StateBrownseaIsland

=State Brown Sea Island Camp=

October 07

The Brown Sea Island State Camp originally planned for the Basin, Pittwater was moved as the NPWS evacuated campers from the area the day before. They ended up at [|Glengarry, a Guide property] The Orana region sent a patrol of 5 girls - 2 Coonabarabran Waratah Guides Gemma Evans and Jemmae Dow, 1 Coolah girl and 2 Dubbo girls). Rose Betts went as a representative of the Lone Girl Guide Units and Elizabeth Betts (Coonabarabran Gumnut Guide leader) was Quarter Master for this state wide camp.

This camp started off with a day in Sydney with a choice of activities. Our Coona girls chose to do the Sydney tour on Double Decker open top bus, Darling Harbour shopping and Circular Quay and the Opera House.

Once they hit the camping grounds then the action really hotted up with various activities over the week at the beach including canoeing, kayaking, rafting, marine biology which involved snorkelling and catching fish, surfing lessons & boogie boarding. Patrols did sand modelling creating mermaids, a village, turtle etc A group project created a giant Guide World flag using sand modelling. There was plenty of action on land too with ice blocking – which involves sliding down a grassy hill on a large block of ice; go carting; Qi gong – helping the girls focus on their inner energy, Tie dying t-shirts which they all took home; marching with the marching girls learnt how to follow the instructions and march correctly; henna tattoos – on their ankles; orienteering; pioneering; beading; word burning – to create a decorative piece to take home; woggle making out of string; archery; fun sumo wrestling using tyres around their middles and bouncing off their combatants; tug o war

The nights involved open ceremony, and lots of campfires with games and singing. The last night the girls got to sleep under the stars as their tents were all packed up for the departure on the last day. Highlights for the girls included making lots of new friends, surfing and the crazy sumo wrestling with rubber tyres.