More than 500 million young people and adults have taken part in Scouting since its inception over a century ago. Each joined the Movement to be active citizens and create positive change in their communities. Today, Scouting is the world's leading educational youth movement with over 57 million Scouts in over 200 countries and territories worldwide. Through its unique combination of education, adventure and fun, Scouting continues to be an inspiration for young people to become active citizens who are engaged in creating a better and more sustainable world.
Scouts provides young Aussies aged 5 to 25 with fun and challenging opportunities to grow through adventure. Scouts is the largest youth movement in the nation and the world. The purpose of the Scout Movement is to encourage the physical, intellectual, emotional, social and spiritual development of young people so that they take a constructive place in society as responsible citizens and as members of their local, national and international communities. Scouts become inspiring and resilient leaders.
Scouting is definitely fun, and it also prepares young people for life in the adult world by teaching responsibility for their own actions and progress. These achievements lay a solid foundation for the success of our future Australian leaders. But don’t tell the kids they’re learning… they think they’re just having fun! No matter the age of the participant, Scouts provides fun and exciting programs that promote active learning. Whether the young boys and girls are canoeing, camping, visiting museums or helping their local community, the activity is sure to teach them about themselves and the world around them.
Scouts challenge their minds as well as their bodies. Not everyone looks for the outdoor buzz all the time, so Scouts have challenging activities linked with the internet and amateur radio, performance arts such as singing, dancing, and acting and awards linked to citizenship, community service and personal spiritual development.
Scouting makes a direct and positive impact on the community by teaching positive values and leadership skills to youth. Every year, Scouts and their Leaders contribute thousands of volunteer hours to their local communities. Sharing time with the aged in the local community, helping with Clean Up Australia Day, Harmony Day and Earth Hour are just a few examples of the commitment Scouts make to their communities.
We encourage the integration of children with special needs – physical and mental disabilities or medical conditions – into regular Scout Groups. Our Scout Groups have a vast and welcoming community of varying faiths and cultures. Scouting really is for everyone!
There are over 40 million Scouts across the world – joining Scouts Queensland connects you to them all. International opportunities include joining the Jamboree on the Air (JOTA), Jamboree on the Internet (JOTI), making a Pen-Pal, attending a World Jamboree or a World Scout Association event.
Scouting achieves its Aim through a system of progressive self education, known as the Scout Method, the principal elements of which are:
In 1907 Robert Baden-Powell ran the first Scout camp at Brownsea Island off the South Coast of England.
Both Baden-Powell and the boys who attended agreed the camp had been successful. This is considered the beginning of Scouting.
The following year his book Scouting for Boys was published and proved a great success, being reprinted 10 times in only two years.
Scout Troops sprang up around Britain, and by 1922 a world Scouting organization had been established.
Scouting had already spread to Australia, New Zealand and India in 1908.
Throughout the years Scouting has become the world's largest youth organization, with Scouts in hundreds of countries worldwide.
Each Scout becomes a member of a worldwide family spread over many languages and races.
Baden-Powell insisted that education should be fun and this idea is the basis of the Scouting movement.
His system allows youth members to learn how to improve themselves and help society, while having fun and making friends.
Scouts have the option of deciding what they want to learn and how fast they learn it, have goals to work towards and obtain recognition for their efforts.
As the Scout progresses through the sections they can also develop leadership skills which may help them in the future.
Scouting admitted girls and young women to its Venturer Scout and Rover Scout Sections in 1973 and its Cub Scout and Scout Sections in 1988.
The Joey Scout Section commenced on 1 July 1990 and is open to boys and girls.
The first Scout Group on the Mountain was formed in 1933. One of the first Scout Dens was a hollow tree on Geissman Drive, near Doughty Park.
The Group ran for several years until the leaders were called to war in 1941.
Scouts started again in 1962 and by then there was a small shed on the land at Geissman Drive in which to meet.
The Leaders, Derek and Robin Lawton, were transferred away from the area in 1966 and again the Scout Group came to a halt.
The 1980s saw the Group re-ignited once again by locals who saw the need.
Among these was Denis Drysdale who became the first warranted Leader at that time.
After a few years of meeting in various places, including a cream shed and then the Guide Hall on Yuulong Street,
the Council offered the Scout Group a space at Geissman Oval and a building on Main Street that was marked for demolition.
It was moved to Geissman Oval where it stood until June 2021.
More local residents got behind the Scouting movement by forming a parent's committee and others by training to become Leaders.
Scouts thrived until 2004 when the Group closed once again.
After several years of seeking local interest, especially by Paul Lyons, a previous Tamborine Mountain Scout Leader,
the Scout Group on the Mountain has been re-formed. On the 2nd of June 2016, the official investiture of the Group by Queensland Branch Leaders was performed.
In June 2021, the Group commenced its move to its current location in Hartley Road, with the overnight trucking of the Heritage Den from Geissmann Oval.
Scouting scene on Tamborine Mountain in the 1990s.
General information and images on this page © Scouts Queensland and Scouts Australia
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The views expressed in this website are not necessarily those of Scouts Australia.
