Brian Roberts recognised with Silver Kangaroo

Over in the Hills District, there is a new Silver Kangaroo hopping around, with Scouts NSW District Advisor Brian Roberts receiving the commendation as part of Scouts Australia’s Adult Recognition Awards.

The Silver Kangaroo is one of the highest accolades in Scouts, awarded to active Leaders for exceptional service and a highly valued contribution to Scouts over a long period of time.

Brian, who has 60 years of service to Scouts NSW, passes on his wealth of knowledge and experience in bushwalking to many Scouting members in the Greater Western Sydney Region and Hills District.

“After receiving the Alan Overton AM Award (in June 2022) and my presentation for 60 years (in February 2023), I didn’t know (about the Silver Kangaroo),”

“I got home from shopping and pulled it out of the letterbox. I couldn’t imagine they were giving me a Kangaroo. I was surprised with the Kangaroo and the letter I got” he said.

Brian joined as a Cub Scout at 1st Parramatta Scout Group in 1952, aged eight, progressing through the age sections, taking on the role of Cub Instructor at 15 and achieving his Queen’s Scout Award in 1962.

“I used to live at Westmead and we had Westmead Scouts, but my father took me down to 1st Parramatta Scouts,” he said. I joined there for Monday night Cubs. I’ve always wondered why he didn’t take me to 1st Westmead. I got my Cub Leader certificate (at Parramatta) and carried on with that until I got married.”

Brian moved to 2nd Baulkham Hills Scout Group in 1976 as an Assistant Scout Leader and remained with the Group until he became a District Leader in 1994.

He has been a District Advisor since 2007, supporting all Groups that need his expertise, particularly stepping in at a moment’s notice to fill the gap when Scout Leaders are not able to fulfill their duties.

Brian has provided support for numerous Groups, including in Kellyville, West Pennant Hills and Dural, and is currently based at Castle Hill.

“I spend two nights a week helping out at 2nd Castle Hill. I’ve been helping for about five years,” he said. "The original Leader left, then the two Assistant Leaders, who were Rovers, left. At the end of last term we finally got two Leaders – one a dad and the other a Cub Leader who’s come up. That’s when I walk away and go to help the next one.”

As well as supporting Leaders, Brian is an asset to our youth members, embodying the spirit of the youth-led, adult-supported approach of Scouts.

He advises many youth members about expedition requirements for their Adventurous Journey – for the Scout age section (11-14) this Journey needs to take at least three days and two nights, be challenging, and includes leading other capable Scouts, with no adults attending.

“When Scouts wanted to do their Adventurous Journey, I would check with their parents and visit their house,” he said. “At the kitchen table we would decide where they were going, if it was hot or cold, in the bush or river. You couldn’t go where you had already been. I would invite the Leader to also come to the house to talk to the parents and the Scout. I had a file that’s full of instructions for them to walk – it has about 30-40 of those. It gives them all the points to show where they had to go and where to camp. I used to issue them one of those instructions and they would prepare the log (including how they were going to travel between points, their menu and their food and equipment list) and I’d check they had everything. I’ve been doing that for about 25-30 years.”

Brian loves getting outdoors, doing abseiling, caving and canyoning, but his great love is bushwalking. 

He has enjoyed training both youth members and adult Leaders on how to not get lost in the bush.

When tracks have been impacted by bushfires and floods, he will walk all the Journey instructions to ensure the information is correct for any members undertaking the hike.

He will also go on hikes with Leaders to new locations to establish the best tracks for taking youth members on new walks.

Along with mentoring youth members and new Scout Leaders, Brian helps plan the yearly Greater Western Sydney Region Scout Jamborette and attends Region Mindara meetings. Brian’s contribution to Scouting in Greater Western Sydney Region was recognised by being awarded the Alan Overton AM Award in 2022 for a Leader or Supporter of Scouting who gives 110 per cent effort.

Brian was one of 288 Leaders, Rover Scouts and Supporters of Scouts NSW recognised in Scouts Australia’s Adult Recognition Awards (ARA) for 2023. See our full list of recipients here. 

The ARAs are part of The Scout Association’s observance of the founding of Scouting at the first Scout Camp held at Brownsea Island in the UK on 1 August 1907. 

Learn more about volunteering with Scouts, visit scoutsnsw.com.au/info-for-volunteers