By Tanya Steele
The 1st Belgrave Scouts are having a reunion 100 years in the making, inviting communities near and far to visit and reminisce about their time as scouts in the Dandenong Ranges.
Originally formed in 1924 with 14 young Boy Scouts, the group had many adventures over time and operated out of Belgrave.
Helping to organise the get-together is current District leader Scouts for Maroondah District Stephen Walsh who said the day is an opportunity for all scouts and past members of 1st Belgrave Scouts to get together and celebrate their participation and share their stories and reconnect as friends.
“For me, I was in scouts as a youth from age eight to 18 and loved camping, hiking and all the outdoor activities like canoeing and rock climbing,” he said.
A patrol leader for the Rosella patrol when he was a scout Mr Walsh said during the thirties and forties lots of scout activities were conducted at the Aura Vale Lake and many troops from town would come out and visit.
“Some of the outdoor activities from that period included hiking to the Sherbrooke Falls with the object of seeing the lyrebirds,” he said.
“This was met with varying success.”
Mr Walsh said that being in scouts was formative and taught him to be resilient and resourceful.
“My best highlight was two weeks camping down at Cape Paterson in the bush that is now part of the caravan park,” he said.
“As a scout of about 14 years old we had a patrol camp of six scouts camping and no parents.”
Fellow event organiser and scout at the time Theo Herman said he also loved the Cape Peterson trip.
“I loved Cape Peterson, my family still to this day visit the area at Inverloch, the place has changed a lot though,” he said.
Scouts have evolved over the years and Mr Walsh said in his role as leader the scouts grow so much which is very rewarding.
“They learn they can survive without their parents make a stack of friends – some will be for life and have a bunch of fun,” he said.
Scouts continues all over today and Mr Walsh said the organisation has seen hiking and camping become more high-tech than it used to be.
“In my day you slept on the ground no sleeping mat and we actually made our stretchers out of poles and ropes for long camps,” he said.
“Hiking we used the old A-Frame pack – it was very uncomfortable compared to today’s.”
During the sixties, Mr Walsh said the 1st Belgrave scout unit flourished.
“Many achieved their Queen’s Scout Awards – the highest award in Ventures and some went on to achieve the Baden-Powell Award,” Mr Walsh said.
The Baden-Powell Scout Award is the highest Scouting award available to youth in Australia. This award is designed to challenge and test – completion of the Baden-Powell Scout Award is a major milestone in a Rover Scouts journey and carries an outstanding reputation within Scouting and the community.
The upcoming event chance to learn or reminisce about the local Scouts rich history over the years the 1st Belgrave Scouts attended many Anzac Parades, ran talent shows and organised local waste collection in their time, along with many hiking and camping adventures.
Mr Walsh said the general basics within Scouts organisation have remained the same.
“It’s learning by doing and has lots of fun activities,” he said.
The afternoon will showcase old photographs and converted super eight films and the group will officially hand over the scout hall keys to the Belgrave South Scouts, who now use the 1st Belgrave Hall.
“In true tradition, there will be a barbecue for those that come,” said Mr Walsh.
Mr Herman said he is looking forward to catching up with fellow scouts and said some people may even fly interstate for the reunion.
“There are still some of us in the local area,’” he said.
The event will be held on Sunday 10 November from 10am to 2pm at 28 Station Street Belgrave.
