Mount Cotton Scout Group – The Humble Beginnings
A brief history of the Mount Cotton Scout Group – the 1st 25 Years
Wood badge projects sometimes result in something pretty special, our recent example of Cubby Cove is a great example of this, a valuable asset that many generations of Mount Cotton Cub Scouts will enjoy. Our story is very much like this, back in the early 90s, when there were no more vacancies for new members at Cleveland or Victoria Point it was decided that a new Group at Mount Cotton was a great idea. A Cub Scout leader from Cleveland, Paul Suess, was going for his wood badge and starting up the group became his project.
As a result of this project, in 1992 John Hartwell and a group of concerned parents were successful in gaining approval to start a new Scout Group at Mount Cotton. Although they didn’t have a Scout Den, or anywhere to put one, they formed in September of 1992 and met at the Mount Cotton State School.
The first group of Cubs and Scouts were invested in 16 October 1992 by the Chief Commission for Queensland Mr Maurice Law, with the investiture ceremony held at the school. With two dozen cubs and scouts the Group was born and the journey began.
The “new” Scout Den was officially opened on 17 October 1993 by the new Chief Commissioner, Mr James Priest.
The building, previously an old Guide Hut, was moved from Sunnybank to the current site at the Karingal Scout Camp and was established thanks to the generosity of local community organisations giving up their time to work with the small group of leaders and parents to refit and rework the building to become the new home of the Mount Cotton Scout Group.
Over the first 3 years John Hartwell worked tirelessly to grow the youth member numbers in the Group and maintain the leadership ranks within the two sections, his dedication and hard work in establishing the Scout Group was recognised by Chief Commissioner Mr James Priest in 1993 when he presented John with the Medal of Specially Good Service at the Founders Day Service at BP Park in Samford.
In 1995 John Hartwell retired as Group Leader and with the Scout Leader role also vacant, despite a healthy Cub Pack, the Group looked to close its doors.
However, the story didn’t end there, a parent, Ashleigh Haines, stepped up to become the new Group Leader and a couple of experienced leaders from Rochedale Scout Group, Roy and Stan, transferred into the Mount Cotton Scout Section. In 1997 the Scout Group acquired the services of a young Assistant Group Leader who had transferred in from the Upper Mount Gravatt Scout Group and was tasked with growing the group membership. This included gaining a Grant to add the toilet and shower block to the existing building to accommodate younger members and a larger group. That same year the Scout Group started its Joey Scout Mob, establishing its third section.
In 2017 the Mount Cotton Scout Group turned 25 years old, it has all 5 sections of scouting, has over 100 youth members, and has well over 120 years of accumulative leader experienced currently in the Group, with the majority of leaders holding their Wood Badge qualifications. Over the 25 years the original Scout Den has been upgraded to include a kitchen, toilets and showers, a covered concrete area, and new entrances. Other buildings have been established, including a large den and commercial kitchen.
Scouting has changed a lot in the first 25 years of Scouting at Mount Cotton and many youth members and leaders have come and gone from the Group, no doubt with lifelong memories of happy and amazing adventures and experiences. As we embark on the next 25 years, we will see greater change, and as we start the next chapter with a strong membership, a great facility, and an amazing group of leaders and adult supporters who embrace the great game of Scouting tightly with both arms, we know the next 25 years will be even more amazing.
If you are a past member of our Group, click here to join our Alumni
