McDowall Bunya Scouts at AJ2007

Jono, Lauren, Luke,  Nick, Samantha, Savannah, Tim, Veronica and of course our Leaders, Goat, Kaa and Raksha are on a journey, prepared to have the time of their lives and to return with news to enlighten us all to the mysteries of a Scout Jamboree.

The weather right now at Elmore is: you may need to hit F5 to refresh check the time on the weather station.

  So they made it home in sort of one piece....

Daily update... On the Trooplines with 333 (that's our guys) latest update at top.. scroll down for previous

January 12th

  2pm Qld Time  .. last Jamboree Update.

The packing has begun with the closing ceremony to take place tonight. Troop Photos have been taken today so they will remember each other as they are now.. with dark brown/red ingrained dirt...lol.Tonight they sleep under dining flys and or the stars so there is minimal packing tomorrow morning.

3pm today Goat and Quoll are having a severe haircut in remembrance of all the fun they have had at Jamboree. I am under the impression razor blades and shaving cream will be involved.. so yep that's severe. Thanks  to Quoll for sharing this tradition. All I can say is thank goodness hair grows back even though it is slower for some. ha hmm Goat???

Pretty emotional for them all today. The goodbyes have started. I'm sure they are all very busy writing email addresses down to keep in contact.... 

Are we ready for the return. They will all have grown 10 inches and I'm sure they will never be the same after this fantastic experience. I hear we should be stocking up on a good antibacterial industrial strength soap (acid )to get rid of the dirt that has moved into every available pore of their bodies. The wind and dust has really given them a battering. 

Ok.. Thats it folks.. my last update unless I get some photos to upload I will see you all at the airport tomorrow... good luck... hope someone has tissues.. for me... no really!

8:55pm QLD time.. the  next last Jamboree Update

we knew they would go out with a bang.. tonights entertainment.... TAXIRIDE.. The  McDowall Bunya Scout Leader is beside himself at the  last night of Jamboree. I can't repeat  the exact words used in his gleeful juberant excalmation ..  ummmm don't know what the Scouts think, but at this stage it doesn't really matter  LOL ...  ...and I for one am just a tad jealous .The Jamboree Organising Committee have outdone themselves.

10:55pm QLD time - definitely the last Jamboree update - unless..well read on.

I thought we had them all ready to come home. Camp packed, emails and msn addresses from friends recorded, hair shaved off head, suburn healing, no more asthma, kids washing their faces at shower time, bleeding noses subdued, blisters healing,  closing ceremony  finished, last band of Jamboree and their roadies on the way home and twisted ankle feeling a bit better.

But I didn't figure on Gordon striking again did I? 

For those who don't know Gordon he is our Scout leader Goat's alter ego.. like when he is fixated on a flag pole for a raft and 25 kids are waiting, or when something silly happens at Scouts it is always Gordon making an appearance. 

Well tonight after the Closing Ceremony he wandered into the Venture Extreme area which had an open gate and you know how curious goats are!! 

According to my source he was texting me after the Taxiride concert (probably to brag) when he fell into a mud filled ditch and was injured. (serve him right for bragging).

Apparently his rib which was broken already and sore is now still broken but very sore, he also cut his leg and hit his newly shaved head.. see the hair would have cushioned the blow .. surely?

He will be spending the night in the Jamboree hospital as sleeping under the stars in the already packed away Troop 333 site was not an option the Doctors would consider.. (hmmmm)

Personally, I think it is just a ploy so he could spend his last night at Jamboree in the comfort of the air conditioned hospital on a comfy bed.. 

And everywhere he lives he just has to check out the local hospital..  I think the odds of him getting home in one piece are diminishing by the minute...  12 hours to go.... Heres an idea lets leave Gordon there and let Goat come home to heal..... pleeeaase... 

I don't think I'll let him go next time... aaaah. 

see you at the airport.. anyone have a wheel chair handy?

January 11th 

Elmore throat is the latest bug going around camp. When Goat was at the hospital yesterday they were commenting on how many cases of tonsilitis are going around because of the dust and wind. Also there are quite a few troops quarantined with stomach bugs.. poor guys. Can't be much fun having that sort of illness on camp. At least 1 troop has been sent home with a nasty bug. 

Anyway the McBunya injury list as at today can be read in Goats sms messages. 2 sleeps as Tayler tells me. Hold it together for 2 more sleeps guys.. then you can fall apart..lol more later..... off to the movies..

January 10th

 Sunrise in Victoria at AJ2007. Thanks Kaa  .. beautiful.

10:30pm and all the Scouts in Troop 333 are in bed much to the amazement of Goat and Wolf. According to Goat the troop are starting to really enjoy each others company and have a great bond between them. The leaders aren't looking forward to Friday when the goodbyes will be starting.

First Aid Day. From Leaders to Scouts it seems like most of the Troop had a visit for some minor ailment or another. From grazed knees to migraines (not Jono.. phew) to twisted ankles and cracked ribs (yep that would be Goat)  Apparently there have been 22 broken bones on camp so far not bad between 13,000 although they are expecting a few more before camp breaks.

Luke and Jono had a great time in the Go Karts today, Luke realises he has a lead foot. Jono continues to network with all his new friends.  Ronnie and Sam are getting relief from their sunburn with some cooling Aloe Vera Gel. 

Lauren has been having lots of fun and with her partner in crime  Savannah continues to hassle Goat for being a doddery old f*rt .... lol (the ribs confirm this)

Tim and Nick were on site today as they were in the Duty Patrol. 

One for the parents.. Which Scout could this be?  He was feeling the effects of the heat today and had a slight headache. Goat suggested he have a shower and freshen up. He returned after a while telling Goat it was a great idea and he felt so much better. Goat turned to reply and quietly laughed when he saw this Scout with lovely washed hair and clean clothes on but his face still contained the daily grime from a dusty campsite plastered on his face... he was near black.

The site was visited by a Navy Sea King (chopper) today. It hovered around the site for a while before landing in the Coca Cola Arena and was then mobbed by Scouts eager to have a look.

Wolf and Tiger went to the Leaders dinner tonight and were greeted by the official party and it were quickly told that Troop 333 had been noticed again.  No not for great camping, great cooking or cleanliness etc. but for the massive mud fight they had this evening..  it had been noticed... and they WERE amused.. thank goodness.

January 9th 

I think they might be overworking the security just a tad... sorry Kaa I just had too...LOL not much info today as Goat was rostered off and  didn't make much sense after enjoying himself in Echuca with Quoll -- wink wink.. you know what I mean.

January 8th 

Congratulations to our Troop 333 on winning todays camping award .... WELL DONE only 7 of these awards are given out over the entire Jamboree so it's great to know they are living up to the Scouting standards they have learnt.

Rumour has it that our brave and intrepid Scout Leader, Goat is so exhausted that he fell asleep at the  'Bushwacked'  activity for about an hour. Lauren and Savannah kindly (bravely) woke him up with some nice cold water.

Ronnie and Sam have a light touch of sunburn and are glowing  a little pink according to my source. 

Tonight the majority of Troop 333 had the fun experience of eating their dinner middle east style with their fingers... my source tells me they were learning consequences.  They all had quite a giggle eating roast pork with fingers....I think they will be listening to Wolf about their mess kits next time.

January 7th

Market Day and Future Scout Day.

Ok... 30 000 on site. Sounds pretty big.. I'm scared lol.

First casualty amongst the McBunya  gang. Lauren has been to the hospital with some badly grazed knees for tratment. As of tonight Goat says she is doing well.

5 out of the 6 patrols spent the afternoon doing air activities ending with a 20 minute flight. 

Ok these Scouts of ours better not get used to the lavish entertainment they are having at Jamboree. Tonight the poor babies have 'Rock Night' and Evermore is the entertainment. Rock hard guys.

The 'source' is back with us this evening and he was with the Ham Radio operators as they talked in a preplanned chat from Jamboree to the International Space Station. We listened to the last 10 minutes and the Scouts were all asking very intelligent questions - none of our guys though...

Much colder night with a temperature drop of 10 degrees from last night 15.1 at 10.10pm and 13.5 with a windchill taking it down to 10.7 degrees.. Goat is shivering.

January 5th

Duty Patrol is Luke and Jono.  The rest of the troop are busy with activities... sorry I can't tell more when my source is unavailable...lol 

Hello to Mick. Hopefully will have photos of Tim up soon for you to see. I hear he is having a ball.

It started raining at 7pm tonight Vic time. Raksha said it is fairly light rain so the site is not getting too muddy. (snakes and choccies)

Cooler day reportedly but the temp still says 34.1 at midday.

This website has had an amazing amount of traffic. over 1200 hits yesterday. whoa

Tomorrow is Market Day and Future Scout Day. The Scouts provide a service or product to earn Jamboree money.

There wll be lots of visitors onsite so Kaa and Raksha will have their work cut out for them. Raksha as head of Security gets to ride a bicycle around site to keep her eye on everything. There have been no reports of any major security issues except for the sleepwalker in Subcamp 2 who caused a minor panic.

SMS from Kaa  when I asked how he was today....'Enjoying a glass of nz white on the murray river it is great here at echuca'  and we thought Jamboree was all hard work.. lol Glad to hear the Leaders are getting some decent time out to get their strength back.

January 5th

Duty Patrol was Nick and Tim. Laurnen, Savannah, Jono and Luke were off to Wet Wild and Windy today. Veronica and Sam were enjoying onsite activities. 

Fish cakes, boiled vegies, mashed potato and caramel choc slice cheesecake thingy??  

Goat reports there is an abundance of food and everyone is happy with the menu ... only drama is the amount of red cordial on site.

To clarify the curfew... all Scouts at Jamboree were under curfew.. not just Troop 333.

January 4th 

Duty Patrol was Ronnie and Sams today, with Nick, Tim, Savannah and Lauren doing the onsite activities, Luke and Jono off to Bendigo.  

So much for the early night.. according to a reliable source, while the Scouts all stayed in their tents after midnight was the time all were finally asleep. The reliable source said that it sounded like a 21st brithday was being celebrated in the tents with much giggling and yahooing happening.

Those patrols off to Bendigo were late getting started (due to said late night) and missed their first activity.. 0oops

Night activities for Troop 333 have been cancelled tonight as they have 10pm curfew imposed on them by Wolf. They will all be up with the sparrows and ready for a busy day. ( we hope)

Kaa and Raksha have been very busy with their tasks. Kaa has blisters so has tonight off.. the lengths they will go fo a break!! lol. Raksha doing well but thinks she is getting a great tan.

Goat reports the the dust is so thick that visibility is down to less than 200metres. There have been 3 significant duststorms keeping all a little uncomfortable.

January 3th

Patrol Leaders breakfast with Qld Chief Commisioner at the QLD Contingent site.

Ned Kelly Patrol ( Luke and Jono) were doing onsite activities while the rest of McDowall Bunya Scouts enjoyed a day in Bendigo. Nick made it into the Bendigo Advertiser with 3 other Scouts.

Ham steaks and vegies.. for dinner. All Troop 333 were so exhausted they opted to have an early night and didn't attend the bands playing.  

The Duty Patrol had to battle the Duststorms which were creating havoc on site. The dining fly was uplifted and deposited on another troops site  so the Duty Patrol was left to re pitch the fly. 

January 2nd

Kids are all exhausted. Tents were hard to put up due to ground being like concrete and dust storms. 

AJ2007 was opened by the Australia's Chief Scout and Governor General, Major General Michael Jeffrey. Then there were fireworks followed by a concert by the Rogue Traders. Kaa and Raksha are on the security team while at Jamboree with their first shift starting at 3pm on the front gate.

Goat reported screaming like he had never heard when the band started. (I HEARD IT TOO......DEAFENING..LOL)

January 2nd

All our daring  Scouts and Leaders safely boarded the plane for AJ2007. Kaa, Racksha and Savannah arrived about 4am and there were about 70 Scouts checking in. Virgin Blue did a great job, moving them through very efficiently. Security was fun with so many Scouts lining up. Scout belts were holding up the queues as they needed to be removed. Thankfully no Scouts were reported to have lost their pants during this time.