Scotch College

Venturers beat the heat

During the Christmas break, Scouts from Scotch attended and took part in the 19th Australian Jamboree at Cataract Park, outside of Sydney.

Here they spent a fun-filled fortnight taking part in activities from sailing, to caving, to climbing. They enjoyed performances by artists such as Lano & Woodeley, Killing Heidi, and Frenzal Rhomb. They visited Taronga Zoo, Australia's Wonderland, and the Sydney Olympic venues. They met scouts from many other countries, and made countless new friends.

For us, the Jamboree started on the afternoon of 2 January. We boarded a bus with the rest of our Jamboree troop, and arrived at Sydney the next morning. We set up our camp, and spent the remainder of the day exploring the Jamboree site. There was a market place, containing a Snowgun store, pay phones, an ATM, and an Internet café.

Opening Ceremony

As soon as it got dark, we headed to the Main Arena for the Opening Ceremony.

We received messages from William Deane, Chief Scout of Australia, Dick Smith, and the Deputy Prime Minister. Then, delegates from each of the twenty countries represented bore the flags of their respective nations onstage. After the official side of the event was over, the Arena was turned into one big dance party, with Killing Heidi leading the revelry.

Each day's activities involved a series of bases, with each base being made up of a number of themed activities. Brownsea Base was made up of 'traditional' scouting activities, Adventure Base included skills such as caving, rock-climbing, and BMX riding, and the Water Base was home to rafting, sailing, canoeing, and swimming. Some bases were off-site, including trips to Taronga zoo, and Australia's Wonderland.

The theme of this Jamboree was 'The whole world in one place', and this was evident in the Mall, an area made up of tents for each contingent at the Jamboree. At each tent you could learn more about the country, and have the opportunity to swap badges with international visitors. Also in the mall was the Reach Out Centre, a place for reflection and understanding.

Rest day

When they weren't off-site at various activities, or exploring the many on-site bases, patrols had a rest day, which was a great opportunity to write home, or to catch up with friends in other troops. With the sheer volume of exciting activities here, this was a welcome addition to our Jamboree itinerary.

The Jamboree is a once in a lifetime activity, and I would recommend it to any current scout or young person thinking of joining.

I am sure that our experiences at the Jamboree will be remembered as some of the best of our lives.

Luke van Ryn, Patrol Leader
|1st Hawthorn Scout Troop