Chief Scout Bear Grylls with Scouts

On 18th May 2009, The Scout Association announced Bear Grylls’ appointment as the tenth and youngest Chief Scout of the United Kingdom and Overseas Territories. Bear is one of the UK’s great outdoor adventurers; he is also a strong supporter of young people as seen via his work with international children’s charity, Global Angels. As Chief Scout, a position he will hold for five years, Bear will be the volunteer Leader of the largest co-educational youth Movement in the country: Scouting has around half a million Members including some 90,000 adult Leaders. – Announcement on World Scouts website

Here in Australia you can see Bear Grylls on TV – Monday nights on SBS his survival show ‘Man vs Wild’ is shown at 8:35pm. Online you can follow his exploits on Twitter, his blog or at http://www.beargrylls.com/. What an amazing example Bear is setting for people young and old everywhere!

Sue-Anne Webster

“Scouting toughens you up. Scouting teaches you not to whinge and give up when things get tough, but to find a way to survive and succeed.” – Sue-Anne Webster

Sue-Anne Webster is recognised throughout the world as Australia’s top female magician. Not only is she a performer, she’s also a lecturer, inventor, illustrator, author… and a proud Queen’s Scout!

Sue-Anne is one of only two living Australian Magicians to be internationally recognised in the Dictionnaire de la Prestidigitation – the definitive history book of magic spanning the centuries – alongside Harry Houdini, David Copperfield, Orson Welles and Siegfried & Roy.

Read the full story at Scouts Australia

Using south dome telescope

On the 25th of September 2009, Lindsay, Grant, Jackson, and I went to the Sydney observatory. This was a patrol activity for scouts and part of the astronomy badge.

We all met at the observatory and went inside. While we waited for the tour we looked around and saw a telescope.

When the tour started the first place we went to was the 1874 large refracting lens telescope which is the oldest working telescope in Australia. We looked at the moon.

After the 1874 telescope we looked in a room which had lots stuff to do with the Southern Cross.

We went to see a modern day telescope in the north dome. It is a 40cm computer-controlled reflecting (mirrored) telescope. We looked at Jupiter though it looked like a blurry dot because of heat and wind.

In the 3D cinema we watched a movie called Extreme Places. It was about the Galileo project, Titan, the Mars project, Europa and Io.

After that we all went home.

To organise a visit to the observatory, either call the observatory on (02) 9921 3485 or visit http://www.sydneyobservatory.com.au/.

Scout mums do dutiful best, too | smh.com.au

[...] The big question, of course, is just when are they going to put out a Scout mums’ field book, full of the useful stuff we parents need to know? Things such as ‘‘how to blow-dry a Scout record book’’, or ‘‘how to get a kid to keep his woggle somewhere he’ll find it again next week’’ (answer: ‘‘don’t bother. Go to the Scout shop and buy a gross’’).
In the meantime I reckon I’ve earned a few badges of my own. Here is a selection [...]

Trailwalker tips: Head torch etiquette

Keep it below the knees, please! When you’re facing another trailwalker, adjust the angle of your head torch beam so that it shines no higher than their knees. Adjust the angle before you look up to their face — afterwards is too late [...]

If you have the time, please read this and think about how it might apply to our events – especially the Scouts State Rally next weekend.

Weary scouts line up for a photo

Our Scout group has begun their preparations already with a solid night of packing all the gear last Sunday. The Scouts set off to camp on Friday night and will return on Monday.

As usual, the Cub pack and Joey mob are invited to visit Region camp on the Sunday to visit and join in many of the activities that are available. This is a valuable opportunity for the younger sections to see the Scouts in action.

Reminder to Cub & Joey parents : drive to and park at Waterfall station to meet the free shuttle bus that will ferry us all down into Camp Coutts at 8:30am. Wear full uniform with comfortable shoes, bring lunch, snacks, water (important!), drinks, jumper, raincoat, a change of clothes and sunscreen. Sausage sandwiches will be on sale at camp.

Where is Camp Coutts? From Sydney drive down the Princes Highway to Waterfall station – easy!

Ten decoratively painted young hands

Harmony Day in 2009 transported the Joey mob to Malaysia and India.

In Malaysia the mob learned to count to five : 1– satu ; 2 – dua ; 3 – tiga ; 4 – empat ; 5 – lima.

After a brainstorming session on decorations used by cultures around the world, the mob learned a little about some of the henna decorations used in India.

Some women in India decorate the backs of their hands and their arms right up to their elbow on the day they are getting married. This henna paste painting is called Mendhi and is linked to Hindu worship.

The mob then had the chance to draw their own hands and decorate them on paper before having some real (face) paint applied to their own hands.