Stradbroke Cup

Stradbroke cup is an activity camp held in the first term of the school year. Held at a number of venues throughout Victoria, the camp supports Scouts to develop their camping skills by camping in activity patrols with the support of a camp coaching team to support them to develop those skills while they also get to have a fun activity filled weekend.

Some of the activities that are available (depends on venue):

• Abseiling
• Rock Climbing
• Water cannons
• Laser tag
• Movie nights
• Disco
• Carnival night
• Water slides

Scouts are assisted to camp safely by using the Victorian Scout Camping Standard which sets out what they need to do before, during and after camp. Every activity patrol is assisted by teams of helpful and supportive team to ensure that they meet the minimum standard while allowing those who wish to push themselves to a get a high score and go for Gold and become co-holders of the Stradbroke Cup for that year. 

Patrols achieve a standard of competency either:
– Bronze: A safe and average camping standard with numerous opportunities for improvement (between 60% and 70%)
– Silver: A high camping standard with minor opportunities for improvement (between 70% and 85%)
– Co-Holder or Gold: An excellent camping standard with few (if any) opportunities for improvement (85% or more)

Patrols with less than 60% are not yet competent and are presented with a Competitor pennant.

Every Stradbroke Cup Venue has a goal to assist every Patrol to achieve competency

Patrol Leaders will aim for Co-holder, but don’t forget that any Bronze, Silver or Co-holder Patrol Leader has achieved a competent standard of Camping Leadership, the differences are only how much improvement is possible.

Labour Day weekend events:

Friday March 8 –  Monday March 11 2024

Geelong Region, Eumeralla, Anglesea
Contact: Peter Gerusel,
Scout Commissioner Geelong Region,
Phone: 0422 700 951
E-mail: chiefadvisoreumerallastrady@gmail.com
Website: http://geelongscouts.org.au/stradbroke-cup.html

• • Flyer
  • Invitation for Leaders & Venturers

Bays & Melbourne Regions, Bay Park, Mt Martha,
Contact:  Russ Lockyer,
Scouts Commissioner Bays Region,
Phone: 0432 539 171
E-mail: scouts.comm.bays@scoutsvictoria.com.au

Lerderderg Region, Treetops, Riddells Creek
Contact: Sandra Sunkel
Scout Commissioner Lerderderg Region,
Phone: 0430 338 550
E-mail: scouts.comm.lerderderg@scoutsvictoria.com.au

Easter events:

Thursday 28th March – Monday 1st April 2024

Mt Dandenong Region, Gilwell Park, Gembrook
Contact: Paul De Araugo,
Scout Commissioner Mt Dandenong Region
Phone: 0419 405 243
E-mail: scouts.comm.mtdandenong@scoutsvictoria.com.au
Admin Contact: Sam Hamilton
Admin E-mail: sjhamilton2016@gmail.com

Plenty Valley Region, Mafeking Rover Park, Caveat
Contact: Greg Thompson
Scout Commissioner Plenty Valley Region,
Phone: 0417 273 530
Email: scouts.comm.plentyvalley@scoutsvictoria.com.au

Gippsland Region, Caringal (Corroboree)
Contact: Jeff Kemp
Scout Commissioner Gippsland Region,
Phone: 0419 594 147
E-mail: scouts.comm.gippsland@scoutsvictoria.com.au

Registrations will open soon on the Manningham Events System.

History

The Stradbroke “Challenge” Cup was offered to the Association by His Excellency, The Earl of Stradbroke, after he was farewelled, by a march-past of Scouts at the end of his term of office of Governor of Victoria in 1926.

The Cup was first competed for a Gilwell Park in 1933 when it was awarded for certain specific sections of the Cohen Shield which, at the time, was a combined camping and scoutcraft competition.

These specific activities were Ambulance, Pioneering, Signalling and Mapping/Hiking.

In 1937 the Stradbroke Cup was awarded for the ‘camping’ part of the Cohen Shield competition only, and it eventually became a separate camping award.

Until 1967 the competition was held at Gilwell Park each year, but since then Troops camping at other approved venues have also taken part.

In 1971 the competition was further extended in country areas and was held in eight different locations.

Until 1952 a straight out points system was used to select the winning troop, but after that year an ‘achievement of standard’ system was used, and troops whose camping was assessed as “A” grade became Co-holders of the Cup each year.

In 1974 it was decided to place as much emphasis as possible on the Patrol aspect of camping and to award pennants to patrols for “A”, “B”, and “C” grade standards, instead of to Troops. For a Troop to become a Co-holder of the Cup, each of its patrols (and Troop H.Q.) had to achieve the “A” grade camping standard.

In 1976 the patrol camping standards were changed, in name, from “A”, “B”, and “C” to Gold, Silver, and Bronze.

In 2013 at the State Youth Forum, Scouts raised issue with the then graded assessment of Stradbroke Cup that lacked consistency and fairness across venues in the State and even differences in Assessor’s interpretation and application within a single venue.

State Scout Council developed a new approach, a competency-based assessment against a checklist with simple yes or no outcomes, clear and unambiguous.  The new approach was trialled at all Stradbroke venues in 2014 and received enthusiastic and unanimous acceptance by Scouts and most Leaders. In 2015, after some minor tweaking, this new approach was adopted as the Victorian Scout Camping Standard Assessment Sheet.  Assessors have been re-named “Advisers” and they have been empowered to ‘assist’ and ‘guide’ Patrol Leaders to achieve their best outcome.

The Cup itself is held at Headquarters and is made available to “Co-holder” Patrols for display purposes when required, during the year.