Christmas 1962 was done and dusted Several days later my husband, who was 14 years old at the time, travelled with a couple of other lads from Kerang in northern Victoria down to Essendon airport in Melbourne. They flew to Hobart in Tasmania (the island State off the south coast of Australia) to attend the Scout Corroborree, a camp based at Lea. It was a big national camp so there were boys and leaders from all over Australia and beyond. (Coorroborree is an Aboriginal word that means gathering for ceremonies and dancing.)
This is a postcard Phil sent home with an x marking the location of the camp. It was probably a card produced for the occasion but unfortunately he must have put it in an envelope because it doesn't have a postmarked stamp. I say unfortunately because philatelists are interested now because there was a temporary post office established at the camp and the collectors want the postmark.
3-1-63Dear Mum DadI'm now at the post office writing this. The post card is over looking the camp I put an ink mark where we are camping but the hills a lot steeper than it looks. Yesterday Wed. we went to hastings caves had a marvellous time. Tomorrow Friday I'm going to hobart and Mt Wellington. Douglas Westland [met] the Tysons yesterday, I was on tour then missed out.It was a very well organised camp. Phil took photos between the numerous scouting activities and excursions, and these are some of them. I don't know what camera he was using but his photography skills needed a bit of attention! (Maybe he should have done the photographers badge. If there was such a thing.) The photos aren't great but I've googled and I couldn't find any others on the web so they may be of historical interest.
This post is in response to Sepia Saturday's theme photo. My photos feature flags and tents and uniforms so it almost matches :0
Happy New Year.
The photos are quite interesting. I think most of their deficiencies could be attributed to the lighting conditions.
ReplyDeleteIt would have been interesting to know what they were doing out there on the field with spectators watching. Obviously there was something about trying to knock down a tower; & one of the photos seem to feature a couple of women?
ReplyDeleteYou matched the theme very well...and don't you know all those boys were having a good time!
ReplyDeleteFun, fun! Husband Roger attended a few of those national camps too, and has similar photographs to prove it, although I think he called them jamborees.
ReplyDeleteYou're right -- these are so cool! So much to study. Are those guys walking on poles held by other campers? Fascinating. Absolutely fascinating. If they are of historical value, what will you do?
ReplyDeleteThey are a great piece of history showing all the activities of the camp. It is like the Boy Scouts who do a national camp each year.
ReplyDeleteJo's right -- my brother attended a Boy Scout "Jamboree" in, I think, Pennsylvania in the 1950s...a Very Big Deal, as I recall. Interesting that the concept seems to be world-wide. I love your photos -- fuzzy or not -- showing such a great gathering!
ReplyDeleteLooks like a great spot for camping, hiking and all that.
ReplyDeleteThat is a fabulous record of the camp and the event - not just the written description via the postcard but all those photographs. As much as anything else, your post introduced me to the word "corroboraee" and sent me off in search of the origins of the word "jamboree".Like any good Sepia Saturday post, fascinating on so many levels.
ReplyDeleteEntertaining and informative again. I didn’t think of scout camps - I have a few of my brother attending those. Love that new word!
ReplyDeleteSome good history, now out in the public domain for sharing. I wonder what the uniform is in the fourth photo - pale patterned fabric with a very pale beret style hat. It set me to thinking as to what I was doing when that camp was taking place - I was on holidays in Rosebud and I particularly remember a screaming child who clung to the pole for dear life and wouldn't let me take her off the merry-go-round
ReplyDeleteExcellent choice! Photos of boy scouts could probably fit any theme. Always prepared!
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