We Went To The 21st Australian Jamboree

After years of planning and a lot of fund raising by parents, Mary, Warwick, Ryan, Thao, Tahlia, Jennifer, Anthony, Jacob and JB and Casper (our Scout Leaders) conquered the 21st Australian Jamboree at Elmore. There were lots of highs and a few lows experienced by everyone and these photos are just a snapshot of what happened over the 11 days.

The photos and words on this page are from our Venturer Leader (Steve Burns) who helped out at the Water Activities base (Wet, Wild and Windy) at Lake Nagambie, about an hour from the Elmore Jamboree site. We hope everyone enjoys the memories, even though they may be from a slightly slanted point of view.

Set up at Wet, Wild and Windy at the Nagambie Rowing Regatta Centre

The Intrepid (Venturer) Leader was on-site at Nagambie from the 28th December, 6 days before the Jamboree started, to set up the activity base. These photos show how that site grew.

Literally a semi load of canoes and sit-ons on the grass waiting to be washed.

Blowing things up almost became a national pass-time. These are just 9 of the 42 rafts we blew up.

The marquee arrives. This truck made daily deliveries to the site from Elmore

See, it was green and peaceful before the Scouts arrived.

The marquee spread out and waiting.

The pegs go in under the strict instruction of a single mum.

Ta-Da!!!!!

Buffalo and his boat tow one of the slides into place.

From the canoe dump back to the regatta centre.

From the top floor of the regatta centre looking towards the canoeing end of the site and Nagambie further on. Fortunately, we had it in hand when the wind blew that direction.

Looking the other way to the swimming end of the site.

The big boys setting up the floatation activity.

All set up and ready to rock and roll.

The Nagambie Regatta Centre.

The 'Opening Ceremony' at Elmore.

Not one to miss a stage spectacular, how could anyone go pass this night. Actually, how could you miss it?? Just look for the dust and there it will be.

On another subject, riddle me this Mr Willis: Extreme fire danger, a banned activity in the State of Victoria and you manage to get fire twirling as part of the opening ceremony. I was in a troop site later that evening and the Police called by to tell the leader I was talking to they had to get rid of the gas light because of the fire risk!!! Go Figure ???

The stage, fresh from the Robbie Williams concerts and going straight to Melbourne's Big Day Out.

Now this guy was on a winner. Free Hugs. I bet he never made a new friend for the entire Jamboree.

Look, there I am. The one in the blue hat :-)

Only minutes to go and they still stream in.

Was this the Jamboree or the cricket ???

Where would we be without the wind and the damage it did and this was only the first day !!!!

Drums were good and they weren't banned - were they??

Umm, you're not seeing this as it's a banned Scouting activity in Victoria.

Banned it might be, but this girl mesmerized the Intrepid (Venturer) Leader. She was REALLY, REALLY good.

The night wore on and the Rouge, I mean Rogue Traders played their hearts out.

Sights around Elmore

A roaming camera on a random visit to the Jamboree site.

Isn't it amazing what a few days of wind will do.

The 'Beach Hut' where they had battles of the bands and other smaller scale concerts.

'X-Site' - the circus away from home.

Gateways are always a feature of any Jamboree. This one belongs to Troop 224 - Templestowe, Nth Shepparton and Papua New Guinea. It's amazing what uses you can find for pallets.

Troop 237 - all from Tassie.

Troop 216 obviously had too much time on their hands.

I remember when ........... The style of patrol tent the Intrepid (Venturer) Leader always camped in as a Scout. A floor was something you had under your bed at home.

Troop ummm, Troop ummmmm. Well they were from NSW and 2 of their leaders were at the last Venture.

Wait a minute, what are they doing with a kayak in the middle of all that dust??

Inside Kaleidoscope, where the Ventures sell Venturing to the Scouts.

Hang on. I recognise those photos promoting the next Venture in Perth.

I though so. Check out this page of this web site.

Now there's a familiar face.

Inside 1st Deer Park's jamboree site.

The girls having a chat in the early evening while tea cooks.

A day in the life of Wet, Wild and Windy

What it was like when we had 1200 visitors each day.

The Wet, Wild and Windy gateway.

As always, 'Rescue One' was always playing trains retrieving the inflatables during the day.

Whether it was running, jumping or just sitting and relaxing, the floatation activity was always fun.

Lunch and hot dogs. At it's peak, the queue was up to 600 Scouts long - every day!!

The hot dog engine room. Yep, this is where they were cooked.

Inflatables and the marquee from the water.

Jousting on the floatation activity site.

Getting ready to make a run for the water.

You might have to enlarge the picture, but they brought a web cam to us so the world (well the Scout's parents anyway) could see us.

Canoeing is always fun, even when you can't hold a paddle, the wind blows you where ever it wants, your partner bails out on you, the canoe sinks, shall I go on??

Looking back from the pontoon.

This is Zac from ....... Well, this is Zac and I promised I would put his photo on the web site.

23 buses a day x 45 kids per bus + leaders who need a rest = Wet, Wind and Windy.

After the Scouts went back to Elmore each day, the 'boys' came out to play. In KEVIN (the jamboree newspaper) they called it 'Leaders Behaving Badly'.

One very giddy activity leader heads for the water.
'Leaders Behaving Badly' - The Movie

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Literally a semi load of canoes and sit-ons on the grass waiting to be washed.	Blowing things up almost became a national pass-time. These are just 9 of the 42 rafts we blew up.
The marquee arrives. This truck made daily deliveries to the site from Elmore	See, it was green and peaceful before the Scouts arrived.
The marquee spread out and waiting.	The pegs go in under the strict instruction of a single mum.
Ta-Da!!!!!	Buffalo and his boat tow one of the slides into place.
From the canoe dump back to the regatta centre.	From the top floor of the regatta centre looking towards the canoeing end of the site and Nagambie further on. Fortunately, we had it in hand when the wind blew that direction.
Looking the other way to the swimming end of the site.	The big boys setting up the floatation activity.
All set up and ready to rock and roll.	The Nagambie Regatta Centre.

The stage, fresh from the Robbie Williams concerts and going straight to Melbourne's Big Day Out.	Now this guy was on a winner. Free Hugs. I bet he never made a new friend for the entire Jamboree.
Look, there I am. The one in the blue hat :-)	Only minutes to go and they still stream in.
Was this the Jamboree or the cricket ???	Where would we be without the wind and the damage it did and this was only the first day !!!!
Drums were good and they weren't banned - were they??	Umm, you're not seeing this as it's a banned Scouting activity in Victoria.
Banned it might be, but this girl mesmerized the Intrepid (Venturer) Leader. She was REALLY, REALLY good.	The night wore on and the Rouge, I mean Rogue Traders played their hearts out.

Isn't it amazing what a few days of wind will do.	The 'Beach Hut' where they had battles of the bands and other smaller scale concerts.
'X-Site' - the circus away from home.	Gateways are always a feature of any Jamboree. This one belongs to Troop 224 - Templestowe, Nth Shepparton and Papua New Guinea. It's amazing what uses you can find for pallets.
Troop 237 - all from Tassie.	Troop 216 obviously had too much time on their hands.
I remember when ........... The style of patrol tent the Intrepid (Venturer) Leader always camped in as a Scout. A floor was something you had under your bed at home.	Troop ummm, Troop ummmmm. Well they were from NSW and 2 of their leaders were at the last Venture.
Wait a minute, what are they doing with a kayak in the middle of all that dust??	Inside Kaleidoscope, where the Ventures sell Venturing to the Scouts.
Hang on. I recognise those photos promoting the next Venture in Perth.	I though so. Check out this page of this web site.
Now there's a familiar face.	Inside 1st Deer Park's jamboree site.
	The girls having a chat in the early evening while tea cooks.

The Wet, Wild and Windy gateway.	As always, 'Rescue One' was always playing trains retrieving the inflatables during the day.
Whether it was running, jumping or just sitting and relaxing, the floatation activity was always fun.	Lunch and hot dogs. At it's peak, the queue was up to 600 Scouts long - every day!!
The hot dog engine room. Yep, this is where they were cooked.	Inflatables and the marquee from the water.
Jousting on the floatation activity site.	Getting ready to make a run for the water.
You might have to enlarge the picture, but they brought a web cam to us so the world (well the Scout's parents anyway) could see us.	Canoeing is always fun, even when you can't hold a paddle, the wind blows you where ever it wants, your partner bails out on you, the canoe sinks, shall I go on??
Looking back from the pontoon.	This is Zac from ....... Well, this is Zac and I promised I would put his photo on the web site.
23 buses a day x 45 kids per bus + leaders who need a rest = Wet, Wind and Windy.	After the Scouts went back to Elmore each day, the 'boys' came out to play. In KEVIN (the jamboree newspaper) they called it 'Leaders Behaving Badly'.
One very giddy activity leader heads for the water.	'Leaders Behaving Badly' - The Movie