Scouting and Guiding in the Northern Territory

Scouting and Guiding in the Northern Territory is predominantly represented by the Branches of Scouts Australia and Girl Guides Australia covering the Northern Territory.

History

Scouting started in Darwin in 1928, with the formation of the first Darwin Group under the command of Captain Len Samut. At that time it was controlled from New South Wales, but control passed to Queensland in 1929. The first group was formed in Alice Springs in 1936, but there are suggestions that Scouting had been operating there since 1923. The first Group to be formed in Tennant Creek was in 1941, and the first group to be formed in Katherine was in 1957, giving the Movement a presence in the main Territory towns. Control was passed from Queensland to South Australia in 1955. At that time, Scouting had not fully recovered from the Second World War and only two troops, 2nd Darwin and 1st Alice Springs, were operating.

Details with a photograph in the Chinese-Australian Historical Images in Australia (CHIA) database states that the 1st Scout Troop finished in 1931 and that the 2nd Darwin Scout Troop was established by Jo Ruddict in 1938. [1]

An official Northern Territory Area was formed in 1973, but records were destroyed by Cyclone Tracy in 1974. On 1 April 1989, the Northern Territory become a Branch and the Administrator, Commodore Eric Johnston was sworn in by the Chief Justice of the Northern Territory, Justice Asche, as the Chief Scout of the NT. The Northern Territory Administrator has continued to be the Chief Scout of the Branch.

Northern Territory
Owner Scouts Australia
Country Australia

Scouts Australia today

There are 12 Groups in 2013, includes those in Darwin (Darwin Sea Scouts) and its northern suburbs (Alawa and Sanderson), Berrimah, Palmerston, Howard Springs, Humpty Doo, Batchelor, Katherine, Nhulunbuy, Groote Eylandt, Alice Springs. There is a campsite maintained by the branch at Woorabinda at Howard Spring Nature Reserve. The previous campsite at Darwin River was returned to Crown Land in 2013 as it was unable to be maintained after bushfires in 2000.[2] The Chief Commissioner is Shane McCorkell and President is Elizabeth Morris.[3]

Girl Guides Australia

The Territory Office is in Parap. There were 7 Guide units in 2008 and 15 Guide Units in 2013 in the Territory including units in Darwin, Palmerston/Litchfield, Katherine, Tennant Creek and Alice Springs. The State Commissioner is Linda Durran.[4]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Chinese-Australian Historical Images Accessed 28 January 2007
  2. ↑ Bureau of Meteorology Report Accessed 28 January 2007
  3. ↑ Scouts Australia Northern Territory
  4. ↑ Girl Guides Northern Territory
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