Community
28 November, 2025
Major milestones for Girls Guides
CAMPERDOWN’S Girl Guides unit celebrated two major milestones over the weekend, with many past guides and leaders visiting the guide hall to reminisce and catch up.
Last Saturday saw the official celebrations for 100 years of the Camperdown Girl Guides unit, as well as 50 years since the current guide hall was constructed.
Guide leader Glenda McIlveen said around 50 people were in attendance for the celebratory afternoon tea.
“It was an opportunity for people to come and share their memories and celebrate their time at the Camperdown Girl Guides – whether it was at the current hall or before,” she said.
“It was well-attended.
“We had the state commissioner (Pam Woodhams) and the regional manager (Karen Trepte) attend, who added some wonderful insights and words into the ceremony.
“It was lovely to see there is still support for our unit from Guides Victoria.
“The attendees all thanked us for having the opportunity to share their memories.”
Celebrations included the opportunity to look at memorabilia from the unit’s history, catching up with fellow guides over an afternoon tea of sweets and sandwiches, and the unveiling of a special plaque to mark the centenary and the half centenary.
Mrs McIlveen said she was amazed to think between four and five generations of families had gone through the Camperdown Girl Guides unit.
“When you think of it, it’s 100 years of people volunteering – it’s a volunteer organisation that supports Girl Guides, all families who do things to fundraise and support the guides to come and partake in their guiding journey,” she said.
“The original building had fallen down, and the fundraising to build a brick building must have been a lot 50 years ago to build a nice building.
“Hopefully we can keep it going through the support from our fundraising.”
Mrs McIlveen said she hoped the unit could continue to provide a service as well as a space for girls to continue guiding.
“We’re always looking for volunteer helpers to help with the sessions – we’re in the times where child safety is very important, and it’s important to have two adults present at every session,” she said.
“We very much want to abide by the child safety guidelines, as well as be able to do adventurous things.
“Thank you for the Camperdown Girl Guides support group – the friends and parents of the girls who help us fundraise – they’re just amazing.
“They do a lot to keep the hall and the guides going.”
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