What intensive on-country youth camps could mean for Cairns

Young offenders sent to on-country camps could soon stay there for months and undergo “intensive” cultural experiences, after the first trial led to just a 6 per cent decrease in offending.

“Intensive” on-country programs that would put more teen offenders in out-of-town facilities have been hailed as the right move by a Far North Aboriginal elder.

However, Petford local Geoff Guest warned youth camps alone were not the solution and urged services to engage families of offenders to address the root cause of crime.

It comes as the Queensland government revealed it would trial an expansion of existing programs, meaning Aboriginal youths could stay for potentially months rather than the current six-to-eight week periods.

This is despite state government data that shows young people who completed the programs were only six per cent less likely to reoffend than kids who did not participate.

Since 2020, Jabalbina Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation, based at Mossman, has been running on-country camps and offering young offenders the chance to reconnect to culture and positive role models.

Gr8Motive, which is based across Cairns, Atherton and Townsville, is another Far North organisation that received funding for the first iteration of on-country camps.

Both were contacted for comment about the new trial but could not be reached.

Horse handler and bushman Geoff Guest has been running a successful on country program for young delinquents since 1979. In 44 years, over 4,000 troubled youths have lived on Geoff's remote property between Petford and Herberton, learning healthy lifestyle habits, horsecraft and bush skills. Picture: Brendan Radke

Mr Guest, who steered thousands of kids onto better paths through the Petford Youth Training Farm in the 80s and 90s, said the new programs should include “adventure, nutrition and exercise”.

“We really need qualified people on-site and a proper assessment of these youngsters to find out what’s wrong,” he said.

“It’s a mental health problem, a generational thing and we need to address that, and we can.”

The 97-year-old said all the evidence was sitting with the state government and that there was “a lot of money about”, it just needed to be spent wisely.

He urged service providers to visit disadvantaged families of the youths as well, to “help fix the problem before it starts”.

The next stage of on-country programs are earmarked to include “in-home family support” and “intensive cultural and residential experience for longer periods”, although the finer details remain scant.

Young people are expected to learn to cook, clean, budget and obtain bank accounts, identification and accommodation during the programs.

Member for Hinchinbrook Nick Dametto. Picture: Evan Morgan

Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto said while the jury was still out on the details, the move looked “promising” overall.

“For the first time we’re hearing language such as ‘residential’, ‘longer periods’, ‘life skills’ and ‘mental and physical health’,” he said.

“It’s disappointing that it has taken a change of premier, and a looming election defeat to have the state government finally using language that indicates they’re trying to be tough on crime.

“But after so many years of advocating our key youth crime policy, we may finally get to see a version of it implemented.”

The funding commitment and locations of the next programs remains to be seen, with applications open to Indigenous organisations until March 12.

Originally published as What intensive on-country youth camps could mean for Cairns