Our history

Normanhurst Scout Group is over 80 years old but our actual start date is yet to be found. Australian Scout records show our group registration as 7th August 1936. However my research and discussions with Tom Mead a
former Scout of the group showed that our group was in existence as early as 1931 under the leadership of Jack Bailey and Sid Montgomery.
Further, a number of Scouts attended the 1934 – 1935 Australian Jamboree at Frankston Victoria.

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Normanhurst Group first began meeting in the Presbyterian Church hall Buckingham Avenue (now the Uniting Church) and according to Australian Scout records was in 1936 called 2nd Normanhurst. It is interesting to note that the Scout Association regarded groups meeting on Church premises as sponsored or closed groups, hence why we were called 2nd Normanhurst. The association retained “1st” for what they called open groups.
In October 1942 moved to Normanhurst Public School and was renamed 1st Normanhurst as it was now regarded as an open Group. After making too many holes in the walls the group was asked to leave and in the early 1950’s the Group moved to St Stephens Church hall with Padre Alan Batt as Group Leader.

The group started small however by 1966 the group was so large that it split into two, 1st Normanhurst and 2nd Normanhurst. The groups continued their success over many years however by 2000 the numbers at both groups
were declining due to an aging population in the area. With 3rd Normanhurst having already combined with 1st Normanhurst in the early 1990’s it was decided around 2001 – 2002 to combine 1st Normanhurst, 2nd Normanhurst and 3rd Thornleigh to form one group. This combined group operating today is called Normanhurst Scout Group.

We have at least 83 years of history and Scouting within our group, which
is a fine achievement.