Category Archives: Our History

Awards: Bushman’s Thong

The following list has been taken from an Honour Board in the Scout Hall, no dates have been provided on the board. NSW Branch has confirmed the dates of presentation of the following To keep, what is presumed to be chronological order, the list is in the same sequence as on the board.

* Rolf De Heer
* Peter de Ruyter
* Beric Sneddon
* Stephen Allison
* Graeme Robinson
* Richard Waitzer
* Anthony Sneddon
* Hans de Ruyter
* Trevor Smith
* Michael Powell
* Ashley Knights

Awards: Scout Cords

The following list has been taken from an Honour Board in the Scout Hall, no dates have been provided on the board. To keep, what is presumed to be chronological order, the list is in the same sequence as on the board.

* Warwick Richardson
* Phillip Kennedy
* Ashley Knights
* William Schuit
* Richard Waitzer

Awards: Scouts First Class

The following list has been taken from an Honour Board in the Scout Hall, no dates have been provided on the board. To keep, what is presumed to be chronological order, the list is in the same sequence as on the board.

* Mark Davis
* Phillip Kennedy
* Warwick Richardson
* Ashley Knights
* William Schuit
* Richard Waitzer
* Michael Powell
* Trevor Smith
* John Waitzer
* Phillip Deakin

Awards: Leaping Wolf

Ashley Knights Walter de Ruyter Graham Lawrence
Trevor Smith Kevin Christensen M McGranger
Phillip Deakin Jeffrey Lawrence Garry Robb
Michael Powell Mark Brett K Fell
Ian McSkinning C Wilson Clinton Davis
Kevin Noble Kyle Callaghan Ken Jacobs
Ian McDougal S Rowe Craig Henderson
Andrew Nay C Clifford Peter Stevenson
David Squire William Walker
Michael Campbell Robin Sneddon
Scott Rappeneker Clive Deakin
Bill Jones Ian Stevens
Nigel Shannon Charles Lassak
Jip De Heer
Stephen Joyce
Kim Williamson
Mark Fisher
Peter de Ruyter

Past and Present Members of the Group Committee

Wendy Abel
Gaven Ahearn
George Anderson
Leonie Anderson
Trevor Armour
Margaret Arscott
Cathy Baxter
Nella Baxter
Jacqueline Beattie
Ross Beattie
Mr P Beaumont
Jean Bolton
Peter Bolton
Kevin Branch
Ken Bray
John Bridge
Rosslyn Bridge
Carlo Brisciani
Margaret Brown
Gerry Buchan
Madeleine Bull
Dorothy Cairns
Malcolm Cairns
Peter Carothers
Maria Catchpole
David Clark
Patricia Clark
Pat Collins
Steven Collins
Gaye Cooper
Keith Cornford
Gen Cotterill
Alan Cunningham
Beryl Cunningham
Roy Day
? Deakin
Vicki Dean
Warwick Dodds
Phil Eaton
Philip Eaton
Kay Elliot
John English
Leo Fermin
Mr & Mrs Fitzgerald
William Foster
Betty Gainsford
Marie Gilber
Reginald Gilbert
Garth Graham
Robert Gray
Chas Gregory
Sue Gregory
Jenny Grimm
Sandra Hamilton
Walter Hamilton
John Hanscombe
Pam Hanscombe
Robert Henderson
David Hippisley
Margaret Hippisley
William Jackson
Mrs Euki J
Ian Kemp
Merve King
Gordon Knight
Barry Lambert
Jean Lane
Mr S Lanes
Ian Lawrence
Karen Lines
Kim Logan
Anthony Lowe
Gloria Lowe
Edwin Lowery
Harold G Maloney
Frances McCarron
Anthony McKenzie
Wyn McWhirter
Clive Milligan
Margaret Milligan
Sue Murray
Mr & Mrs Nellis
John Oldroyd
Narelle Oldroyd
Maurice Oxenburgh
Ian Pearson
Michele Posford
Lena Rhodes
Jaimie Roberts
Peter Roberts
Bruce Robinson
Jean Robson
Patricia Room
Val Room
Eleanor Sands
Philip Sands
Albert Schouten
T Schuit
Mrs Scott-Kemmis
Mrs G D Shannon
Pat Skinner
Doug Smith
Len Smith
Ron Smith
Albert Smith ¤
Owen Sneddon
Pam Sneddon
John Spink
J Stanford
Oswald Steffel
Colleen Stephens
David Stewart
Judith Stewart
Mrs Stoyles
John Sydenham
Mr & Mrs Taylor
Harry Terry
Stuart Todd
Robert Vine
Larry Waddingham
Cecilia Waite
Ken Walker
Mrs Whiddon
Angela Wilson
John Wilson
Michael Wilson
Geoffrey Youdale

Past and Present Leaders

Name Started with 1st Berowra Scout Group Resigned
David Abel 26 June 1981 31 March 1987
Wendy Abel 1 May 1982 31 March 1990
Adele Ahearn 25 August 1982
Alison Ahearn 30 March 1990 9 May 1993
Robert Armstrong 9 November 1990 Current
Rodger Austen 22 December 1982 Current
Peter Backe-Hansen 4 February 1981 31 March 1983
Susan Bamford 12 September 1986
Dean Bassett 25 July 1986
Sandra Batty (nee Bladon) 7 July 1978 31 March 1982
Michael Bickford 9 August 1994 Current
Ros Bickford 23 June 1993 Current
Dianna Bissett 30 November 1983 31 March 1989
Warwick Bissett 22 November 1983 31 March 1989
Liz Blackmore 13 April 1993
Tina Bourke
Karen Bowring 24 March 1988 31 March 1992
Phillip Boyle 17 May 1988
Maurice Brangwin
Jean Bray 29 September 1980 13 December 1987
Robert Bray 12 March 1992
Marjorie Brisciani 29 September 1980 31 March 1984
Allen Brock 15 April 1993
Bruce Brown 22 November 1983 31 March 1987
Leslie Brown 24 March 1988
Roy Brown 25 September 1969
Madelaine Bull 19 October 1988 31 March 1991
Cynthia Bunyan 26 June 1985 31 March 1987
Michael Bunyan 14 November 1988 31 March 1993
Heather-Ann Cairns 18 September 1990
Darren Catling
Barry Cole 30 March 1990
Eileen Cooney
Ann Cosier 17 November 1994 Current
David Cranmer 1986 1987
Beryl Cunningham 1947(?) December 1948
Paul Davey 27 September 1991
Rolf De Heer 19 December 1969 29 March 1973
Marion Dreyer 19 June 1991
Eugene Duff 26 January 1981 26 February 1986
Therese Duff 7 July 1982 26 February 1986
Brian Engert 30 July 1970 Current
Ian Ezzy 15 April 1993
Karen Farquhar 13 July 1989 25 June 1993
Leslie Fathers 29 September 1980 31 March 1984
Gordon Forsyth 17 May 1988
William Foster
Jean Gaiser
Michael Gossen 12 September 1977 31 March 1977
John Gresham ¤ 23 July 1966 31 May 1973
Peter Guest 15 September 1981 31 March 1986
William Hamilton 11 July 1978 31 March 1983
Stephen Hanscombe
Harold Harrison 14 March 1968 25 March 1971
Marlene Hewitson
Mildred Holman 14 February 1973 28 July 1976
Martin Howell Current
Evan Hughes 1929
Colin Hunter 7 March 1988 Current
Christopher Huntley 9 September 1990 31 March 1992
Robert Iles 29 September 1980 31 March 1989
Peter Ives 16 November 1990 31 March 1991
William Jackson
? Kent
Debbie Kemp 25 March 1993 Current
William Kirk 1 November 1957 22 February 1973
Andrew Knight 6 June 1991 31 March 1993
Albert Knights ¤ 23 July 1966 31 May 1973
Renee (Ron) Knights 2 March 1967 29 March 1973
Jean Lane
John Langron 22 April 1997 Current
Ian Lawrence 14 January 1970 29 March 1973
James Lloyd
Kim Logan 21 August 1987
Peter Luckett 25 August 1976 Not recorded
Jean Macleay 24 June 1987 31 March 1988
David Manning 15 April 1993
Phillip Manning
Robert McDonald
Ian McEachern 12 October 1992
Victor Montague 16 October 1985 15 December 1986
Harold Morgan 14 September 1981 27 February 1985
Peter Morris 21 August 1986 31 March 1990
David Muir 10 March 1975 15 December 1986
Ian Murray circa 1950
Beverley O’Gorman 19 August 1992 31 March 1993
Nerida O’Neil 19 September 1984 31 March 1991
Alan Oliver 6 August 1973 27 April 1977
Kathleen Oliver 30 November 1973 31 March 1979
Kathleen Palmer 12 November 1965 31 March 1987
Lisa Palmer 1993
James Payne 30 October 1987
Ian Pearson 30 March 1985 31 March 1991
Naomi Peles 1993
Peter Plumley 11 May 1971 31 March 1982
Doreen Porte 18 July 1984 31 March 1990
John Powell 14 October 1969 17 December 1973
Ronald Power ¤ 22 June 1982 31 March 1985
Tina Price 29 August 1987 31 March 1992
Gillian Reischel 24 August 1987 31 March 1988
Adele Rhodes
Andrew Roberts 7 April 1988 31 March 1993
Leslie Roberts 30 April 1977 Current
Ian Room 24 September 1982 31 March 1985
Valeria Rubenis 18 July 1984 25 March 1987
Jan Schuit 21 September 1969 27 March 1974
Warren Scott 28 February 1991
Zane Scott 10 June 1997 Current
Peter Seward 1993
Glenn Shapter 14 September 1981 31 March 1987
Colin Sharp Current
Deborah Sharp 27 September 1991 Current
Paul Sistrom 5 March 1995
Keith Smiles
Andrew Smith
David Smith¤
John Stavert 24 November 1982 31 March 1985
Colleen Stephens 22 December 1976 31 March 1980
John Stephens 28 July 1976 31 March 1984
Terence Stephens 21 December 1976 31 March 1983
Greg Steptoe 1993
William Stevenson 12 November 1971 18 December 1979
John Terzis 19 April 1983 31 March 1985
Craig Thomas 1971 December 1980
Christine Todd 14 March 1973 28 July 1976
Alan Turner 1 May 1982 31 March 1985
Jeanette Valena
Noel Vidal
Jorn Villien 18 July 1984 31 March 1987
Bob Vine
Frank Waitzer 26 February 1968 27 January 1972
Kate Waddingham
Robert Whiddon 17 February 1977 31 March 1984
William Whiddon 1956 1960
Paul Whitfield 1993
Christopher Wight 12 September 1977 31 March 1988
Ian Wightman 5 May 1970 29 March 1973
David Wilson 10 June 1997 Current
John Winigee
Gwendoline Wood 12 September 1977 31 March 1987
Stephen Woods 31 January 1992

Our First Rovers

Rovers seem to have had many starts and stops along the way. John Stavert, a Venturer Leader and Rover Adviser from 1982 to 1985, assisted David Muir and Therese Duff with running Venturers. When a few of the Venturers turned 18 a Rover Crew was started.

John attempted to reform the Rover Crew in February 1983 – presumably with success. Three of the 1st Berowra Senior Scouts, unable to form a Unit of their own joined with 1st Lindfield. These Senior Scouts were Rolf De Heer, Beric Sneddon and Peter de Ruyter. These Rovers continued for about a year or two. Later another attempt was made and Venturers again travelled away from the Group to learn what Rovers was all about. They were sponsored by 1st Turramurra.

Numbers were not large enough to make it very viable and the competition from outside interests and activities meant that attendance was often poor. The Rover Crew was de-registered in August 1987, but fortunately was re-registered on 14th November 1988, with Laura Brown as Crew Leader, Brian Engert as Rover Adviser and Heather-Ann Cairns as Crew Secretary. The Rover Crew started with 11 Rovers (7 males and 4 females).

They met Fridays between 7.30pm and 9.30pm. At present membership of the Rover Unit is 26 and is at it highest ever point.

Our First Venturers (Senior Scouts)

The Venturer Unit was registered, as 1st Berowra Senior Scout Troop, on 29th August 1968 (although it had been in existence since February of that year) with Frank Waitzer of Wyanna Street, Berowra as Venturer Leader. There were 7 Senior Scouts (Venturers) in the first Unit. At the time of registration the Group consisted 30 Cubs, 32 Scouts, 1 Cub Scout Leader and 4 Scout Leaders. The Venturer Unit, at the time of registration, came under Muogamarra District and Bill Kirk was Group Scout Master with T Schuit as Group Secretary. The Senior Troop met between 8.00pm and 10.00pm on Fridays. Bill Hamilton was the Venturer Leader between 1978 and 1983. In February 1983 six females, the first females in the Venturer Unit, were admitted. Activities at this time, as recalled by Bill Stevenson, were sailing, caving and abseiling.

The following Venturers (Dianna Bissett, Warwick Bissett, Duncan Armour, Heather-Ann Cairns, Sean Farrell, Michael Farrell, Phillip Harrison, John Harrison, Andrew Introna, Colin Johnston, Andrew Knight and Kate Waddingham) went to Tasmania from 26th December 1986 to 19th January 1987 and walked the South Coast Track and the Overland Track. The money for this was raised with a bush dance, car washes, odd jobs etc.

Kai Kai and Turi Groups

The 1st Berowra Scout Group was initially registered on 19th September 1929 with Evan Hughes of Allan Road as the first Scoutmaster. The registration papers show the Troop was initially unattached to any District. When registered, the Troop consisted of 6 invested Scouts and 8 recruits and met Tuesday nights at 8.00pm at Mr Hughes’ parents house, although meetings were occasionally held at the Group Treasurer Mrs Stoyle’s house, 20 Berowra Waters Road. Amongst the first intake of Scouts were Bill Foster, Jack Foster, Harry Heazlett, Jack Heazlett¤, Ernie Huett¤, Trevor Huett¤, Ken Johns, Jack Overton¤, Frank Partridge and Alan Woof¤. These were joined in 1930 by Jim Hardman, Dudley Heazlett, Colin Huett, Sid Towers and Les Wall¤. The Patrol Leaders’ names were Jack Heazlett (Thrush Patrol), Alan Woof (Dove Patrol) and Bill Foster (Kingfisher Patrol).

Bill Foster, one of Evan Hughes’ Scouts, recalls that they met at Evan’s parents’ house to study Scouting and to get help with their badge work. They also acted small plays, and had discussions and singsongs. One Saturday a month they’d go bush and do the practical side to what they’d learned. Each Scout had his own hand carved hiking staff. On several occasions they went on long weekend camps.

The Scouts had a Christmas camp at Crosslands in 1929. In those days Berowra Creek was deep and very clean and boats had no trouble going up or down at any time of the day. That same year saw the holding of a Scout rally in Hornsby Park where the swimming pool is today. The Scouts camped in the park and although it rained for one day, it was very successful. Bill Foster remembers he won the hop, step and jump and the long jump competitions.

Their 1930 Christmas camp was held near Bar Island at an old orchard owned by a Mr Vicars. The Troop had just settled in and had collected a bag of oysters when Mr Vicars arrived and made them throw them back (however some survived to be eaten later). Mr Vicars was a member of the Vicars Woollen Mills family.

Bill Foster also recalls attending a Scout event at Randwick Racecourse in 1931 at which Lord Baden-Powell attended. On this occasion the Scouts camped in a hall in Saber Street, Woollahra and travelled to and around Sydney in steam trains, trams, buses and ferries. They were always on the move, and in between saw much of Sydney. These activities tired them out so much they had no trouble sleeping on the hall’s hard wooden floor.

In the 1930s the bush was full of birds and all sorts of animals. When going on a bush hike or a camp the Scouts always took some plaster of Paris to make casts of flowers and the footprints left by wallabies, kangaroos, birds, lizards, foxes, hares, rabbits, possums etc.

Evan Hughes was the only Warranted Leader for the Troop. Dudley Heazlett recalls that Evan was about 23 or 24 at the time and that he was a Public Servant working in, what was then he thinks, the Department of Labour and Industry. Part of Evan’s work was to hand out ration tickets to the unemployed during the Great Depression. These tickets were exchanged for food, clothing etc. Dudley also remembers that, although he was only about 11 years old at the time, Evan let him tag along because his two brothers Jack and Harry were Scouts. At the time Cubs were 9-12 years old, Scouts 12-18 and Rovers over 17.

Evan built a canoe from wood and canvas in his parents’ lounge room and this was used whenever the Troop went on outings along the river. The Troop often went on hikes to Joe Crafts Creek where they camped and practised bushcraft, including cooking and first aid. There was plenty of running water (which was pure in those days), flat ground to pitch tents, good swimming and clean sand. They carried their gear and food along Turner Road and then down the side of the gully to the spot at Joe Crafts Creek. In 1932 Evan Hughes and the Scouts walked to Berowra Creek and Rex Jones lent them two skiffs. They used these to row up to Peats Bight where they camped, for four days over Easter, at George and Frances Peat’s farm. The Troop was disbanded after about 3 years due to Evan’s other commitments.

Walter Rhodes remembers when he was a Scout (from about 1948) having chariot races on Berowra Oval. The chariots were made from three wooden staves tied together. They also had regular flour fights with the Leaders. He also recalls the time a Leader was showing them how to tie knots – as practice the Scouts grabbed the hapless Leader, tied him up and left him suspended from the hall roof. At one camp a large moth flew into a pot of stew which was cooking over a fire. In an attempt to scoop the moth out it somehow became lost in the stew. The Scouts never did find out who ended up eating the extra protein. Walter also recalls carting a heavy bag of cement through the bush in order to build a monument to a Scout who had died. The monument was built by the Scouts somewhere between Eleanor Bluff and Fisherman’s Bend on the Hawkesbury River – perhaps the monument is still there.

A mention is made in the 1st Hornsby Group Committee minutes of 20th April 1948 that ASM Maurice Brangwin was at present Acting Scout Master at Berowra for the new Troop. It seems that Scouting was pretty much alive from 1948. A further mention is made in the 1st Hornsby Group Committee minutes of 15 March 1949 that Mr Brangwin, SM of Berowra Troop, reported that the Troop was growing – there now being 21 boys. An old record card, supplied by NSW Branch, shows 13 Scouts in Berowra in 1950 and 1st Hornsby’s newsletter “The Camp Fire” stated Maurice is in charge at Berowra. … He will be assisted … at Berowra by Ian Murray. Maurice transferred his Warrant to Scout Master at 1st Hornsby Group in late 1950 and resigned in April 1952. Beryl Cunningham believes that once the original Scout Hall was built, Scouting (whether Cubs, Scouts or Senior Scouts) continued without a break until the current day. In August 1951 there were only four Groups – 1st Hornsby, 1st Berowra, 1st Normanhurst and 2nd Wahroonga (Blind) in the Scout Association’s Hornsby District.

Bill Kirk came to live in Berowra in the 1950s. He had been in the navy and was keen to pass on his knowledge of knotting to his three sons Andrew, Anthony, and Howard. Each Sunday he would teach knotting to his sons and some of their friends. Noel Pogue (Hornsby District Commissioner) got to hear about Bill’s activities and called to see him saying he’d heard Bill had formed an unofficial Scout Group. Bill explained what he was doing was no more than a social gathering of the local boys. Noel then pressed Bill into becoming a Scout Leader.

Bill was subsequently elected Group President, a function he performed for a couple of years. He recalls David Smith¤ was Akela of the Wolf Cub Pack and his wife Betty Smith was Baloo. Bill Whiddon (see below) was Scout Master of the Troop for about four years. Over the years Bill Kirk was Group Scout Master (Group Leader in today’s parlance), and also helped with Cubs and Scouts. “Rocky” Knights¤ and John Gresham¤ were Scout Leaders in Bill Kirk’s time too.

Bill also recalls one Christmas, around 1958, visiting The Snowy Mountains Scheme with Noel Vidal. Noel carried all the gear and two Scouts in his Vanguard panel van, and Bill drove his 1938 Plymouth with six Scouts.

The Group also hosted several of the District Scout Competitions in the Hall grounds in the 1960s.

Whilst felling an iron bark tree, to clear land for the 1960 extension to the Scout Hall, Bill badly gashed his leg with an axe. He required six weeks off work for the wound to heal. He still bears the scar today.

Some of the activities Bill recalls are:

1.      District Camps at Brooklyn Dam – these were well attended and always very popular with the Scouts;

2.      A cross country hike from Camp Kariong (at Kariong near Gosford) to Rofe Park at Hornsby. The Army was involved and fired blank rounds at the Scouts as they tried to get over a river on a single strand rope bridge. The trip took 2 to 3 days and made the Scouts use their mapping and compass skills to maximum effect.

3.      Harold Harrison’s 21st birthday. Bill’s task on that day was to get Harold out of the way by taking him to town for the day. Cubs were strung all along the road leading back into Berowra. As Bill and Harold returned to Berowra their progress was relayed by Cubs giving signals. In this way their arrival was closely monitored and Harold was given a surprise birthday party at the Scout Hall. The Ladies Committee prepared the food and everyone had a great time. Bill remembers Harold was very popular with everyone – boys, parents and Leaders.

Bill Whiddon received his Warrant in January 1956 and re-opened the Scout Troop on 6th March 1956 with 6 boys who came up from the Wolf Cub Pack where David Smith¤ was Akela. The Troop was registered a few months later on 31st May 1956 (the year television was introduced to Australia and the Olympic Games were held in Melbourne). Meetings were held on Fridays commencing 7.30pm at the Scout Hall (described by Bill as a 5.4 x 5.4 metres tin shed situated at the end of a bush track and surrounded by bush). The six Scouts were Phillip Jackson, Ian McWhirter, Phillip Richardson, Leon Stalls, Frank Steffel and Rudy Steffel. Rodger Kirkpatrick joined three weeks later having transferred from 1st Sutherland Scout Group. Rodger was already a 2nd Class Scout, well on his way to Scout 1st Class. Later Rex Boag, Andrew Kirk, Howard Kirk, Neville Page, John Steffel and John Taylor were to join the Troop. At the time of the Troop’s registration there were 24 Cub Scouts and 1 Cub Scout Leader and Oswald E Steffel of Waratah Road, Berowra was the Secretary of the Group Committee.

Soon after the re-formation of the Troop, Hornsby District, with Noel Pogue as District Commissioner, decided to re-establish competitive District Camps. The first of these camps was at Bent Basin, Wallacia over the October holiday weekend 1956. 1st Berowra finished first in this competition. The next District Camp was held at The Willows picnic ground at Cattai in October 1957 – again 1st Berowra won the competition. Bill Whiddon’s last camp with the Troop was a 7 day camp at Fraser Park near Swansea in January 1960.

Noel Pogue later became District Commissioner of Muogamarra District when the District was created. A story told to me, which illustrates the conditions some Leaders worked under many years ago, relates to Noel when he decided to visit the Brooklyn Scout Group one night to see how they were going. The Scoutmaster at Brooklyn was also the Fisheries Inspector and meetings were held in a building where fish were stored prior to dispatch to the Sydney markets. When Noel got to the building the lights were on, but there was deadly silence. He thought they must have been having a Scouts Own and, so not to disturb them, quietly approached the building. He looked around the corner and saw the Scoutmaster sitting at a desk surrounded by crates of fish and on the desk were two loaded pistols. It turned out the Fisheries Inspector had caught a poacher and confiscated his catch with the intention of selling it at the markets the next day. A similar incident had occurred previously, but the poacher that time had purposely spoiled the catch of fish so they could not be sold. The Scoutmaster (come Fisheries Inspector) was determined that would not happen this time and was standing guard over his catch. The whereabouts of the Scouts was not told to me.

Arthur “Colonel” Ball (retired Hornsby District Commissioner) recalls that he was asked by Harold Harrison, a 1st Berowra Scoutmaster in 1968-71, to assist with a wide game. His job was to dress up as a highwayman and kidnap the Scoutmaster. Apparently he was very convincing in his slouch hat and army greatcoat, for when he picked up their Scoutmaster the Scouts attacked him. Mr Ball made good his escape by car to Berowra Railway station where he changed his clothes just in the nick of time. A short while later several breathless Scouts arrived on the station and carefully studied Mr Ball to see whether he was the kidnapper they had been chasing. He recalls that he was lucky to escape with his life and never used that wide game again!

Peter Plumley became a Leader around May 1971, at the time Rocky “Number One” Knights and Ron “Akela” Knights were Leaders. Peter recalls that Jan Schuit was Group Leader and gave all Leaders tremendous encouragement and support. At that time John Gresham¤ and Ian Wightman were the Leaders of a very small Senior Scout Unit (Venturers).

During Peter’s time, as now, Leaders were in short supply and a recruitment drive was arranged. Six Leaders were required and a meeting of parents held. Supper was provided, but not until the Leaders were recruited – it took 20 minutes to get the volunteers. In this way the second Cub Scout Pack “Kangaroo” was formed. A similar recruitment drive

was held when Koala Pack was formed. However on that occasion it took fifty minutes for supper to be served. It takes more than a cup of tea or coffee and cake these days to get Leaders.

Peter Plumley further recalls that one Friday night, after he’d been with 1st Berowra about twelve months, just as he was staring the Opening Ceremony, the door burst open – almost crashing off its hinges. In stomped a lad demanding “I want to be a Scout.” This was David Cornford, no Cubs for him “That’s too sissy” (his own words). David was a powerpack of inexhaustible energy, many times almost consuming anything and anybody before him. He was just what the Troop needed at that time to pull itself up out of the gloom. Often referred to as “Super Scout”, he was always to be found right up front in everything over and above normal Scout activities. Fund raising, car washes, special projects – you name it, he was into it. How he ever found the time, let alone the energy, to get involved with the Zig Zag railway in a big way as well, the Lord only knows. I say this not to overshadow the contributions of the other lads, merely to recognise an outstanding and memorable contribution to the Group as a whole.

It was indeed for Berowra a very proud moment on the lawns of Government House when David Cornford (Corny), with his three mates Craig Henderson (Hendo), Jonathan Walker (Wacky) and Robert Plumley (Plum) received their Queen Scout Awards. They were the only lads from Hornsby District that year, rather fortuitously the official photographer was also. He very kindly and proudly arranged a special group photograph of the four lads with the Chief Scout Sir Roden Cutler.

Dingo Pack

Dingo Pack started operating on 29 April 1982 with 15 Cub Scouts and 4 transfers (Ben-Franz Liquete, Paul Duff, Anthony Jones and Stewart Crake) from Koala Pack. It was however not until August 1982 that it was registered, with Jean Bray as Akela, and Wendy “Kim” Abel, Adele “Raksha” Ahearn, and Alan “Kaa” Turner as Assistant Cub Scout Leaders in training.

The first investitures, 15 Cub Scouts and 3 Leaders took place on 17 June 1982. It was followed by a sausage sizzle. Also in attendance were Mrs Jan Cattling (District Leader), Mrs Clemency McRae (District Cub Scout Leader), Harold “Pirate” Morgan (Group Leader) and John “Shere Khan” Stephens who had been very much a driving force in setting up the Pack.

The day was special for Adele “Raksha” Ahearn as she renewed her promise before the Pack (she had previously been a Leader in New Zealand) and her son Carl was invested.

At that time the Group had 83 Cub Scouts in 3 Packs, 57 Scouts in 2 Troops, 9 Venturers and 3 Rover Scouts. There were 11 Pack Leaders, 6 Troop Leaders, 1 Venturer Unit Leader and 1 Rover Scout Crew Leader. The Pack originally met on Thursdays between 7.00pm and 8.30pm. Later, when Kangaroo Pack closed, the meetings were transferred to Monday nights.

In 1982 the hall consisted of today’s Scout Hall and Rover Den – the section now used by Cub Scouts was not added until later. Because there was no room for Dingo Pack to meet at the hall, the former Hall’s Bakery site at 8 Berowra Waters Road (now Berowra Car Care) was used. The fumes from the car repair shop underneath these temporary premises finally became intolerable, and the Pack was fortunate in being allowed to use the Guide Hall until extra space (the current Cub Scouts’ Hall) was added to the Scout Hall.

At some Cub Scout Pack holidays it was traditional for the Cubs to write an account of their experiences. Some stories show great insight into how a boy of Cub Scout age thinks. They also show why Leaders go straight to heaven when they die. In order not to embarrass the Cub Scout, the name of the author of the following shortened account is omitted.

On Friday 11 March 1983 Dingo Pack went to Warragamba Dam. Most Cubs went in the little bus with Mr Bray driving. We left Berowra at 7.00pm and arrived at Warragamba Dam about 9.00pm. We unloaded the bus and made up our beds and had some cocoa. I was in a little room with 3 New Chums and we had a little talk. About 3.00am Akela took me out of the room to sleep with Baloo and let William, Jon and David get to sleep.

Most of us got up about 5.00am and ran along the verandah to wake up everybody else. We then had a water fight and wet Mrs Murphy, Akela and all the Cubs. We had breakfast of orange juice, rice bubbles and toast.

We then went on a scavenger hunt to find a piece of paper with our name on it and a lolly. After this we had a game of cricket and then lunch – toast, sandwiches and cake. After lunch we had relay races in the park and then made craft.

We went down to the dam wall in the bus. The dam was short of water and what was there was all green.

… We then had tea – yucky food.

We went to bed about 9.00pm and got up at 6.00am to run along the verandah to wake everybody up. … After lunch we went to the pool and threw Dean, Miss Muphett (Nicole Murphy) and Akela into the pool, then I got thrown in. We then had a lynch test – who can sit the longest on Kaa and Baloo.

Jean Bray (Cub Scout Leader 1980-88) spent a great deal of time with the Cub Scouts and took them on many outings and extended Pack holidays (usually lasting 5 days) to such places as Canberra, Bonney Hills, and Dubbo.

The first 5-day camp was to Canberra. Jean had been sick and had been advised not to go. She cancelled the holiday, but re-booked it half and hour later because she couldn’t stand the disappointment of the Cubs. The Leaders put on a special dinner for the Cubs and parents with a “Star Wars” theme. On that holiday David Cocks lost his Cub Scout cap in Lake Burley Griffin (he did it again on the Bonney Hills camp). Some of the Cubs got chicken pox on the camp, so the first meeting after the camp had to be cancelled.

The second 5-day camp was to Bonney Hills near Port Macquarie where the Pack stayed in a Uniting Church camp site. It had been raining for a while before this camp and for some time after it, but for the 5-days of the camp the weather was marvellous. The Cubs were taken to Wauchope, the observatory and the (now demolished) Dolphin Pool at Port Macquarie etc. Perhaps the thing to make this camp memorable was that the Cubs went paddling in their shoes. In an attempt to dry them the adults stoked the boiler and put the shoes in the boiler room. Because they didn’t bleed the boiler the pressure became too great and the pipes burst and leaked all over the dining tables.

The third 5-day camp was to Dubbo where the Pack stayed at the NSW Department of Education Centre. There were plenty of rooms, campfire area, barbecue area, and even a netball court to share with the sheep. They visited a farm, Dubbo Zoo and the Australian National Radio Astronomy Observatory at Parkes.

Another memorable Pack Holiday Dingo Pack had was to Mt Seaview, near Port Macquarie during the week 24th – 29th September 1990. The boys really enjoyed themselves with water slides (buckets of water carried from the river by the Cubs and poured down lengths of thick plastic sheeting), four-wheel drives around the district, a visit to a weather station on the property, sleeping in the bunkhouse, a visit to Timbertown at Wauchope, horse riding etc. The accommodation was very basic and someone had to keep remembering to keep a wood fire lit under the hot water tank so we could have warm showers. The boys as usual, were hard to get to bed on the first night of the camp, but as the week wore on they were easier and easier to get to sleep. On the last night or two they went to bed without the Leaders even having to suggest it. The boys at that camp were:

Peter Anderson, Benjamin Crowther,  Christopher Leuenberger, Christopher Boyle, Benjamin Dreyer, Aaron Ransom, Patrick Boyle, Kurt Englebrecht Glen Stewart, Christopher Brown, Joel Farr, Graham Whitaker, Stuart Clark Cameron Forsyth

The Leaders were Nerida “Akela” O’Neil and Phillip “Nathoo” Boyle. The cooks and helpers were Les “Rama” Brown, Helen Brown, Marion Dreyer, Philip Dreyer, Robert Farr and John Anderson. In addition the following non-Cubs also attended the camp Douglas Anderson, Anthony Boyle, Lyndal Brown, Stephen Brown, Jamie Dreyer and April O’Neil.

Akelas of Dingo Pack have been Jean Bray, Nerida O’Neil, Phillip Boyle and Marion Dreyer.