4th Australian Scout Jamboree Traditional Cache

From: http://sourceatholroyd.blogspot.com.au/2012/12/pan-pacific-scout-jamboree-1952-53.html

Between 29 December 1952 and 9 January 1953, over 11,000 Scouts, accompanied by 2,000 Scoutmasters (including 241 Lady Cubmasters) from 16 nations and every State in Australia converged on Greystanes, at the bottom of Prospect Hill (now the suburb of Pemulwuy) to attend the Pan-Pacific Scout Jamboree.

The Boy Scouts Association selected the site after inspecting several locations across Sydney and holding preliminary meetings with Holroyd Municipal Council and Blue Metal Quarries Ltd, the owner of the property who agreed to loan the Scouts the use of the 250-acre site.

On 27 November 1951, Holroyd Municipal Council resolved to give its “whole-hearted support and co-operation in regards to the proposed Pan-Pacific Jamboree.” Deputy Mayor, Ald. O. D. Young summed up the general view of Council towards the Jamboree when he said, “This is a big thing for the municipality that this site had been selected.”

Teams of scouts, volunteers and staff from Council and other utility services, spent months clearing the land, installing water, electricity, lighting, roads and other amenities to make life comfortable.

Holroyd Council oversaw the formation of several local committees to co-ordinate volunteers who provided food, tours and other services for the boys and girls during the Jamboree. Council was aided by residents and business people from across the metropolitan area and by neighbouring Councils.

November 1952

 

The Federal Government also sought to draw public attention to the importance of the international gathering, by commissioning a commemorative postage stamp. The 3½d stamp was released on 30 November 1952 and was available from all Australian post offices for a two month period.

For most of the young scouts the adventure started a lot sooner than 29 December, with scouts leaving home to get to Sydney by boat, plane, train or bus. Camp sites on country properties and billeting at community halls, or in some cases, private homes was arranged to house the interstate and overseas scouts before and after the official Jamboree period.

The first wave of scouts descended on the Holroyd district by train on Sunday 28 December, disembarking at various local railway stations. Canteens were established by the local volunteers at the stations to greet the boys (in some cases in the very early hours of the morning) with a hot ‘cuppa’ and a bun, before they were ferried by bus to the camp site which they would call home for the next 12 days. The remaining 4,000 scouts arrived at camp the following day. On arrival, the scouts were met by the Mayor, Ald. George Maunder and Town Clerk, Phil Arnett, with another cup of tea, hot dog and bun, before being directed to their areas to set up camp.

The scouts set up a tent township at Greystanes. Services at the camp site included a newsagent, post office, telephone exchange, four bank branches, a travel agent to book tours, various canteens, a scout shop, a photographic shop and even fire brigade, hospital and ambulance facilities, “just in case.”
Map of Jamboree campgrounds

A daily Jamboree News newspaper was also published, to report the goings-on around camp, greetings from scouts around the world, and advertising the many activities and services available to the scouts.
Tuesday, December 30, 1952

Activities for the scouts included guided tours in and around Sydney, open-air films, performances by the then National Opera of Australia and Sydney Symphony Orchestra, art exhibitions, camp fires, games, displays and performances of the various cultures represented at the Jamboree. A number of “Open Days” were held for the public to come and inspect the camp.

Despite a busy schedule, the scouts were encouraged to take every opportunity to mix with other scouts and visit the other troops.

On New Year’s Eve 1952, thousands of Sydneysiders lined the streets to watch 2,000 Australian scouts take part in a Grand March through Sydney. All were back at camp in time to see in 1953.
Grand March, 31 December 1952. Photo donated by K. McCormick
 

2,000 parents and guests swelled the numbers at camp to 14,000 to take part in the first Grand Campfire of the Jamboree, with scout troops from several countries demonstrating their traditional dances. It was reported (tongue in cheek) that the celebrations at midnight could be heard in Parramatta!

On New Year’s Day, there was little time for a sleep in, with the official opening of the Jamboree, performed by the Governor and Chief Scout of New South Wales, Sir John Northcott. Nearly 20,000 people (the largest scout gathering in Australia at the time) crammed into the Jamboree Arena, with nearly every scout marching past the Governor, who read a message from Queen Elizabeth II. Messages were also read from Lord Rowallan, Chief Scout of the British Commonwealth and Empire, and from scouting nations around the world. Displays by various contingents were performed for the rest of the afternoon.

On the weekend of 3 and 4 January, the population of the camp increased by one with the Governor staying at the camp in scout uniform. Saturday saw 7,500 Wolf Cubs from around New South Wales arrive at the camp to put on a performance for the scouts and the Governor. The following day the Governor invested 56 scouts with the Queen’s Scout award and presented them with certificates signed by Queen Elizabeth II.

The official March Past and Closing Ceremony was performed on the afternoon of 8 January 1953, where all the Contingent Leaders were presented with a special Jamboree emblem to take back to their country.

The canteen manager reported that during the Jamboree 135,000 bottles of soft drink and over 100,000 ice-creams had been purchased on site, although “sales of soap were not very high.” Approximately 10 miles of sausages (if laid end to end) had been consumed.

Despite the large number of young boys and girls attending the Jamboree, the behaviour of the scouts on excursions was complimented on by locals, with only a small number of injuries reported.

The Jamboree Chief, Major E. A. Lloyd, said:

…I hope you will take away with you the grand idea of friendship between nations which Scouting, played as it has been played at this Jamboree, can do so much to foster.”
Jamboree Chief, Major E.A. Lloyd.

 

The 1952-3 Pan-Pacific Scout Jamboree made press coverage all over Australia, with scouts being interviewed by, or performing on, Sydney radio stations and a movietone newsreel of the event appeared in cinemas around Australia.

You can read more about the lead-up and activities of the Jamboree from contemporary Australian newspapers here.