Love Local: Mosman Girl Guides celebrate 100 years!

By ANNA USHER

It’s the all-girl organisation that has helped shape some of the world’s most successful women, counting JK Rowling, Emma Thompson and Australia’s first female Governor-General Quentin Bryce among its former members.

The Girl Guides began in the early 1900s, when a group of youngsters confronted Scouting Pioneer Lord Baden-Powell at London’s Crystal Palace, demanding the right to follow the same program as the boys.

The movement quickly swept across the world, officially launching in Australia in 1911.

The Mosman Guide Company held its first meeting on November 26, 1921, at “Tregoyd”, the Raglan St estate belonging to Chief Justice Cullen and his wife, Lady Cullen.

“It is with a great deal of pride that I have invested the First Mosman Troop of Girl Guides,” Lady Cullen said on the day, “Ours is the first division invested in NSW. The girl guides have proved most useful in England, and I hope they will not be less useful here.”

The Mosman division consisted of the Patrol, Owl, Whipbird, Wood Pigeon, Kookaburra, Swallow and Robin.

Celebrating its 100th birthday this week, the Mosman branch of the Australian Girl Guides continues to empower girls and young women to grow into confident, self-respecting, responsible community members.

Martine Robins, Mosman Girl Guides’ District Manager, says she is thrilled to recognise the centenary milestone, which will take place on December 5.

“As a young girl, I was a Brownie and a Guide in the local area, and later a young leader, and my eldest daughter is now a Girl Guide and loves it,” she says.

“Girl Guides has remained relevant to local girls and their life experience for 100 years. So much has changed in that time, yet the values and work of the Guiding Movement continue to resonate with young women.”

Girl Guides is the most significant worldwide voluntary organisation for girls and young women. In Australia, the movement operates in each state, and more than one million Australian women have been or are still Girl Guides since its inception.

“We hope that the centenary celebrations remind local women of the wonderful work of Girl Guides and the opportunities that can come with volunteering. Martine Robins says, “Our volunteers say they get back far more than they give, and they make great supportive friendships and feel connected to their local community.”

Interested in joining Mosman Girl Guides?

Girl Guides is a safe, fun place for girls to try new things, make great friends, develop new skills and gain confidence. Girl Guides is the largest organisation for girls and young women in Australia, with 10 million Girl Guides and Girl Scouts from diverse cultures and religions in 145 countries worldwide.

Celebrate Mosman Girl Guides Centenary!

Past and present Leaders, Guides and Brownies are invited to the centenary celebration on Sunday, December 5. Anyone interested in attending the centenary festival, volunteering with Girl Guides as a Leader, or enrolling their daughter in Girl Guides (girls aged 7-12), should contact [email protected] for more information.