Embracing history and fun at Scouts NSW Corroboree
Published Wed 31 Jan 2024
From canoeing to camel rides, robots to rolling pin throwing, the Scouts NSW Hunter and Coastal Corroboree 2024 had it all.
Hosted at Stroud Showground, the Hunter and Coastal Region welcomed 550 members, including 400 Scouts, 50 Venturer Scouts and 100 volunteer Leaders, including Rover Scouts, to the five-day camp.
On Wednesday, January 17, participants arrived from across the Region, as well as from the North Coast, Sydney North, Greater Western Sydney, Hume and South Metropolitan Regions.
Activities were a go from Wednesday afternoon, with the bulk of the activity program taking place from the Thursday to Saturday.
Camp Chief Bruce Leverton said the fully catered camp helped the youth members develop life skills and prepare them for the Australian Scout Jamboree, to be held in Maryborough next January.
“The aim of the Corroboree is to provide an activity for Scout-aged youth (aged 11-14) to learn life skills and have fun on the way,” he said.
“Every single activity we did was based on the Achievement Pathways of our Youth Program to help them progress towards their peak awards.
“It also helped them get their ‘nights under canvas’ for Jamboree. It was run under Jamboree conditions with the Q Store, run by Rover Scouts, to provide them with food. Duty Patrols came to Q Store with their carts to pick up the food to take back to their Unit Camps for their meals.
“It’s a great learning curve for the Scouts to come to the camp.”
Activities throughout the event were located across Stroud on a round robin roster so everyone could participate in each base.
There were two town walks, with Scouts provided with lanyards and maps to help them find the locations for their activities, including Quambi School House and Silo Hill. Patrols also went on a graveyard hunt at the historical church, looking for graves from different dates.
Popular activities included Archery Attack – targeting each other with arrows tipped with a rubber ball – and camel rides, both run by commercial providers in the main arena. Other activities included canoeing and inner tubing, aquatic activities at Stroud Swimming Pool, bottle rockets, robot making, Venturer trivia, and rolling pin throwing in recognition of Stroud’s place as part of the world rolling pin throwing championships.
“The kids were throwing rolling pins and rubber chickens, because at the actual championships in Stroud, there’s a kids’ activity where they throw rubber chickens,” Bruce said.
“We also held a bivouac activity at Stroud Public School on Thursday and Friday night. About 200 Scouts walked to the school carrying a day pack with a tarp and two poles, some rope and pegs to make a hoochie. They sleep under that in their sleeping bag.
“It was a great camp and all who attended had a wonderful time.”
