CUB SCOUTS - 8 to 11 years old LGSS have 2 amazing Cub units : Kuringa Cubs meet on Tuesdays: 5:45-7:45pm in Terms 1 & 4 (summer) 5:45 -7 :15 pm in Terms 2 & 3 (winter) Baringa Cubs meet on Fridays: 6:30-8:30pm in Terms 1 & 4 (summer) 7:00-8:30pm in T erms 2 & 3 (winter) Use the Contact form to get in touch with the Cub Leaders. Are you ready for the challenge? The objective of the Cub Scout program is to provide a group environment which is intellectually stimulating, physically vital and directed towards satisfying the need to face and overcome challenges. Cub Scouts have lots of fun doing interesting, adventurous and challenging activities! There are games to play, skills to learn like sailing, canoeing and camping and an opportunity to make new friends. Each week you'll get together with other boys and girls your age and take an active part in a range of exciting activities. You'll wear your own Cub Scout uniform to show you're a member of the largest youth organisation in the world. And you'll be able to earn special badges to put on your uniform as you learn new skills. The Cub Scout program places an emphasis on exciting and challenging activities based on individual needs to provide: Opportunities for interaction in small groups; A sense of belonging and achievement; Practice leadership and problem-solving skills; Develop a sense of fair play and justice; Satisfy curiosity and the need for adventure; Develop fitness and creative skills; Provide new experiences and the opportunity to learn by doing; Provide the opportunity to make choices and decisions; and Provide the opportunity to express and respond to individual spiritual development needs.

The Scout section is for youth aged 11 to 14 years. In our Group the Scout section primarily sail boats on Lake Ginninderra and participate in regattas on other Lakes, and in Sydney and Melbourne. The Scout section focuses on allowing young people to develop their confidence, teaches them how to work as part of a team, and fosters leadership skills. Sailing, canoeing, epic bushwalks and camping expeditions are just some of the adventures Lake Ginninderra Scouts get up to. SCOUTS - 11 to 14 years old LGSS have 2 amazing Scout units : Cetus Scouts meet on Mondays: 6:00-8:30pm in Terms 1 & 4 (summer) 7:00 -9 :00 pm in Terms 2 & 3 (winter) Orion Scouts meet on Wednesdays: 6:00-8:30pm in Terms 1 & 4 (summer) 6:30-8:30pm in T erms 2 & 3 (winter) Use the Contact form to get in touch with the Scout Leaders. Don't just talk about what you can do! ...Do it! Scouts is one of the best kept secrets for young people aged 11 to 14 years and no wonder! It is the biggest and most successful youth organisation in Australia - not to mention the world - with thousands of boys and girls enjoying an almost unlimited range of activities. And there's always room for one more! As a Scout you'll receive expert instruction in a wide variety of outdoor skills like sailing, canoeing, caving, camping and hiking. Together with the all important theory to make sure you don't get lost, do it safely and can deal with life's challenges. Your confidence will build and you'll learn how to make decisions and work as part of a team in a small group called a Patrol, an older more experienced Scout will be your Patrol Leader and help develop your skills. Weekly meetings are held to build up skill levels, have fun and plan for weekend adventures. You'll quickly become familiar with equipment like our canoes and learn the right way to use them. Have your say in activities. The Patrol system means that everyone from least experienced to the Patrol Leader has a say and the Scout Leader is there to help make your dream activities become reality, while ensuring safety is always maintained. He or she will also guide you through the Scout Award Scheme, which recognises your own level of ability and achievement. There are badges to be earned and you will learn skills that will stay with for life - such as sailing, light weight camping and bush navigation, how to prepare and cook your own food, how to be safe around beaches, rivers and lakes and yes, how to tie some pretty useful knots. Challenge your mind as well as your body. But not everyone is looking for the outdoor buzz all the time. Scouts have challenging activities linked with the internet and amateur radio, performing arts such as singing, dancing and acting and awards linked to citizenship, community service and personal spiritual development. ...Do it! Scouting is definitely FUN, and it also prepares you for life in the adult world by giving you responsibility for your own actions and progress. So what are you waiting for come along to one of our meetings!

VENTURERS - 15 to 18 years old Use the Contact form to get in touch with the Venturer Leaders. It's your life... Get on with it! Our awesome Venturers m eet Thursday nights: 6:15-8:30pm in Terms 1 & 4 (summer) 6:45-9:00pm in Terms 2 & 3 (winter) Bored? Feel like doing something with your life? Don't know where to start? Try Venturer Scouts. It's a do-it-yourself mix of fun, adventure and personal challenge that will bring you together with other young people who feel the same way. You may find yourself exploring wilderness Australia, camping above the snowline or diving on coral reefs. You could be abseiling into a limestone cave or climbing a sheer rock face. Perhaps you'll learn white water kayaking or ride your mountain bike on an expedition across real mountains. Whatever your challenge, there will be trained and highly experienced leaders to guide you through the experience, to teach you the necessary skills and safety techniques. Venturers get the opportunity to travel overseas and to organised activities, to live with a different community and to provide service to others. Manage your own program Venturers don't just develop physical skills. You will manage your own Venturer Unit, where the adult leaders are there to provide advice, not rule your life. The Unit Council makes the decisions, plans and runs the activities, drawing on expert help whenever it is required. You can even develop your own website or Facebook to promote your activities. You'll have the opportunity to become involved in staging professional shows, learning how to act, sing or play an instrument. Perhaps you'll make videos, become a sound engineer, develop your own photographs or contribute your writing for publication. You will learn responsibility for the environment and work on service projects to assist others in the community. Look Wide There are leadership and management courses that will help you in your career and personal life, when you have to make all the decisions. You'll learn how to meet new challenges, deal with new situations, and develop your own independence. Your achievements will be recognised, with the ultimate goal the Queen's Scout Award, which employers regard very favourably. Venturers really is the pathway to success. Get a social life The Social side of Venturers is up to you. There will be lots of outdoor activities, nights out and a shared interest so you will meet new people and have plenty of time to get to know them and make lifelong friends. Venturers are serious about having fun!! Venturer Scouts are for young people from 15 - 18 and you don't have to have experience in Scouts or Guides first. It's your call - come along and check us out.

Rovers - 18 to 25 years old Use the Contact form to get in touch with the Rovers. No other leisure time activity offers as much! The local Rover crew usually meet at the LGSS Scout Hall on Tuesday nights (times are being confirmed): 6:15-8:30pm in Terms 1 & 4 (summer - TBC) 7:30-9:30pm in Terms 2 & 3 (winter - TBC) Challenging outdoor activities such as bushwalking, canoeing, sailing, caving, ski-touring, canyoning, four-wheel driving, rock-climbing and scuba diving all form an important part of a Rover's calendar. Social activities such as BBQ's, bush dances, going to the movies, nights out, car rallies and "Moots" (gatherings of Rovers on a local, national and sometimes international level) also feature on an active Rover's program. A group of Rovers is known as a "Crew" and each Rover Crew is different, tailoring its activities to the requirements of its members. Crews vary in size from a handful of members to as many as fifty. Most crews meet weekly. The friends you make within this group will be lifelong! A Crew's activities are planned and run by the Rovers themselves, and there is plenty of opportunity to develop personal abilities and learn new skills. A Rover may become involved in organising a simple weekend away for just a few people, a major event involving thousands of participants, or anything in between!Anyone can become a Rover - there's no need to have any previous involvement with Scouting, or any outdoor activities experience. Take the plunge - try Rovers! For more information about Rovers or your nearest Rover Crew in the ACT contact - Scouts ACT Development Officer 02 6282 5211

Joey Scouts LGSS have 2 wonderful Joey units that meet at the same time all year except school holidays : Glitter Joeys 5:30 -6 :30 pm Fridays Rainbow Joeys 3 :00-4 :30pm Sundays Use the Contact form to get in touch with the Joey Leaders. JOEY SCOUTS - 5 to 8 years old FUN starts here! Joey Scouts are the youngest section of the Scouting movement where the emphasis is on fun and friendship in a non competitive environment. At this age children need experiences which help them learn to work and play in groups outside of home and school environments, to develop their physical, intellectual, social and spiritual abilities through active experiences. Joey Scouts are encouraged to express themselves creatively, through games, stories and craft activities. Building monsters and spaceships from recycled scrap items, growing plants from seedlings or singing songs together all develop a strong sense of belonging. The Joey Scout theme is "Help Other People" (HOP) and sets the direction upon which activities are based and give concrete expressions of sharing with their friends, helping and caring about others. Joeys wear a special scarf and shirt so everyone knows they are Joey Scouts.

This Page has resources for Leaders and Committee Members This page is designed to provide easier access to some common resources for leaders, committee members and others involved in running LGSS. If you have documents, templates etc that you believe should be here, let the COmmittee know and provide a saqmple. 01 02 03 ACT Scouts Extranet ACT Branch runs its member system on Extranet - hosted by Scouts Victoria. Access is restricted and requires a login ID. This entry is designed to allow easy access to this site. ACT Branch Extranet (Restricted) Xero - Our Financial Management System Most ACT Scout Groups use a cloud-based accounting system called Xero. This originates from NZ but has a global user base. While not at all perfect, it nevertheless does the maths, is always available and doesn't rely on a thousand treasurers having files at home etc. It also provides selected leaders, Venturer Treasurers and ACT Branch with instant access to our accounts (look, read, reconcile, enter but not withdraw or transfer money .) This promotes transparent financial management. Access is restricted to those who need to operate the accounts, it is monitored automatically and access levels vary dependy on roles. $ Xero Scouts Australia Rules Scouts Australia provides overarching rules that apply to all of our operataions. It is ssued by the order of the National Council of The Scout Association of Australia by virtue of the powers vested in it by the Royal Charter. Vision and Mission Statement Definitions Explination of Abbreviations Policy (listed by chapter below) P1 The Scout Association of Australi P2 Aim and Principle P3 Membership of the Scout Association of Australi P4 Principal Accountabilitie P5 Personnel Managemen P6 Management of the Rover Scout Sectio P7 Duty of Car P8 Finance, Property, Insurance and Legal Protectio P9 Community and External Relation Appendices A1 The Australian Scout Environment Charter A2 Organisation Chart A3 Salute Illustraltions A4 Uniform Illustrations Rules Rules (Listed by chapter below) R1 National Organisatio R2 The Branc R3 Support for Group R4 The Scout Grou R5 Joey Scout Sectio R6 Cub Scout Sectio R7 Scout Sectio R8 Venturer Scout Sectio R9 Rover Scout Sectio R10 Scout Fellowshi R11 Adult Training and Developmen R12 Safe Practic R13 Decorations and Award R14 Uniform, Badges and Insigni R15 General Rule

Leaders - 18+ years old Use the Contact form to get in touch with the Leaders or volunteer to join us and have sooo much fun! Young people benefit from leadership. They guidance of informed and caring adults helps them to develop self-reliance, initiative and responsibility. The world-wide Scout Movement offers this guidance through our Leaders, a team of dedicated, self-motivated individuals who take the time and the interest to help on a voluntary basis. If you care about the future generation, if you want to contribute, to learn about yourself and other people and want to have fun doing it, then we want you to join us as a Leader. Take Interest In The Community Leaders care not only about the young people under their guidance, but also about the communities in which they live. As a Leader, you'll be actively involved in planning and implementing projects to help your local community, and in expanding the community awareness of the young people in your group. You'll encourage a sense of responsibility and goodwill by participating together in activities. And you'll be helping to develop a future generation capable of making a positive contribution to the world in which they live. Interest Yourself The training program for Leaders is suited to the level of commitment you choose and is full of interest. If you're interested in the 6-8 year old age group you'll be a Joey Scout Leader helping young children take one of their first steps out into the world beyond their family and school. If you're interested in the 8-11 year old age group, you'll lead a Cub Scout Pack, which still requires a fair amount of adult supervision. If you're interested in the 11-15 year old age group, you'll lead a Scout Troop, which demands less direct leadership, but definite help in training for indoor, outdoor including water activities. As a Leader you'll carry out a specific type of program for each Section and you'll have as much fun as your Section members. Just ask other Leaders. You can interest others in working as a team and in participating in indoor and outdoor activities. The other Leaders you will meet in Scouting all have similar concerns to yours. Sometimes you can spend an evening in somebody's home, or spend a day trying out practical ideas to use in your Section. ACT Scouts has excellent residential training and camping facilities for you to use on group weekend occasions. It's all busy, creative, good fellowship. You'll also be meeting other experienced people who are anxious that you enjoy your Scouting work and get the most out of it. Together you can share your interests, plan programs and discover resources. Interest Has Its Rewards By taking an interest, by becoming involved, you'll find the experience of being a Leader has its own rewards. You'll find enormous satisfaction in helping young people achieve. Their achievements will be your achievements too. You can feel proud of their successes, and be spurred on by their progress. Your ability to relate to your Section members will give you a sense of growing accomplishment as their trust and confidence in you grows. And you'll know that you're helping young people to shape their lives and that means doing something significant for the future. Interested? If you're interested, there's only one thing left for you to do! Contact us to enquire about being a Leader with Lake Ginninderra Sea Scouts. There's a world full of interest, fulfillment and enthusiastic youngsters out there waiting for you to begin.

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Please complete the form to contact Lake Ginninderra Sea Scouts Testing Contact Us Lake Ginninderra Sea Scout Group 1 Evelyn Parker Place PO Box 1379 BELCONNEN ACT 2616 ABN 59010048690 Please use this form to contact us about: youth joining LGSS volunteering with LGSS making a donation to our Group website feedback/suggestions anything else! If you want to hire our Hall, please use the form on the Hall Hire Page , not this one. Reason for contacting us First name Last name Email Mobile phone Message Your contact request has been submitted. You should get an email confirmation in a tic. Problem: have you answered all * fields? Submit

Awards and Achievements This page recognises the achievements of our youth and the special service given by many of our LGSS family members. Note: We have recently asked the Branch Commissioner Milestones & Peak Awards (Lianne Halling) for a complete list of all awards for LGSS youth and adults, and will update this page when it is received. Last updated: 15 March 2025. Joeys: Promise Badge 2006 Bailey Groves 2007 John Coppin 2007 Reilly O’Grady 2016 Charles Yates 2016 Chiara Ostheimer-Karner 2016 Myf Rudkin 2016 Rose Orton 2017 Sebastian Smallwood 2019 Stacey Hosie 2019 Eluney Tapply ...[info coming]... 2025 Lachlan Conn 2025 Astrid Hummelshoj 2025 Isla Beath Cubs: Grey Wolf 2000 Christin Cygan 2000 Simon Wookey 2001 Emma Harris 2001 Luke Fuller 2001 Natalie Lymbery 2001 Partick Quinlivan 2003 Arlen Rodda-McCarthy 2003 Daniel Francis 2003 Kathryne Cygan 2003 Philip Hannan 2004 Arlen Rhodda-McCarthy 2005 Jesse Coppin 2007 Corey Coppin 2007 Ben Paterson 2008 Ben Francis 2009 Jack Paterson 2012 Alexis Bocking 2015 Claire Orton 2016 Bridget Lehane 2016 Verity Smallwood 2017 Emily Hyde 2018 Michael Casey 2019 Rose Orton 2019 Indiana Phillips 2019 Alex Taylor ...[info coming]... 2025 Isabelle Preston 2025 Eli Bower 2025 Nina Hummelshoj Premier Scout 1999 Christrine Lymbery Scouts: Australian Scout Medallion 2003 Christine Cygan 2005 Natalie Lymbery 2008 Jesse Coppin 2012 Ashley Martin 2012 Jonathan Naumann 2012 Josh Brazell 2012 Michael Chong 2012 Oliver Murray 2012 Stuart Manton 2013 Hamish Farrow 2015 Alexis Bocking 2015 Angus Farrow 2015 James Boulter 2015 Tadgh Williams 2016 Alexander Howitt 2016 Jack Witchalls 2018 Caitlin Buttler 2018 Lachlain Georgiou 2018 Lauren O'Daly 2018 Claire Orton 2018 Cameron Pike 2019 Breeana Milczarek 2019 Sophie Porteous 2019 Brianna Barbour 2019 Megan Jennings 2019 Jordan Pike 2015 Australian Scout Medallian Recipients Venturers: Queen's Scout Award 1997 Fiona Minol 2000 Chris Browne 2008 Chris Malam 2008 Natalie Lymbery 2013 Hayley Ackroyd 2015 Corey Coppin 2017 Hamish Farrow 2019 James Boulter 2019 William Strutt Queens Scout Rovers (LGRC): Baden Powell Award TBA Adults - Scouts Australia (ACT) Awards Certificate of Good Service 1981 PeterBarrett Medal of Merit 1986 Peter Barrett 1991 Peter Barrett (Bar) Chief Commissioner's Certificate of Appreciation 2015 Klaus Felsche Certificate of Merit 1989 Kay Briscoe 2006 Sharon Sobey 2009 Michelle McDonald 2012 Tristan Cross 2013 Cheryl Bocking 2013 Klaus Felsche Silver Emu 2002 Peter Barrett Silver Kangaroo 2013 Peter Barrett Silver Wattle 2014 Sharon Sobey Meritorious Service Award 2015 Tristan Cross 2016 Michelle McDonald Special Service Award 2014 Justin Billing 2014 Thomas Dowsley 2014 Iain Gould 2015 Alexander Farrow 2016 Michelle Williams 2016 Robert Morris Council of Eders Council of Elders 2015 Bob Sobey 2015 Garry Lymberry 2015 Jennifer Lewis 2015 Phil Murphy 2015 Maryann Harris 2015 Paul Waddell Leaders Wood Beads 2021 Bob Sobey (Goanna) 2004 Phillip Murphy (Akela) 2006 George Cygan (Turtle) 2006 Timothy Kirsopp (Ikki) 2006 Paul Waddell (Bear) 2009 Paul O'Grady (Dugong) 2014 Andrea Farrow (Raksha) ...[more info coming]... Adults - LGSS Awards LGSS Achievement Awards 2015 Corey Coppin 2015 Guy Thomson 2015 Mickey Coppin 2015 Rob Morris 2015 Theo Karner 2015 Tim Kirsopp 2015 Cheryl Bocking 2015 Denton Bocking 2018 LGSS Rover Crew 2018 Geoff Hyde Ex-LGSS Scout Reilly Awarded US Eagle Scout Award 2015 Special Service Awards Group Leaders (Incomplete & Under Construction) This section recognises the special service by our LGSS Group Leaders ??? - now: Emma Georgiou "Big Momma" Group Support Committee (Incomplete & Under Construction) This section recognises the wonderful service by our LGSS Group Support Committee Presedent Secretary Treasurer

We are researching the history of Lake Ginninderra Sea Scouts for our 50th anniversary on 25 October 2025. We will put information here as we find it. It's our 50th Anniversary! The Lake Ginninderra Sea Scout Group was formed on 25 October 1975, so this year our Group turns 50! We are counting down to our anniversary celebrations on the 25 October 2025 . We will tell everyone more about what will be happening closer to the date. 99 Days 99 Hours 99 Minutes 99 Seconds As part of our 50th we are actively researching the history of Lake Ginninderra Sea Scouts. The plan is to put the information we find on this page as we find it, so that everyone can see what we have so far. Head over to our History of Scouts in Canberra page to see a brief history Scouts in Canberra and some of the history of Scouts generally. Photos from our past The photos below are from the photo albums in our office. Hover your mouse over an image to see some of the information we have on it. Feel free to give pictures you like a heart. If you have any information on any of the pictures, or your own historic pictures please post a comment on our Public Facebook page or send an email to the webmaster . Note: The webmaster is still working on this display . I'll stick a number on each photo for easy reference in a tick. Lake Ginninderra Sea Scouts history research so far... Canberra Times article dated 14 Oct 1976 on Trove mentions 4 Cubs joining 1st LGSS Group "formed four weeks ago". Which would set the formation date around ?? Sep 1976 if that is what it meant. Canberra Times article dated 8 Mar 1977 on Trove mentions the 1st LGSS Cub pack presenting the queen with a bouquet and a group neckerchief (scarf). So LGSS was originally called "1st Lake Ginninderra Sea Scouts" Shane Hosie ("Jacala") was a Cub and then a Scout in the group that merged with Lake Ginninderra Sea Scouts in the 1990s. Some of his recollections are: He was in the Kuringa Scouts G roup before that Group merged with 1st LGSS His former scout leader Mark Stockall ("Stocky") was a member with LGSS back in the day before the merge. LGSS had a red and green scarf. Kuringa had a dark blue and light blue scarf. So when they merged the red and green became the trim and the blue became the main part of the scarf. And the rovers kept the original scarf and added the blue trim The Orion Scout Unit used to meet at Spence School on a Wednesday night and the Baringa Cub Unit met on a Friday at St. Monica's Primary School in Evatt. There are several plaques on the walls in our hall . They have these words on them: Lake Ginninderra Sea Scouts, Established 1975, Acknowledging 40 years of scouting at Lake Ginninderra Belconnen, 25 October 2015, Be Prepared. Presented to Ian Neale, Colin Aveyard, Tony Fitzpatrick and Neville McMartin in recognition of their work building this hall. "This Hall was officially opened by the Chief Commissioner Pat Boling on 8th June 1998". Was this the original hall? To Garry & Pauline Lymbery. In appreciation of all your dedicated time and assistance in the managing fund raising and boat assistance of L.G.S.S. From the Group of Lake Ginninderra Sea Scouts, 2005. Dedicated Service Award, Timothy Kirsopp, Ikki, In recognition of your dedicated s ervice as a leader. 26 July 1999 - 3 July 2015 Long Service Award, Phil Murphy, Mowgli, In recognition of the exceptional Service and Commitment you have given to Scouting and LGSS over the past 15 years. Thank you. June 2014 Dolphin Cove. Dolphin was the scouting name for Kay Briscoe who served the Lake Ginninderra Sea Scout Group as Group Leader from 2012 to 2015. Dolphin was a long term member of LGSS serving as a youth member before returning as the Group Leader. This place is named in honour of the many years Dolphin dedicated to scouting. Kay Briscoe (Dolphin) 12 December 1957 - 22 December 2016. Andrew Newbery noted in the LGSS private Facebook page on 8 Nov 2022 that he accidentally met Ian Neale (one of the people who helped build the current hall) at the hall while Ian was in Canberra on holidays. Ian and his wife shared some wonderful memories with Andrew who showed them around inside. Of interest at the time were these comments from Ian: the hall was built in 1998 the colour of the hall is “ship grey” and the hall design replicates the focsle of a war ship when viewed from the lake.

Belconnen Town Centre Master Plan 2015 The ACT Government is preparing a master plan for the Belconnen town centre. The DRAFT 2015 Master Plan is now available (see link below or go to the ACT Web-site): Have Your Say The Environment and Planning Directorate (EPD) welcomes comments on this draft master plan. You can make comments on the Belconnen Town Centre draft master plan: Visit: www.act.gov.au/Belconnen Email: Belconnen@act.gov.au Post: Belconnen Town Centre Draft Master Plan PO Box 158, Canberra ACT 2601 Comments closed 20 November 2015 All comments will be taken into consideration when revising the master plan. The master plan is anticipated for consideration by the ACT Government in late 2015 . If adopted, implementation of the master plan can commence. The project was announced by the Minister for Planning, Mick Gentleman MLA, on Monday 3rd November 2014. The ACT Government’s 2012 Planning Strategy recommended a review of the 2001 Belconnen master plan to help create a more compact and efficient city. The first stage of community engagement will seek feedback on a number of issues faced by the town centre, including building heights, the quality of the public domain, pedestrian and cycle connections, car parking and the use of the former Joynton Smith bus way. The project will also focus on the links between the town centre, the University of Canberra and other major institutions in an effort to help facilitate possible employment growth and provide increased opportunities for local businesses. When complete, the consultation outcomes, along with supporting studies will inform the development of a draft master plan for the Belconnen town centre. The outcomes are anticipated to be released in the first half of 2015. Draft_Belconnen_master_plan-WEB-25Sept.pdf Belconnen Master Plan Lake Ginninderra Sea Scout Submission Background Lake Ginninderra is a highly valued resource, regularly used not only by local residents but by several hundreds of youth and adult members of Scouting in the north ACT Region. In fact, it is the primary focus of all Scouting water activities north of Lake Burley Griffin. Its consistent use is made possible by the facilities constructed by the Lake Ginninderra Sea Scout Group (LGSS) at their Evelyn Parker Place address (off Beissel Street, Belconnen). Safe, unhindered access to these facilities is essential in order for the safe, continued use by our members and the local community. The LGSS Group aims to achieve more than just casual use of the lake. As part of the world wide Scouting Organisation, it has a mission for the development of young people. The Mission for Scouting, at the local, national and international level, is to contribute to the education of young people, through a value system based on the Scout Promise and Law, to help build a better world where people are self-fulfilled as individuals and play a constructive role in society. This is achieved by: · Involving them throughout their formative years in a non-formal educational process; · Using a specific method that makes each individual the principle agent in his or her development as a self-reliant, supportive, responsible and committed person; and · Assisting them to establish a value system based upon spiritual, social and personal principles as expressed in the Promise and Law. Built on guidance from the ACT Branch and with input from Scout Leaders, Support Committee Members, Parents and Carers, the Group is keen to provide input into any future plans and planning activities for Lake Ginninderra. The current LGSS team is very fortunate that many past members have had foresight and energy to provide us with a sound base: we have outstanding facilities, including our new boat shed; good equipment; exceptional scout leaders and a great group of youth members including our seniors Venturers and associated Rovers. Collectively, we provide the best possible environment for our youth members. Furthermore, north of Lake Burley Griffin, we are the only ‘sea scouts’ and thus the only venue for providing extensive water-based scouting activities to over 1,200 scouts in the northern ACT. Further explanation is probably not necessary, but it is worth reiterating that the scouting community, like most community groups, relies on volunteer support. The rewards are not financial; they are life experiences for us as individuals and the group members as a community. The fundraising levy is not a way for the group to raise money. It is an incentive for people to give their time and effort to avoid payment, so that the Group might gain their help to provide the necessary support structures for a worthwhile program for our children. Our program allows them to grow and develop as active members of society who understand and respect the needs of a supportive family, be that the family at home, at school, in the scout group, or in the town, country or world community. LGSS recognises the value of such contributions by providing discounts of some fee elements to those offering their time and effort in a variety of roles. LGSS also offers discounts as financial assistance to ensure all members of the community share a similar opportunity to be involved in scouting. LGSS is a voluntary, not-for-profit, community group running active programmes for young people in Canberra under the auspices of Scouts Australia. LGSS receives no government funding, instead relying entirely on funds provided by its members, fundraising and some donations and grants for its operations. All equipment, facilities and consumables are funded from the LGSS budget. Submission comments As described above, LGSS provides structured, development and leadership programmes for local youth. As a Sea Scout group, our activities centre on water-focussed events, although a full programme of outdoor adventures are incorporated throughout the year. As such, our concerns for the Master Plan relate to potential impacts on the ability to provide these activities in the future. The key interests for us in the development of the 2015 Belconnen Master Plan are: Continued direct access to the lake is critical for water-focussed activities of our Group. Youth members aged 7-18 years regularly access water-focussed activities via the ‘beach’ onsite beside the hall. If this access was to be lost or degraded, it would impact on the effectiveness of the water-focussed activities we provide to local youth, particularly during the sailing season between spring and autumn. This is also relevant to broader Sea Scout operations across the ACT. ‘Tri-Lakes’ is a regular, thrice-yearly competition between the Sea Scout groups at Lake Burley Griffin, Lake Tuggeranong and Lake Ginninderra. Retaining access to the ‘beach’ onsite beside the hall is essential to enable safe and easy access for these activities, and the associated community involvement in them. Clean and safe foreshore environments are an ongoing issue, given our frequent activities on or near the water’s edge. We conduct annual Clean-up Australia events to improve the condition of the western foreshore by reducing the rubbish build up. Needles and syringes, shopping trolleys, glass bottles and aluminium cans are the most common rubbish collected. Any new developments need to target the cleanliness and safety of the foreshore, and the ability to effectively maintain that level of cleanliness. The stormwater system is the principle avenue for much of this refuse entering the lake. We see management of the stormwater system and a clean and safe foreshore environment as critical to providing a safe and clean location for all lake users. Car parking will be a particular issue. During peak times immediately before and after scouting section meetings, as parents arrive to drop off or pick up their children, there is an intense period of car parking pressure and an increased associated risk of injury to youth members and adults. Developments adjoining Beissel St will add to this pressure and risk. To minimise this, parking areas will need to be well designed to enable clean and smooth traffic flow, and dedicated drop off zones. Our Group is constrained by the current size of the leased property and, noting the strong pressure for growth and interest from youth members in the community, we would want to have the ability to extend our operations (boat/canoe storage, meeting venue, etc.) over the next several years. LGSS conducts weekly activities for around 100 youth members and is a base for the Lake Ginninderra Rover Scouts (14 older youth members). Sixteen scout leaders, 33 adult helpers and a support committee conduct over 400 hours of sessions at the scout hall every year. The hall provides the base for sailing and canoeing activities conducted on Lake Ginninderra over the Spring, Summer and Autumn months, including evenings and weekends. Additionally, over 30 camping activities and ACT competitive sea-scout sailing events (on Lake Burley Griffin, Lake Tuggeranong and on Sydney Harbour) utilise the hall and its storage facilities as a base of operations. LGSS is the home of active youth programmes run by the local community . The programmes are local, regional, national and international, with local youth members participating in Cuborees, inter-state activities, Jamborees in Australia and New Zealand, community service programmes in Indonesia and competitive water activities in the ACT and NSW. LGSS is funded entirely through member fees and fundraising activities . These funds provide for the hall maintenance, the cost of utilities, the cost of equipment (including boats and camp equipment, and associated trailers), insurance, association costs and the costs associated with scouting activities. The scout hall is also extensively used by community groups and social organisations throughout the week. Typically, such groups utilise the scout hall for some 20 hours per week when not needed for scouting, providing a base for social and cultural activities. Participation in scouting in the Belconnen area is growing with most scout groups regularly reporting full capacity, particularly in the cub and scout sections (7 ½ - 15 years of age). There are three Sea Scout groups in the ACT. LGSS offers a challenging mix of land-based and water-based activities centred on Lake Ginninderra, the only such group in North Canberra and surrounding NSW districts. It is expected that there will be continuing pressure for growth. Accordingly, LGSS recently constructed a new boat shed to better support water activities on Lake Ginninderra in response to the growing popularity of scouting. Thank you for providing us the opportunity to be part of the discussion about the future of the Belconnen Master Plan and we hope a strong community focus drives its implementation. Regards Klaus Felsche and Justin Billing President/Vice President Lake Ginninderra Sea Scout Group Wednesday, 21 January 2015