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RFI Responses - CYC 1 to 8
2 November 2022
Dear Nadine
Central to the operation of the site, and supporting our fundamental philosophy of experiential sustainability, are a few
guiding principles:
• Operational efficiency through good design and quality building materials
• Maximum occupancy – this means removing or reframing many of the barriers/issues teachers have which may
prevent them from booking a school camp.
• Authenticity. All aspects of the operation (site, facilities, staff etc) have a genuine and demonstrable reason for
existence.
Each of these principles will contribute to a financially sustainable operation, with no need for external sources of income
such as government funding.
Responses to each of the questions are below:
1. Clarify the operational aspects of the development in terms of use of the communal dining and communal sport
halls when each of the villages have their own dining facilities. Concerns are raised as to the need and size of the
communal facilities as they are not considered small scale or consistent with existing rural character.
The communal dining hall is designed to accommodate larger groups who wish to book the whole site. Schools are
growing in size and we regularly field enquiries for cohorts of 250+ students. One of the requirements for schools is that
they have a central place to meet and eat together. The dining hall is located in the middle of the site and not visible
from any neighbours.
2. Provide further information as to the how the golf course operations are to be function in conjunction with the
new uses (Group Farm Stay Accommodation). Please note that the expansion of Golf Course clubhouse facilities
and use of the communal buildings for golfing purposes is not supported.
The golf course will not be open to the public. It will become one of our activity offerings, in the same way that we offer
canoeing on the dam. It is expected the golf course to be a major attraction for community groups who will book for
group weekend stays.
3. Provide further information as to whether the site will be used for special events or competitions.
Special events or competitions are not core business of CYC, so it is not expected the site to be used for such things.
Currently, schools book our other sites for 40 weeks of the year with the remaining weeks booked by holiday camps. As
such there is limited to no availability for special events or competitions.
4. Provide further information as to the use of the cooking area shown on Plan A-DA-ca-03.02 – 03. The use of this
area as a cooking school/ experience tourist activity is not supported.
These rooms are fundamental to the vision and the philosophy behind the site, in that students are able to participate in
the food production process. Programs are experiential in nature to the extent that students will learn about water
quality and ways to improve it while canoeing, so too will they learn where their food comes from and how to harvest or
collect it and how it can be turned into scones and jam, for example. Programs such as the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen
Garden Foundation are where we have drawn inspiration from in this instance.
5. Provide further information as to the use of the communal dining hall and whether this will be available to school
groups only or open to the general public and other groups.
The communal dining hall will be available to all groups staying onsite depending on their size. Any group which is too
large to dine at their Village, will have the opportunity to dine in the communal dining hall.
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6. Provide further information as to the proposed staging of the proposal demonstrating how each stage is
intrinsically linked to the agricultural use/operations of the site.
The nature of the site is such that the agriculture/permaculture aspects can operate independently of any construction.
Again, fundamental to the operation of the site is the experiential education around sustainability and food production,
therefore the agriculture/permaculture must support the programs designed to education students from opening. To
this end, cattle are already grazing on the 100 acre paddock and we are in the process of designing the permaculture site
with a view to the menu offered and possible experiential activity for students.
7. Reduce the size and scale of the Communal Area/buildings to a scale that is representative of character of the
area.
The size of the communal areas is necessarily proportionate to the number of students and reason for existence. For
instance, it is necessary to have a dining hall which can accommodate all guests, rather than some guests. Similarly, the
sports hall serves as a meeting place for guests while onsite, a rotational activity place and an area for activities during
inclement weather. The communal areas are fundamental to our guiding principles.
8. Provide further information as to the scope of the ‘other tourist groups’ visiting the site. Information is to include:
8.1. The number and frequency of the ‘other tourist groups’ using the site;
It is expected these groups to book most weekends. It will be our intention to maximise the occupancy of the site.
8.2. The composition of the ‘other tourist groups’;
Other groups are comprised of church groups, special interest groups such as Legacy or craft groups.
8.3. Clarify as to whether the site will be open to the general public in terms of day visitors using facilities of the
site. If the site is to be open to the general public please provide further information demonstrating that the
use is consistent with the existing approval, maintains the rural production of the area and provides
overriding community benefit.
The site will not be open to members of the general public for day visits or similar.
8.4. Provide further information (tenure) as to how the three lots will operate to maintain the rural and ecological
values of the site. In this regard are the lots to be amalgamated?
The original application was approved over the three separate titles and there is no imperative for the sites to be
amalgamated as a result of the change. The ecological values will remain over the site, with no removal of vegetation and
all impacts addressed through the supporting application material.
8.5. How these ‘other tourist groups’ will utilise the site in terms of the connection to the rural production values
of the site;
It is expected the golf course to be a major attraction for community groups who will book for group weekend stays.
Other food and rural production offerings will also be offered to these groups as part of their stay.
8.6. Confirmation that the site will not be used for functions such as weddings, special events, concerts or
competitions.
The site will not be used for functions such as weddings, concerts or events.
Regards