Drive to save historic scout hall
The 1st Mosman Scouts, the oldest scout club in Australia, is on a quest to fundraise $70,000 to restore the Port Jackson Sea Scout Hall and resume their activities at the historic boatshed.
After three years pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the group was about to resume activities in the hall before being alerted to the unsafe conditions, delaying their long-awaited return.
The hall is located at Balmoral Beach but can only be accessed through the Defence Force’s HMAS Penguin naval base.
Since the outbreak of the pandemic in March 2020, the ‘stand down orders’ for defence meant the club couldn’t carry out the required maintenance work.
Now, according to the organisation, the scouts need to raise about $70,000 for the upgrades to make the place safe again.
Colleen Godsell, trustee of properties for 1st Mosman Scouts and recently appointed member of the National Council of Scouts Australia, said defence and the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) are supporting the group and have promoted the fundraising efforts.
The boat shed, built in 1927, is used by the scouts to store watercraft, rescue zodiacs, and life vests. The site is also used for meetings, building rafts, and fixing boats, among other activities.
“In summer, the kids and their families spend Saturdays and Sundays in the shed,” Ms Godsell says.
“We prepare for the annual Sirius Cup on Balmoral Oval, where scout groups from across NSW compete in a variety of races and events.”
Ms Godsell says the scouts are now looking for community support to achieve their goal and fix the historical shed.
“A GoFundMe page called ‘1st Mosman Scouts PJ’s Boat Shed’ has been set up, along with a fundraising committee,” she says.
“We stay together and achieve our goals.
“In 2006, I raised $1.2 million to save the historic Barn Whaling Station from developers and fully restore it. I hope that this smaller project doesn’t take that long.
“All I know is that we never give up and remain fully supported by the RAN.”