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MILDURA TOPS UP SCOUT CITY |
| Posted by Administrator (admin) on Jan 05 2007 at 10:09 PM |
Dated 5th Jan 2007 - Source
FORTY Scouts from Mildura and district have joined 8500 others from 30 countries at one of the biggest Jamborees in the world at Elmore, near Bendigo.
The Scout ‘city’ has its own police force, headed by former Robinvale and Mildura policeman Superintendent Rod Johns, fire brigade, hospital, water treatment plant, radio station, newspaper and shopping centre.
In a world–first, the Jamboree has its own airport, with 13 planes doing a total of 195 flights a day – making it the busiest airport in Australia.
The Sunraysia Scouts are among almost 3000 from Victoria. There are another 1000 leaders. Of the overseas contingent, there are single Scout representatives from Vietnam, Finland, Mauritius and the Netherlands.
It is only the 7th time that the Jamboree has been held in Victoria. At the first–ever Jamboree at Frankston in 1934, about 120 locals attended. They included former MLA for Mildura, Milton Whiting, as a 12-year-old boy.
The Scouts, boys and girls aged from 11 to 15, are living in a tent city for 12 days in a event that costs $11 million to organise. Each Scout had to raise $1100 to attend.
As of yesterday, with all volunteers, cooks, leaders and other support personnel, the Mildura Scouts were part of almost 12,000 people at the camp.
Organisers say it has taken two years just to co-ordinate transport for the event, with 80 buses in use daily.
The food budget is $1.3 million. Hungry Scouts will devour 8500 loaves of bread, 58,000 litres of milk, 3.5 kilometres of sausages and four tonnes of meat.
They will eat 7.5 tonnes of breakfast cereal, go through a tonne of potato salad a day, use 1.2 megalitres of water each day and use up 1600 bottles of gas.
There are 205 portable buildings on site. They include 300 toilets, 200 urinals and 300 shower heads.
The catering team makes allowances for 54 diabetics, 129 low-fat diets, 105 vegetarians, various allergies, 49 kosher and seven halal diets, and 836 other dietary requests.
The camp will use 12,000 bags of ice.
The Mildura contingent has been drawn from Scout troops across the region, including Merbein, Red Cliffs and Wentworth.
Some of the 5th Mildura crew include Katie Rogers, Toyha Blow, Karl Zibell and Jarrod Searle.
Katie said from camp yesterday her group was excited just to be there, and the action started from Day One, with river activities, go-kart riding and a commando course.
Her ‘highlight’ so far was when she got left behind on January 3 at an off-site activity, “but I made it home OK.”
Karl described the opening event as “awesome.” The bands were great. It was the biggest party he had ever seen.
Toyha said she had enjoyed meeting so many people from all over Australia and the world, and Jarrod agreed, saying his troop included some Fijian scouts so he was learning a lot about their country.
The Mildura Scouts – and others – are so keen they are ‘on the go’ some days from 4am.
As well as various camp activities, Scouts are going to events at Lake Nagambie, a Ned Kelly themed park at Campaspe Weir, Echuca and a gold mine at Bendigo. Fast-food outlets in these areas have reported massive trade.
During their 12 days, Scouts are learning to drive, go rock climbing, get tuition on circus acts, enjoy a giant water slide, smash up old cars for scrap, enjoy carnival rides, get fake tattoos and hair coloring, with other entertainment including a rock concert, movies, comedy acts and other live performances.
The Jamboree has noise readings taken daily to ensure noise from pumps, generators and other machinery is below EPA guidelines. The same happens at night, especially with 20 rock bands and an orchestra performing regularly.
Total benefit to the local communities from the 12 days has been estimated at $10 million, with most equipment, food and other supplies sourced locally.
Organisers say the souvenir and badge–swapping ‘shops’ have been swamped as hordes of Scouts search for that final memento of their once-in-a-lifetime trip.
The Mildura Scouts will be one of the first groups to start heading home next weekend.
Thanks to Alison for passing on the link to this article