HISTORY OF VICTORIAN SCOUT GILWEROO ACTIVITY CAMP

Gilweroo camps are a fun weekend Activity Camp for Scout section members with Leaders, Rovers and Venturers who are prepared to help.

The Gilweroo camps commenced in 1976 following a very successful Advanced Sectional Techniques, Scout Section (Stage 4) course held at Gilwell Park, Gembrook in August 1975. As a consequence of those attending this course, it was agreed to hold an “annual reunion camp” at Gilwell Park each year. The first one was held in October 1976.

The name GILWEROO derived from the initial name given to this weekend of GILWELL REUNION CAMP.

Those attending the camp participate in ten compulsory activities and any number of spare time activities provided to keep everyone in camp busy. Activities commence at 8:00am Saturday and Sunday and conclude 6:30pm on Saturday and 2:30 on Sunday. Participants are encouraged to be set up and in camp Friday night.

At the conclusion of the 2000 camp in which only 320 Scouts attended, I was asked to take on the role of Camp Chief along with the support of a Committee of Leaders to keep this great Scout Activity running.

In 2001, we started trying ways to promote this Camp but it was 2002 that saw improved benefits of our hard work with some 500 Scouts attending. Due to the weather in October being so cold and wet at Gilwell Park, Gembrook, we decided to move the camp to November in 2003. It was this year we also had 3 Jamboree Troops use the weekend as a pre-Jamboree Camp.

It was July 2004 when we were informed by Gilwell Park Rangers that the Campsite would not be available for our Gilweroo Camp, so within two weeks we had visited Joseph Harris Scout Camp (Bay Park), Mt. Martha and decided that we could have Gilweroo by the Bay in 2004. From this camp, our Activity Camp has only grown and become more popular with over 1000 Scouts attending each year and twice being used for pre-Jamboree Camps.

2010 saw 1183 Scouts attending with the support of 400 plus Leaders, Rovers, Venturers and parents.

We introduced the Gilweroo website in 2008 which has improved our booking format and allows Leaders to easily access required forms.

Activities in the program since 1976 are: Archery, Abseiling, Canoes, BMX Bikes, Screen T/shirt printing and a movie.

Over the years, other activities have been introduced. They include: Air Rifles, Art wall, Amateur radio, Badge Swapping, Rafts, Bush Boards, Bush Golf, Catapults, Ceramics, Computer orienteering, Computer games, Croquet, Disco, Fox Hunt, Frisbee Golf, Initiative Course, Puppet making, Pyrographics, Rope making, Slot Cars, Sock Wrestling, Space Shuttle, Volley Ball, Woggle making, Vortex, Water Rockets, Clay Modelling, Twister, Disco, Tattooing, Speed Ball, Spiders Web, Lyall’s Challenge, Flying Fox, Catch 4, Kin Ball, Giant Jinga, Sumo Wrestling and more.

Activities other than those in the program since 1976 change from time to time depending on the abilities and inventiveness of the Leaders attending who offer to organise something special for the weekend. A Canteen/Kiosk is also provided.

The success of Gilweroo camps is attributed to the willingness of Leaders from any Section of the Movement getting involved to provide Scout Section youth with a spectacular “fun filled” activity weekend. Gilweroo camps are also successful because the youth members themselves want to participate in the great weekend.