Thursday, July 18, 2024

Issue:

Mackay and Whitsunday Life

The Lower Burdekin Scout Group “LEAP” into Adventure

The Lower Burdekin Scout Group attended an educational and enriching LEAP Camp led by Scouts Queensland over the second week of the school holidays.

Scouts Queensland organised two camps, one at Bluewater, north of Townsville, and the other south towards Brisbane. The week from 30 June until 6 July, the Lower Burdekin Scout Group attended the LEAP Camp at Bluewater, along with 100 scouts, and 40 leaders originating from places as far as Rockhampton to Cairns. Together, the scouts and leaders enjoyed a week of camping, fun, and challenging team activities.

LEAP stands for Leadership, Empowerment, Adventure, Patrol. A patrol encompasses a group of 4 to 6 scouts aged between 11 and 18 years old who hold the responsibilities of organising everything camping entails from cooking and eating to participating in games and challenging activities. The week works to develop and empower the leadership abilities amongst the attendees whilst fostering opportunities for adventure within their patrols.

Each of the patrols engaged in a range of outdoor activities including abseiling at Castle Hill, archery, rafting and other water-based activities, STEM challenges, camp cooking challenges, numerous games, and the older patrol groups camped on Magnetic Island. Together, the scouts additionally crafted campfires, organised Night Market stalls, and engaged in an activity called the Townsville Ramble where each patrol was to complete a range of challenges in and around Townsville.

Many of the scouts and leaders will utilise the skills, and knowledge gained over this camp in their preparations for the upcoming 12-day Jamboree which will be held in Maryborough in January of 2025.

Each of the leaders and scouts thoroughly enjoyed the week, with many heading home quite tired, and thankful to all those who had a hand in organising the event.


Scouts and leaders attending the opening and closing ceremonies
The scouts and leaders abseiling at Castle Hill
The scouts and leaders canoeing at Loam Island

One of the patrol tents and the dining shelters all set up
Preparing for offsite activities in Townsville
STEM activity of building a device to transport a potato along a racetrack
The scouts in Townsville for their activities near Jezzine Barracks
The scouts engaging in archery activities

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