We had a very pleasant local bushwalk with just 20 of the cubs, and lots of parents too! Sixes were combined and given 4 challenges - find as many things as you can to fit in your match box, collect 10 different seeds, 10 different leaves and a natural item of every colour of the rainbow. Collections were beautifully displayed. We finished back at the Hall, where we saw Rohan, Jack, Tom de K. and William (soon to be scouts) and all the other scouts, preparing for their Shakedown camp, which is the preparation for the big Scout Easter Camp.
Landcare at 1st Lindfield Scout Base, Slade Avenue, March 2010
The cubs have completed their Landcare badge by weeding and checking on the native plants which were planted late last year. They also planted their own hop bush seedling to take home and nurture.
Guided by six Fishcare volunteers, almost 40 cubs, a few siblings and a good number of parents all participated in a wonderful afternoon of fishing. The boys practiced their casting and even a few fish were caught and released. We finished the day with a yummy sausage sizzle.
Starting with an energy release game in the hall, the cubs quickly moved outside to build their fires. Some members of each six maintained the fires whilst others prepared a damper dough to cook. Jam and golden syrup were added for a tasty treat. We finished up following Robert's trail signs in the bush.
With six sixes, we had 12 stalls this year!! Whack a Rat was popular, and the Toss the Dunny Roll was a hit too!! Lots of fun was had setting up the stalls, and real money changed hands as the boys rotated around everyone's stalls and paid 10 cents a turn. This was followed by the group photographs and family BBQ, including our Scouts who performed a Christmas Carol under the baton of Skip.
Sleepover at the Baden Powell Scout Centre, Pennant Hills 21 Nov 09
26 Cubs and 9 Dads, Sugeema and Bagheera met at the BPSC on a hot Saturday afternoon. After some games and a great dinner we had a game in the dark before heading off to our bunkrooms. Lots of badgework was signed off in yellow books, first aid kits were inspected & we all had a pretty good night's sleep, despite the heat. The next day, after a big cooked breakfast, we had some more games (see the photos of the Jamackwack bird game!) and a swim. Then we split into groups to do rockclimbing, low ropes course and trolleys. Then we built some amazing ballistas, with staves and square lashings, and plenty of water balloons!! A big lunch of home made hamburgers, another swim and time to go home.
Neridah and Mary Lou from BUSH-IT, the group who have the contract to maintain the bush in our "backyard" - the Seven Little Australians Park - came to talk to the boys about identifying weeds, removing them, and how to plant and care for small native shrubs and trees. The boys brought their own trowels, watering cans and gloves. We hope to have Neridah and Mary Lou back in February or March to allow the boys the opportunity to achieve their Landcare badge.
Our new 6 sixes (Green, Red, Blue, Black, Grey, Yellow) worked with some of our dads to cut their shields out with jigsaws. Designs had been done at a previous meeting. Sixes worked carefully and with much concentration to paint and decorate their sheilds. They will go on display in each of the Dens.
We had an early Remembrance Day service which allowed the boys to attain an important badge: Their Service Our Heritage. Mr Ross Pearson, from the Roseville sub-branch of the RSL came to talk to the boys about his active service days. They listened intently and then shared their own stories of relatives who had served in past wars and conflicts. We were all surprised to learn that we have the grandsons of 2 Victoria Cross recipients!! We walked up to the Tryon Road memorial and had our own service, with Jack and William saying the Ode and Alistair saying his prayer specially written for the service. It was a particularly poignant and meaningful ceremony. Ross Magee and our Venturers then facilitated some terrific games in the park. We finished the day with our Investiture of 9 new cubs.
Over 30 cubs, some siblings and a good number of parents met on a beautiful sunny spring Saturday afternoon at Dawes Point, just under the Harbour Bridge. We were fortunate to have Matthew Kelly with us, an archaelogist who took us on an historical walk around the rocks area, comparing the current city buildings and landmarks with old photos and paintings from the past. We walked through the Rocks area, stopping at Old Susannah Place to buy lollies! We eventually came to Cadman's cottage where we said goodbye to Matthew, and off we set to the Hyde Park Barracks. The cubs were taken on a special tour of the Barracks, experiencing the history of the early convicts through the displays and the stories told by the museum staff. After Sugeema's convict style lamb stew and damper rolls, we retreated to the hammocks for more stories about the early inhabitants of the Barracks. Eventually sleep came, and then at 4.45am our rowdy bunch of little convicts woke up and had an early breakfast before being given their Tickets of Leave. Their crimes ranged from plundering wrecks, to treason, to stealing a pig! Enjoy the photos - they are not in any particular order, as they have come from a variety of sources. Thanks to Jacob Z. for the loan of his camera.
About 30 of our cubs and 20 accompanying parents and siblings spent 2 hours horse riding at Glenworth Valley near Peats Ridge on a beautiful spring afternoon. The cubs were matched to a suitable horse, and managed to learnt basics of riding. It got exciting when the horses started to trot. A good time was had by all.
22 cubs and an equal number of parents set off from the Archery Centre at Homebush for our Bike Orienteering Challenge. Our two teams (Red & Black Sixes and Green & Grey Sixes) were capably navigated by their Sixers around a challenging course which took in many of the sights that Sydney Olympic Park offers - the new BMX track, the Mangroves, the Brick Pit, the ANZ (Olympic) stadium, and the Wentworth Common (Snail Hill). The cubs had to find the answers to some challenging questions, as they progressed through their course. The weather was great, and lots of fun and exercise was had by all, including a number of siblings.
Our Sixes rotated through different 'stations' icing biscuits and cakes, cutting up fruit, preparing scones, jam & cream, and decorating their menus and tables, in preparation for the annual Mother's Day Cafe. Mums and grandmothers came and were waited on by the cubs, served tea and coffee, and delicious afternoon tea in the gorgeous Autumn afternoon sun. All the mums received a beautifully iced cake, carefully iced by the cubs, with the assistance of Pat Sinclair, one of the cub's grandmothers, and a professional wedding cake maker. Photos here
Baden Powell's Birthday - Firemaking and cooking damper
In celebration of Lord Baden Powell's birthday this week, we did some traditional (and favourite) activities - building fires & cooking damper. Each Six built their own fire, and cooked delictious damper, later smothered in jam and honey. The different levels of the Scouting movement were in action today, as Scott Poole (one of the older 1st Lindfield scouts) and Adrian White (a 1st Lindfield Rover) came to assist the newest cubs (who will be invested next week), with learning their Cub Scout Promise, the Cub Scout Law and various Jungle Book stories.
On Sunday the 22nd of February 2009, 14 of the Cubs completed their canoeing badge after a day's canoeing on Narrabeen lake. The boys learnt many safety awareness skills and paddling skills as well as making new friendships with 1st Mosman and 1st Balgowlah groups.
Our lessons were outstanding overcoming any cub's hesitations. Our instructor guided us as if we were learing to ski showing us how to fall, how to get on and get off safely, how to ride and finally teaching us to ride on the ramps.
Engineering badge involved the cubs learning about building things and working with pulleys. We first made constructions out of straws and marshmallows. We learnt how to lift our cub leaders up a tree using a block and tackle, how to pull a billycart on a rope with a pulley, how to make an aerodynamic paper plane, and finally how a catapult works. At the end of the day we tried out billycarting down our driveway. Cubs need to complete one more requirement of the engineer badge at home : research a famous engineer or draw a diagram of how something such as a water wheel works.
We set up four sideshows - throw the wet sponge at the cub head in the hole, asteroid blaster, stairway to heaven, and tin can throw. We then ran the shows for families as they arrived for the evening Family BBQ. Thanks to dads Neil, John and Gordon in designing their stalls with the cubs on the day. Afterwards prior to the group BBQ we were entertained with a mad scientist show
25 cubs arrived at 5pm on the Saturday. They were entertained by a reptile show followed by dinner, movie then had their choice of sleeping in the shark tunnel or upstairs with the tropical fish. Most went for the tunnel where all the lights were turned out and the sharks started to swim faster as it was mating season. The next morning we woke at 630 for breakfast plus some games before our parents picked us up at 8.30, and cubs were awarded the Naturalist Badge.
Bushwalk St Ives to Roseville 1 Nov + Naturalist Badge Day 8 Nov
Naturalist Badge Part 1 saw hunting for interesting animals, making resin moulds of bush items, discovering different types of rocks, and setting fire with methylated spirits to dangerous ants nests, Thankyou to John McCausland for staying with us and your help organising the resin fossils, hope you had fun too.
The bushwalk on 1 November involved out longest walk yet of 8km from 2nd St Ives Scout hall, walking along a pipeline, crossing a river creek as the tide came in with the water rising above the rocks as we started to cross. We also walked on Governor Philips footsteps from over 220 years ago in Middle Harbour. Thanks to the parents and venturer scouts who came along too.
11 families camped for a weekend at Camp Kanangra, Nords Wharf, Lake Macquarie. The weather was perfect and the kids had a great time messing about in boats.
With excitement yet trepidation we mounted our large horses and assembled as a group. There was a lot of quiet as concentration was intense as to what dangers lay ahead. The smell of poo was fresh as were the droppings. The amazing thing was there were no flies. 27 of us took off for a 2.5 hour trail ride. As confidence grew so did the pace. Wonders never ceased as when we stopped to check our strappings we were told to stand up whilst the horses did amazing wees. A hard one to put music to considering an obvious song could be Daryl Braithwaite's "Horses". However the temptation to finish with "Rawhide" won the day as you will see and the opening track about being made to feel "out of our element" and "caught in the moment"seems to capture the growing confidence that was evidenced on the day.
We went to the Air Activities Base where cubs, siblings and parents had a great day out. All Cubs completed their Level 2 Flight badge by completing a course that included learning about what makes a plane fly, doing a tour of the airfield, going for a flight in a Cessna and making a rubber band propelled plane.
The video below shows many parts of the day wiht some hopefully appropriate music and pictures or videos of most people who attended on the day.
We met at Bicentennial Park on a glorious sunny day, a large group of earger cubs, parents and siblings on their bikes (and one dad on his roller blades). We rode down through the mangrove swamp and circled up a hill to admire the view. Then we sped on to the Frog Ring Walk where we made enough noise to wake the frogs (assuming they're in there, we certainly couldn't see them from up on high). On a nice dirt patch of track, we practised our skidding and tried to set a skid distance records. Then it was off to ride through the fountains until home time.
Gordon Ramsay takes a week and a lot of swearing but 1st Lindfield Cubs managed to find cooks, staff, a menu, and build a restaurant to cater for a full house 1st night opening all within 90 minutes. We had great help from Suzanne East (muffins), Melanie Lovell (scones) Tibor Schwarz (menus) Louise Magee (iced arrowroots) and John Whitelock- Jones (Restaurant set up) - none of whom breathed any bad words. All the boys made the food for the day described above as well as fairy bread and mini cheese kebabs. The boys lined up to greet their guests, escorting them to their tables and taking their orders to the kitchen. They then took their beverage orders and finally got to indulge themsleves. We had 27 cubs and counted almost 35 guests so a monumental piece of catering. We hope Tuesday's Sydney Morning Herald's Good Living magazine gives us 16/20 and "one hat" as a mark of quality for our restaurant debut.
Cubs Two Creek's Bushwalk and Bush Shelters Apr/May 08
Our last event of Term 1 was a bushwalk. 18 cubs and another 10 parents and siblings set off on 5th April from 1st Lindfield to walk the Two Creeks Track. It appears to have been upgraded recently with a new path just past Lindfiled oval apperaigto head towards East Killara. After 2 hours of easy walking, great scenery and great weather , we finished at Echo Point Roseville for ice creams.
For the 1st meeting of the second term (3 May) we made bush shelters. John Whitelock-Jones (Yvonne's eldest son)who is helping out to complete his service obligation for the Duke of Edinburgh award, ran games for the boys for 20 minutes to calm their spirits. The boys all then learned to tie a clove hitch which they used for the main vent of the day. All the boys then made bush shelters amongst the rocks and trees using rops for exra support. One team won extra points for all getting bitten deciding to build next to a bull ants nest.
23 Cubs, leaders and parents had a great day at the Woolwich Water Activities Base. We were divided into groups and each had a turn at three activities. The activities were canoeing up the Lane Cove River to a small beach, sailing around Cockatoo Island, and the favourite for most cubs, a wild ride on the ex-navy Zodiacs on Sydney Harbour including going under the Harbour Bridge and ramping all the big waves we could find. Some cubs enjoyed getting wet riding under the water cannon that was in action to celebrate Sydney Harbour Week.
Thanks to all the volunteer staff at SWASH who gave us such a great day out.
30 cubs and 5 parents/leaders embarked on the tall ship James Craig late on Feb 16th. The cubs were divided into 3 watches and the ground rules of the ship laid down and the punishment options for insolence and disobedience, such as keel hauling, were explained by the formidable First Mate Gilly. First the watches had to haul their cargo (aka sleeping bags, luggage) aboard in the traditional manner, using ropes and a cargo net. Then it was passed hand over hand down onto the tween deck. The cubs strung up their hammocks, although some cubs elected to sleep in immigrant bunks. Dinner of rats-stew followed, with traditional lime cordial and a toast to the new captain, who still needed to be found, since the old captain had succumbed to scurvy. After dinner, the cubs sang some rowdy sea shanties, made up some new verses of their own, and enthusiastically serenaded passing party boats, who took flight when confronted with a rail-load of yelling pirate cubs. Next the cubs did activities on deck which included tours of the deckhouse where the able seamen slept, the galley, the captains quarters, the bosuns store, and more. Then the jib sail was raised by hauling on the sheet, with the watches competing to see who could get it up and down the fastest. Three cubs wrote a letter on behalf of 1st Lindfield to be put in a bottle to be tossed into the sea for someone to find. And then it was supper and bedtime routine, some cubs were soon snoring in their hammocks, while others did what boys on sleepovers do.
First Mate woke the ship's crew very early, with the hammocks stowed and the cubs sitting down to breakfast by 6.30am. Next the cubs had to scrub the decks, followed by some more activities such as navigation charts, pumping out the bilge etc. The Fore Watch were the winning watch on points, and elected the new Captain Andrew who handed out certificates and a "snake" for each cub - but the cubs had to first tie a reef knot in the snake before they could eat it. By this time, parents were arriving on the wharf, so it was time to get our stuff and head home.
A special "123 Woof" to First Mate Gilly, Bosun Jack, Hairy and Cook for a fun and educational event. And thanks to 1st Lindfield leaders and parents who attended: Yvonne, Ross, Richard, Neil and Eric.
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