The 2nd Eltham Sea Scout Group has been an important part of our community for 62 years. Our youth members are aged 6—25 and cover all sections: Joeys, Cubs, Scouts, Venturers and Rovers.
The term “Sea Scouts” is somewhat misleading: we’re really just Scouts who love water and our boating activities can be on the sea, lakes or rivers. We mainly boat locally, on the Yarra River and Sugarloaf Reservoir, but we also go on exciting river canoe and raft trips and participate in Sea Scout regattas, state-wide.
Sea Scouting has been around since 1907, when the Scouting movement started. In 2012, Sea Scouts was later established as a specialist branch. Sea Scouts do all the other activities that other Scout groups do, learning life skills and becoming good citizens through fun and adventure. We offer extra opportunities to our youth members, however, through our expertise and our fleet of canoes, sailing boats, kayaks and a motorised rescue boat. Boating is exhilarating and empowering for our youth members and also develops team work, awareness and attention to detail. We follow rigorous safety protocols: our boating leaders are highly trained, our fleet is audited annually and our youth members are rigorously assessed for competence. Besides, boating and being on and in water is huge fun!
Our group started in 1957 as a Roman Catholic Scout Group supported by Our Lady Help of Christians in Eltham. In 1959, the six older Scouts became Sea Scouts, at their own request. The boys helped build a hut on the property of John Maltha, their leader and were invested there, with hurricane lamps as the only light source. They built their own catamaran and rowboat and helped build a boat shed at Sweeneys Lane near the Yarra River. Then they set about raising funds to acquire boats and equipment. A few years later, all the Group members became Sea Scouts, adding sailing and boating to their other outdoor activities and providing a point of difference from the well-established 1st Eltham Scout Group.
In 1965, the Group severed its connection with the Our Lady Help of Christians Church and became an open group that any boy could join. In the 70’s and 80’s, girls and young women joined us, as Australian Scouting became open to youth members of any gender.
By 1974, our Group had a busy program of camping and boating and had its own hall, an ex-army hut that had been cut in two and transported from North Melbourne. It was reassembled on land leased from the Council at Handfield St, next to Diamond Creek in Eltham, and has since been extended and recently renovated. Our hall and boat sheds are tucked into what is now a charming bush clearing, which is often used by locals as a peaceful lunch spot.
Over the decades, many hundreds of local families have been involved with 2nd Eltham Sea Scouts and we pay tribute to all the leaders, parents, youth members and others who have worked so hard to provide children and young people in Eltham with opportunities for fun, adventure, service and personal growth through Scouting activities, especially those outdoors and on the water. In particular, for over ten years in the 70’s and 80’s Ted Reaks was an inspiring Group Leader, with tireless energy, dedication and resourcefulness. Our local business community has also been very supportive, especially in providing materials for our building works.
Our 2nd Eltham Sea Scouts Group is diverse and inclusive. We’re welcoming and friendly and a second family for some. Through the education of young people with fun, adventurous and outdoor activities, we’re proud as Scouts to be helping build a better world where people are self-fulfilled as individuals and play a constructive role in society.
After 62 years, we’re still going strong. We welcome new youth members and members of the community. There are so many ways you can help, short-term or long term. You don’t need to be a boatie either – many of our group are land lubbers.
For more information, see 2nd Eltham Sea Scouts or email: gl.2ndelthamseascouts@scoutsvictoria.com.au
