In a place where koalas walk only metres in front of you, kangaroo’s bound past in the distance and the bird’s song is heard all throughout the dense bushland....................
Okay, so maybe that is a little bit over the top, but it is all true! On Friday 16 October excitement was the only feeling in every scout and guide’s mind; it was that time of year again. The local scouts were busy preparing the trailer, assigning scouts to their allocated cars and packing the many bags and pillows into the boots. My friends and I were laughing and having fun, enthusiastic about the coming weekend. It hit 7pm and then we were off.
To EDAC!
EDAC (Eltham District Activity Camp) is held every year. This was 31st EDAC and improves every year! Each time it is at a different location and with a different theme. This year we gathered at Mafeking Rover Park in Yea. Previously EDAC had experienced many different themes and many different activities. With 2007 came the idea for a Beach Party in Anglesea, 2008 saw knights in shining armour as the theme was Medieval times. But this year they chose a theme that didn’t require us to become a knight or princess or totally get soaked. Something that was very close to home and didn’t need us to change our personalities or appearance. This year’s theme was The great Australia’s outback adventures!
The theme certainly fit the location as when I woke up the first morning I saw a koala wandering past the campsites to climb up a nearby tree and stare at many onlookers with its cute brown eyes. I turned back and got ready for a long, but sure to be amazing, day of activities.
After breakfast I headed off with my patrol to be assigned our activities. Well, let me say that it was brilliant! Everyone got involved and we had heaps of fun. Some of the activities were: Billy karting, bike riding, cooking damper, various games, sumo wrestling, canoeing, JOTI/JOTA, archery, abseiling and crate stacking.
My particular favourites were crate stacking (while you are strapped into a harness you ‘stack crates’ as high as possible without your tower tumbling down), abseiling (the sensation of gliding down a 10 metre wall while strapped into a harness may seem daunting but is really fun!), canoeing (okay, we got soaked from capsizing but the small dam was a perfect spot for some canoeing and fun), JOTA/JOTA (This is a scouting radio program that is accessible all around the world! We were lucky enough to listen to radio stations from Thailand, England and Austria. We were also able to talk to someone from Hobart and Adelaide via radio!) and archery (BULLSEYE!).
On the Saturday night we gathered in the main hall to have some blockbuster entertainment! We sat down to watch Journey to the centre of the Earth: starring Brendan Fraser. Everyone enjoyed the movie and after a whole day of activities we were exhausted!
The next morning we participated in our final activities including many crafty programs, we made head bandana’s, created our own ‘battleships’ game using Morse code and creating shower hooks by twisting metals together.
Sadly it was time to leave, we packed our bags and said goodbye to our new found friends. Then we were off. But everyone will be sure to remember our wonderful time at EDAC in 2009!
