This year, we celebrate 37 years of The Collaroy Centre as you know it today, a purpose-built space where thousands have come to connect, grow, and find something more.
But our story didn’t begin in 1988. It began with a cup of tea.
In the late 1800s, a Salvation Army officer visited a sick, elderly woman named Elizabeth Jenkins. That simple act of compassion sparked a relationship, and eventually, a legacy, that would shape the Northern Beaches for generations.
Elizabeth bequeathed her family’s land to The Salvation Army in 1900, and with it, laid the foundation for what would become one of Australia’s oldest and most loved Christian campsites.
The perfect place to serve
In the early days, this land was used to provide care and purpose to those in need, homes for vulnerable children, industrial farms for rehabilitation, places of rest for weary officers.
By the 1920s, camps were being run under canvas for children from across the state, girls from inner-city suburbs, boys from the bush, and mothers from remote regions who’d never seen the sea.
Even during wartime, the Collaroy camp stood in service, temporarily becoming home to Garrison Battalions in the 1940s.
Whether for support, healing or respite, this place has always been here to serve.
The perfect place to camp
From those early bush tents to the development of dormitories, kitchens, and community halls, Collaroy has long been a place where people came together to share life.
Generations of Salvation Army youth attended music camps, leadership retreats, and spiritual weekends that inspired lifelong commitment and connection.
And in 1988, the site was redeveloped as a world-class campsite and retreat centre — launched with vision, prayer, and a lot of hard work.
The Collaroy Centre as we know it today was born.
The perfect place to connect
Over the past 37 years, The Collaroy Centre has welcomed thousands of students, churches, families, youth groups, and leaders.
It’s been the backdrop for high ropes victories and rainy-day reflections, for first-time campers and seasoned volunteers.
It’s where schoolmates become friends, where leaders are formed, and where guests feel at home, even if they’re far from it.
We’ve become a place where people can take a breath, find some perspective, and return to the world changed – even if just a little.
The perfect place to dream
As we look to the future, we carry the spirit of those who came before us, those who gave generously, worked tirelessly, and believed in what this place could become.
We’re proud to continue our partnership with Salvation Army community programs, including hosting camps for disadvantaged children, supported by the Red Shield Appeal.
And we’re proud to be evolving our vision – not just as a campsite, but as a hub for purpose, community, and transformation.
Whether you come here to retreat, reflect, teach, serve, celebrate or lead, we hope you’ll find that The Collaroy Centre truly is…
The perfect place to connect, camp, create, collaborate, captivate, contribute — and be challenged.
Happy 37th birthday to The Collaroy Centre
To every guest who has visited, every staff member who has served, and every supporter who has believed in this mission – thank you.
Here’s to the next chapter. We look forward to writing you into our story.
