in one's own worth or abilities. Self-esteem encompasses beliefs about oneself (for example, "I am loved", "I am worthy") as well as emotional states, such as triumph, despair, pride, and shame. Smith and Mackie (2007) d ...

Cultural significance

Mill Valley Ranch is a local landmark of great significance. Established in 1967, it is one of the area's oldest developments still in operation today. Many buildings on the property have been relocated from other areas, such as: * The Chapel—formerly Montrose

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's ...

Church * The Station—formerly

Tynong railway station Tynong railway station is located on the Gippsland line in Victoria, Australia. It serves the town of Tynong, and it opened on 12 February 1880.Drouin Drouin is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * André Drouin (c. 1947 – 2017), Canadian politician * Claude Drouin (born 1956), Canadian politician * Derek Drouin (born 1990), Canadian high jumper * Francis Drouin (born 1983), Ca ...

East Primary School * The Jailhouse—formerly

Lang Lang Lang Lang (; born 14 June 1982) is a Chinese pianist who has performed with leading orchestras in China, North America, Europe, and elsewhere. Active since the 1990s, he was the first Chinese pianist to be engaged by the Berlin Philharmonic, ...

Police station's jail cell * The Blacksmith's Shop—relocated from

Healesville Healesville is a town in Victoria, Australia, 52 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district, located within the Shire of Yarra Ranges local government area. Healesville recorded a population of 7,589 in the 2021 census. H ...

(origin needs verification) There are also other historic items, such as the train—located outside the restored Tynong Station. The locomotive is an original 1944 4wDM

Ruston & Hornsby Ruston & Hornsby was an industrial equipment manufacturer in Lincoln, England founded in 1918. The company is best known as a manufacturer of narrow and standard gauge diesel locomotives and also of steam shovels. Other products included ca ...

Locomotive, which had been used on the Moreton Sugar Mill in Nambour, Queensland, Australia.Preserved Australian Sugar Cane Locomotives
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References

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Sources

* http://www.lrrsa.org.au/LRR_SGRc.htm

External links

* http://www.mvr.org.au Christian summer camps 1967 establishments in Australia Christian organizations established in 1967 Organisations based in Victoria (state)