History of World Scouting

In 1907 Robert Baden-Powell ran the first Scout camp at Brownsea Island off the South Coast of England. Both Baden-Powell and the boys who attended agreed the camp had been successful. This is considered the beginning of Scouting.

The following year his book Scouting for Boys was published and proved a great success, being reprinted 10 times in only two years. Scout Troops sprang up around Britain, and by 1922 a world Scouting organization had been established. Scouting had already spread to Australia, New Zealand and India in 1908.

Throughout the years Scouting has become the world's largest youth organization, with Scouts in hundreds of countries worldwide. Each Scout becomes a member of a worldwide family spread over many languages and races.

Baden-Powell insisted that education should be fun and this idea is the basis of the Scouting movement.

His system allows youth members to learn how to improve themselves and help society, while having fun and making friends.

Scouts have the option of deciding what they want to learn and how fast they learn it, have goals to work towards and obtain recognition for their efforts. As the Scout progresses through the sections they can also develop leadership skills which may help them in the future.

Scouting admitted girls and young women to its Venturer Scout and Rover Scout Sections in 1973 and its Cub Scout and Scout Sections in 1988. The Joey Scout Section commenced on 1 July 1990 and is open to boys and girls.


History of Queensland Scouting

  • 1908 - First Scout Patrols formed in Queensland (August).
  • 1916 - Sea Scouts established in Queensland.
  • 1918 - Wolf Cubs commenced in Queensland.
  • 1923 - Rover Crews established in Queensland.
  • 1931 - First Scout Group formed (All Saints, Brisbane).
  • 1942 - Air Scouts established in Queensland.
  • 1952 - First Gang Show performed in Queensland.
  • 1973 - Senior Scouts renamed Venturer Scouts.
  • 1975 - Venturer Units and Rover Crews accept their first female members.
  • 1980 - First Agoonoree Camp staged at Baden-Powell Park.
  • 1988 - Girls admitted to Scouts and Cub Scouts.
  • 1990 - Joey Scouts commenced in Queensland.


Mission Statement

The Mission of Scouting is to contribute to the education of young people, through a value system based on the Scout Promise and Law, to help build a better world where people are self-fulfilled as individuals and play a constructive role in society.

We achieve this by:

★ Involving young people through their formative years in a non-formal education process.

★ Using a specific method that makes each individual the principal agent in his or her development as a self-reliant, supportive and committed person.

★ Assisting them to establish a value system based upon spiritual, social and personal principles as expressed in the Promise and Law.


Scouting Purpose

The purpose of the Scout Movement is to contribute to the education of young people in achieving their full physical, intellectual, emotional, social and spiritual potentials as individuals, as responsible citizens and as members of their local, national and international communities


Scouting Principles

The Principles of Scouting as identified by the Founder, Lord Baden-Powell, are that Scouts should serve God, act in consideration of the needs of others and develop and use their abilities to the betterment of themselves and their families and the communities in which they live.


Why Scouting?

Scouts Australia provides young Aussies aged 6 to 25 with fun and challenging opportunities to grow through adventure. Scouts Australia has around 66,000 members, making it the largest youth movement in the nation. No other organisation offers such a diverse range of activities for young people across such a wide range of ages!

Today's Scouts can take part in an extraordinary variety of outdoor activities, from 'traditional Scouting skills' such as camping and bushcraft, through to more extreme challenges such as abseiling, overnight hiking, rafting, canoeing, canyoning, snow activities, rock climbing, sailing...even flying!

Scouts can get involved in performing arts, leadership development, community service, amateur radio operation, environmental projects, large-scale Australian events such as Cuborees, Jamborees and Ventures, international events, and service projects in developing countries. Scouts also learn valuable practical skills such as first aid and cooking...and fun skills, like how to build a ballista and fire wet sponges at their mates!

The Scouts Australia Youth Program also incorporates contemporary issues such as youth health, 'responsible risk-taking', vocational skills, and issues pertinent to Indigenous Australians, and offers an Award Scheme that encourages participation in the full range of activities available and provides recognition of individual achievement.

Scouts Australia's ongoing success is due to enthusiastic and committed adult volunteers from all walks of life who love adventure and take great pride in encouraging our young Aussies to reach their full potential.

Scouts Australia is an accredited member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM), which has over 30 million members in 161 National Scout Organisations around the world. All Scouts commit to a code of living as expressed in the Promise and Law.



General information on this page © Scouts Queensland and Scouts Australia .

The views expressed in this website are not necessarily those of Scouts Australia.

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