The Gin Gin Scout Group have the ultimate badge of honour as they marked 100 years of scouting with a community celebration.
The group came together on Saturday at the Gin Gin Youth Activity Centre for a day featuring a scout parade, barbecue lunch and displays of commemorative artwork and Scouting memorabilia.
Gin Gin Scout Group leader Tammy ‘Croc’ Bradfield said while the group had had its ups and downs over the years, she believed the community was the reason they had reached this significant milestone.
“I think just because it's a very tight-knit community here in Gin Gin, has been for many, many years, with lots of rural country kids and relatives and they just love going out and doing the activities and camping and all that,” Tammy said.
“I think what's really cool is the fact that we're actually still here, we made it to 100 even though we've had a couple of hiccups along the way.”
While Tammy said some of the group’s history got lost in the floods, they still had a range of memorabilia on display at the centenary celebration.
“What we know is we [opened] in October 1923 for the first time and there have been a couple of times we have shut down for short periods of time, one of those was during World War II,” Tammy said.
“In some of the documents I found there is mention of Gin Gin Scout groups even in 1942.
“They must have shut down some time after that for a few years and then reopened in sort of 1955, thereabouts.
“There was another period of time, might have been the late sixties and then it was closed for approximately five years until the early seventies.”
Tammy said their proud history included having two Queen Scouts awarded, being involved in the 2013 Australian Jamboree in Maryborough and travelling to many camps and cuborees over the years.
“It’s been lots of hard work and fundraising from parents,” Tammy said.
“We’ve even had some come back and have a go at being leaders and have their children come back and grandchildren come back.
“The community has helped and all the groups try to help each other out as well, support each other.”
