Kiama Girl Guides

The first company of Kiama Girl Guides was formed in September 1942. There were ten members and three leaders - a captain (leader), Grace Pritchard, and two lieutenants, Mabel Cope and Amy Trapp.

For the first 25 years, the Girl Guides met in church halls, the Scout Hall and even private homes, utilising any space available to them. In 1967, the Girl Guides were given their first home, in Shoalhaven Street. Today they meet at 3 Collins Lane.

The current Guide Hall was originally built as a quarry worker’s cottage between the 1870s-1900s. It was purchased by Kiama Council as a heritage building in the 1980s and is now leased to the Kiama Girl Guides.

For 80 years, girls in Kiama have enjoyed local, national, and international adventures.

Their first camp was held in Albion Park in 1942 (with borrowed equipment). Since then, they have camped in Rose Valley, Mt Keira, on ships in Sydney, the Botanic Gardens, zoos, and in Guide Halls all over NSW.

The Guides have been part of ANZAC parades, community shows, markets and many other local and state special events. They held annual swimming carnivals, originally at the old Olympic Pools in Kiama and now at the Scout Camp on Mt Keira. They have also been involved in many fundraising efforts; among the first were community folk dances and a ‘Mile of Coins’.

While participating in Girl Guides, the girls can achieve badges. The first badges were set tasks that needed to be accomplished to achieve the badge, such as preparing and serving tea with homemade scones to the badge assessor, or learning set knots to be able to run a line and rescue in the water. Today’s badges are challenges chosen by the girls within a set criterion for them to decide, plan, do and evaluate. The highest badges that can be achieved are the Junior BP (Baden-Powell), BP, and the Queen’s Guide Award. The Queen’s Guide Award provides girls with an opportunity for extraordinary personal development and greater self-awareness, and is recognised in both the education system and work abilities.

Today, the Kiama Girl Guides are still going strong, with almost 30 girls aged 7-13 years challenging themselves to be the best they can be. Carrying on the tradition of fun, friendship, and adventure.

Lieutenant Sue Prott 1963

Mrs Hindmarsh & Miss Cope at the 1963 swimming carnival

Brownie - Wendy Brown 1963

Members of the 1st Kiama Girl Guides Company doing the "Mile of Coins" to raise money for "Freedom from Hunger" c.1963