Family Stories

In October, during Anti-Poverty Week, the Magical Getaway Foundation gifted seven families across three states their first-ever holidays—moments filled with rest, laughter, and connection. Three families from Melbourne stayed at Anchor Belle Holiday Park in Phillip Island, two families from Sydney spent their getaway at BIG4 Sydney Lakeside Holiday Park, and two families from Brisbane enjoyed the sunshine at Turtle Beach Resort. For many, it was the first time they’d ever tak

After years of uncertainty and loss, Sarah and Damien’s family discovered stability, healing and hope for the future through their very first holiday. For years, Sarah and Damien’s lives were marked by instability. They were forced to move home after home, often with no notice, and even spent months living in a van with their children. Despite every setback, Sarah remained determined to find safety and stability for her family. Eventually, with the help of Uniting, they were

After more than a decade of separation, a family torn apart by conflict was finally reunited, and their very first holiday gave them the chance to reconnect in peace and privacy. Basharat, Khushal, and their two children had spent years, nearly a decade, apart. When Khushal unexpectedly disappeared in 2012 while working in Afghanistan, Basharat was left navigating life as a single mother, pregnant with their second child, in a country far from her support system. After years

Susi and her two sons, Danish (10) and Husain (14), embarked on their first-ever getaway from July 6th to 13th at Phillip Island, an experience that provided a much-needed respite after a challenging year. The family had been grappling with immense grief following the passing of their husband and father earlier in the year due to cancer. With no immediate family in Australia, Susi faced not only the emotional toll of the loss but also the day-to-day struggles of raising two

Teana, a proud Gamilaraay woman, and her three children recently embarked on a life-changing holiday, immersing themselves in a world of healing and joy. This transformative trip to Phillip Island allowed the family to create treasured memories and embrace the beauty of new experiences after overcoming the challenges of family violence. Their story of resilience and renewal serves as an inspiring testament to the power of love and support. Teana and her children have displaye

This article was first published in the Phillip Island & San Remo Advertiser on 17 March 2023. Holidays have just been a dream for Tammy and her four young children who have been living in transitional accommodation for the last couple of years. Their small unit is incredibly overcrowded and there is no garden to play in. But thanks to the Magical Getaway Foundation, magic and lifetime memories were created last week with their first ever holiday on Phillip Island. Together w

In June 2022, two families referred by Pakenham Springs Primary School went on their first ever holidays to Phillip Island. The family's stayed at the Island Breeze Resort for seven nights visiting many local tourist attractions including Churchill Island, the Penguin Parade, A Maze'N Things and the Chocolate Factory. Below is a statement written by one of the Mum's, Liana, about what the holiday meant to her and her three children: "The memories I will forever hold closest t

In March 2022, we sent 6 families (comprising of 21 children and 10 adults) on their first ever holiday. We are excited to see the return of our getaways since Covid-19. These families were selected due to the extreme hardship they’ve faced. These first ever getaways are invaluable as they provide a chance for families to reconnect and for the children to finally feel normal again. Recipients of these holidays have never been on a holiday, not even a weekend away. The fami

The Swinges are a considerable size family of seven. Rachel and Adrian have five children, their names are Evelyn, Isabell, Caleb, Olivia & Ariel. The twins, Evelyn & Isabell were born at 27 weeks, with Evelyn (to the left) suffering from severe chronic lung disease and bilateral vocal cord granulomas. Evelyn requires 24 hour medical assistance. Rachel has given up full time work to care for Evelyn. Adrian has recently changed jobs to be more available to his family. The fami

We have moved 8 times due to domestic violence; it’s the first time we have been able to forget the world’s troubles.

In May, we sent three Victorian Mums; Norma, Kathryn and Leanne to experience a first ever holiday with their kids in Lorne. Norma is a Mum to 5 children, Beau (15 years), Brock (9 years), Mackenzie (8 years), Sebastian (6 years) and Billy (4 years). The family was referred to us by VACCA. Norma and her children had been homeless for some time, until recently when they acquired a rental property. Due to previous life circumstances, the family had never been on a holiday toget

Victoria has four grandchildren; Taleah (15), Tyrhys (14), Hayley (8) and Takota (2). She has been their carer for over 10 years, experiencing a lot of challenges along the way. They have never been on a holiday together due to circumstances life has brought. We sent them on their first ever holiday to Lorne in March 2019. During their time in Lorne they stayed at the beautiful Mantra Lorne. A highlight of their trip was visiting the Great Ocean Road Wildlife Park where they

It is very rare that we ever get to go to the movies, let alone a holiday… I would love to take the kids to the local swimming pool, movies

I would like to say the biggest thank you for the amazing opportunity to be able to take our 2 grandchildren to experience as the kids said

Annalise and her family, Emmett three years, Jospeh six years, Geoffrey eight years, Jethro nine years and Lleyton 16 years, were referred by the principal from their primary school. The family had experienced horrific domestic violence. Since 2015, when they left, they had moved to a refuge, to emergency accommodation, back to the refuge, then to private rentals until they found their current home. The family’s first ever holiday, in June 2018, was to Lorne. They stayed at t

For Joanne and her two children, Liam and Chloe, Phillip Island will always be very special, as it was the location for the first holiday

Kaylah and Bianca, her mum, were struggling every day behind closed doors. Driving past their rented home, no-one would know the pain and suffering both had experienced including horrific domestic violence which had led to Kaylah’s high absenteeism from school, destructive behaviour and severe anger outbursts. She was only eight at the time. Overwhelming feelings of sadness, loneliness and shame filled their every moment. Sadly too, a paedophile was lurking, promising so much