History of Scouting in Elizabeth

In 2011, I undertook the subject “Write History for Publication” for my Advanced Diploma of Arts (Professional Writing) course. The topic I looked at was Scouting in Elizabeth. I decided to tackle this topic as Elizabeth has a relatively new history when compared to Scouting which was started in 1907.

In the years following World War Two, Australia experienced a sharp increase in the demand for affordable housing, from both the returning soldiers and migrants fleeing war torn Europe. The result of these demands was a need for housing, jobs and products of industry. The Playford Government responded by purchasing more than 4,000 acres of land in Adelaide’s north. Construction started on the satellite city in 1954. The city was named Elizabeth in November 1955.

As with any new area, the needs of families, especially those with children needed to be filled. Amongst the many organizations to respond to this, was the Scout Association. The first group (1^st Elizabeth – later known as Elizabeth South Scout Group) initially held meetings in the old stables at the corner of Kettering Rd and Phillip Highway, which was to later become a factory site. Later, after much fundraising, 1^st Elizabeth purchased its own meeting place in Elizabeth South, next to the Elizabeth South Shopping Centre.

It is here that the topic runs into problems. I have been able to do several interviews with people who have been, and in one case currently, involved with scouting in Elizabeth. The frustration has been that there is limited information at Scout Archives. This is no fault of the people who look after Archives for Scouts Australia – SA Branch.

It is appreciated that people’s personal collections are often passed down through families. The frustration stems from the groups who have closed and their history has not been passed to Scout archives for safe keeping. As a result, aspects of Elizabeth’s social history are not easily accessible. 

Therefore if you or anyone in your family has been involved with scouting in the Elizabeth area, I am interested to hear from you. Please leave a comment below on the best way to get in touch.