News Updates

Supporting the community that always supports us

In early March, the Department of Education and Training announced that all school camps were to be postponed until further notice. With great sadness, Cottage by the Sea closed its doors to children for the second time in our 130 year history, the last being when the Australian Army took over the Cottage as a […]

News Updates

Crucial intervention for children from bushfire-affected areas

In 2020, Cottage by the Sea will begin a three-year commitment to supporting children from Victorian bushfire-affected communities by providing Take a Break camps. We have previous experience supporting children who experienced trauma in the 2009 Victorian fires, over an extended period. The Take a Break camps for primary school-age children from bushfire affected communities will be […]

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Jungle escape brings kids to the beach

This February, Cottage by the Sea CEO Adam Wake, is participating in a unique jungle marathon event.  Adam is using his participation in the event to help raise funds for the Cottage to provide camps for children and families in bushfire affected communities. The “Escape from The Jungle” event is unique in terms of the […]

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Space to breathe after the fires

Cottage by the Sea will once again open its doors to communities affected by bushfire. Bushfires ravaging Victoria this summer have impacted each and every one of us.  Even far away from the devastation, our local beaches have been closed as smoke engulfs Victoria.  Without hesitation we have all reached into our hearts and wallets […]

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Thank you for listening!

One of our Mentors spoke at our 129th Annual General Meeting this October … below is a transcript of his thoughtful and heartfelt speech. Good morning everyone, welcome to the AGM. My name is Bailey, I’ve enjoyed my time at Cottage by the Sea. My five highlights were The Melbourne trip Seeing Foxy lose his […]

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Social Return on Investment

“General happiness is a big thing. Overall happiness is the key.” This is a quote from one of the more than 50 parents surveyed as part of recent research into the Social Return on Investment delivered by Cottage by the Sea. This research, conducted by SVA Consulting and generously funded by The R. E. Ross […]

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Meet our new CEO

Adam Wake joins Cottage by the Sea as CEO, after 11years managing the Lions Village Licola Inc (LVL). A not-for-profit, 270-bed outdoor education camp in remote Victoria.  Many of the children welcomed to LVL are either disadvantaged, disabled or disengaged and have enjoyed rewarding, if not life changing, experiences on an LVL program. During his […]

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Dangerfield nominates Cottage for $100,000

NEWMAN’S Own Foundation, founded by the late actor and philanthropist Paul Newman, has announced Patrick Dangerfield as one of seven Australian sports stars being in a special charity grants program. In recognition of his ongoing commitment to giving back to the local community, star Cat Dangerfield was invited by the foundation to nominate an Australian […]

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Birthday presents for Cottage by the Sea

For most children, birthdays are all about parties and cakes and presents! For three-year-old twins Maya and Talitha that’s entirely true, with just one difference: they donate their presents on. “We are very lucky to have all the opportunities in life to do anything we choose,” explains their mother Dulani.  “We have everything; therefore, we […]

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It takes a community

In one single day our community raised over $71,000 for one of the oldest children’s charities in Geelong. The Cottage by the Sea Annual Fair has been running for over 60 years and is consistently the biggest single fundraising activity on the Cottage calendar. According to Tony Featherston, CEO at Cottage by the Sea, about 2000 people […]

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The Everyday Philanthropist

Historically, people associate the term philanthropy with someone who has excessive amounts of money, looking to put it to good use. Celebrities and society’s elite have notably been dubbed (sometimes by themselves) philanthropists in the past, but is it a tag that only applies to the rich and famous? Many people view philanthropy as a […]

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Project Thrive Professional Development Workshop

This week Cottage by the Sea hosted Andrea Downie; Cofounding Director/Facilitator of “Project Thrive.” The staff and volunteers were treated to a two day professional development workshop which aimed to inspire and promote well-being and mental health.  Project Thrive advocates the principal that organisations and individuals, provided with the right skills and knowledge, can create conditions for optimal flourishing. […]

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What Your Business Donation Does

So, you own or manage a business and you’ve decided to make a tax-deductible donation just in time for the end of financial year – GREAT! It will be more rewarding than you ever expected, we promise. We understand that many business owners initially consider donating due to positive outcomes for them, such as positive tax benefits […]

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Heart Warming Winter Woolies

This week Cottage by The Sea received an array of beautifully hand-crafted and knitted beanies, scarves, teddy bears and woollen garments. A heart felt and warming gesture! The Cottage would like to extend thanks to the volunteers who made this possible. Anne; a valued, Melbourne-based member of Cottage By The Sea, collected the donated items […]

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5 Reasons to Donate at the End of Financial Year

The end of the financial year is a great time for many businesses and individuals. It’s a time to reflect on the successes of the past 12 months, a time where we look at what we’ve earned, where money has been spent, and best practices to a beneficial tax return. Tax isn’t the most exciting […]

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Winter is Coming at the Cottage

The sun is setting sooner. The mornings becoming frosty. It’s safe to say that Autumn is in full swing and the feeling of winter is fast-approaching! Many businesses (and people) slow down in the colder months, just trying to make it through to the first sight of Spring. This isn’t the case for Cottage by […]

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A Day in the Cottage Kitchen

Off to Cottage by the Sea I go for a very rewarding day working in the kitchen as chef for the day. Greeted by lovely warm smiles, the smell of freshly brewed coffee and children’s laughter and happiness echoing through the hallways makes for a perfect start to the day! After an energizing morning coffee […]

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Fit N Focused On Giving Back

At Cottage by the Sea, we are forever thankful for the help we receive from the community. As a non-profit and non-government funded organisation, both individuals and local businesses are key contributors to the ongoing mission of our charity. In this blog, we are spotlighting one of our awesome supporters – Fit n Focused gym. How they […]