Scouts were busy screenprinting Kiwi Woggle souvenirs … Lachie Allen and Conor Farrington from the Burleigh Heads Scout Group

April 24, 2019

A mini tent-city sprang up on the outskirts of Kingaroy over the Easter Long Weekend for the annual “Kiwi Woggle”, a celebration of everything linked to scouting.

A series of small camp sites housed 138 Scouts, 19 Venturer Scouts and 80 Scout leaders (although some of the adults opted to sleep in campervans or caravans rather than under canvas!).

Bunya District Commissioner David Jamieson said the Kiwi Woggle camp rotates around the seven districts in the SunCoast Scout Region.

The last time it was held in the South Burnett was in 2012, when it was in Wondai.

Scouts and leaders travelled to Kingaroy from Bundaberg, Woodford, Maroochydore, Noosa, Gympie and all parts in-between.

Kingaroy farmer Steve Krosch offered the Scouts the use of his property and slashed areas to allow them to set up various activities.

The weekend, which had the theme “Back To Basics”, began with a parade on Good Friday which included the presentation of one of scouting’s highest awards, the Australian Scout Medal, to local Scout Ryan Olsen by Chief Commissioner Daryl Scott.

The Scouts then spent the rest of the day erecting traditional canvas camps, using tent poles and ropes.

Each camp included two sleeping tents, a dining fly and a kitchen fly.

On Saturday and Sunday, small groups took turns at various activities, which included blacksmithing, screenprinting, orienteering and construction tasks.

There was also a competition cook-off on Saturday night … each Scout camp had to prepare a three-course dinner, all cooked over wood.

The various Scouts groups competed across the weekend for two trophies: the Woggle and the Kiwi.

David said the first Kiwi Woggle was held in 1946, and it’s always held at Easter.

A lot of preparation went into the event ahead of the weekend.

For example, volunteers spent four days marking out the orienteering course and travelled to Durong to cut the 260 tent poles used by the Scouts in their camps.

“A lot of local businesses also helped us out,” David said.

Sponsors included the South Burnett Regional Council,  Steve Hood (Kingaroy Motorcycles, who donated the use of two 4WD Kawasaki Mules), The Little Butcher, Matt Lonsdale (water and the use of a truck), South Burnett Hire and Sales, Sunshine Mitre 10,  Ergon Energy and Swickers.

The camp broke up on Monday morning.

Proud grandmother Linda Olsen with grandson Ryan Olsen, Deputy Mayor Kathy Duff and Cr Danita Potter at Kiwi Woggle on Friday … Ryan was presented with the Australian Scout Medal by Chief Commissioner Daryl Scott (Photo: Kathy Duff)
Bunya District Commissioner David “Jamo” Jamieson, Bunya District Secretary Lorraine Keenan and Region Commissioner Rob Cullen
Kiwi Woggle – and all the messy mud – was okay by these members of the Woodford Patrol
The mud obstacle course ensured that everyone needed a quick hose down afterwards …
Morayfield Group Leader Steve Lavis with Bunya District Scout Leader (and assistant Camp Chief) Jason Olsen
Venturers Hannah Salmon and Abbey Hardiker, from Raceview, with the Kiwi Woggle camp trophies … a wooden woggle and, naturally enough, a kiwi
Queensland Branch Commissioner Scouts Chris Foreman amd Nambour District Commissioner (and Camp Chief) Ken Howes … the Kingaroy camp was Ken’s 26th Kiwi Woggle
At the blacksmithing activity, the scouts were busy hammering out camp oven lid lifters … Reilly Byrnes and Hermione Pearce, from the Millbank Penguin Patrol, were working under the watchful eye of Keith Bradshaw, from Gowrie Junction
Retired Scouts leader Bob Rivers, from Kingaroy, with Gympie District Commissioner Lynlie Cross and Peter Anderson, Moffat Beach, from the Queensland Badge Club
The camp theme was “Back To Basics” but that didn’t stop the scouts having fun on a climbing wall
But “Back To Basics” meant tent poles and Queenslander tents at the camp sites …
… and bush tables in the kitchen areas, strung together with ropes

 

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