ONE of Kerang’s longest-serving members of the town’s Scouting movement is looking forward to this year’s centenary celebrations for Scouting in Kerang.
Olly Jane, OAM, spent 35 years associated with the popular youth organisation, first as a participant then as a leader.
During his time with the organisation, the 85-year-old saw the number of groups located in Kerang grow to three, as well as lead many of the town’s current residents.
Mr Jane’s time as a Scout began in 1942 at the Bendigo Road headquarters of 1st Kerang, which is now a church building.
At the time the group’s leaders were Ross Tennant and Bill Pearce, who oversaw the group whilst the main leaders were serving during World War Two.
It was during this early period of his time in the organisation Mr Jane learnt about the opportunities available through Scouting, with a patrol leaders’ course at Gilwell Park – located at Gembrook – inspiring his future role.
“I remember it took us 12 hours to travel to Melbourne by train, and we stayed at Camberwell for the night where we were billeted,” he said.
The training gained at Gilwell Park led to Mr Jane becoming the group’s troop leader, which meant overseeing weekly activities.
“I was more or less running the troop, and most of the kids there were close to my age,” he said.
Mr Jane, as well as five other boys from Kerang, attended the 1948 Australian Scout Jamboree at Wonga Park, Melbourne.
However, the local group was limited on the number of excursions they could attend off-site due to the cost, so efforts began to ensure the contingent in 1952 could gain the greatest experience from the 10-day camp.
“We had 22 boys go to Sydney in 1952, managing six patrols,” he said.
“We collected bottles and raised as much money as we could right through the year.”
Mr Jane helped with the group’s Cub Scout section for a short period of time until his wife, Pat took over the management of the program designed for boys aged eight to 11 years.
By this time Mr Jane was also juggling dairy farming commitments alongside his leadership role, but he had plenty of support from parents willing to assist with the assessment of badge work.
“Trying to pass badge work for 36 boys was way too much,” he said.
“It was a wonderful era, though. Many of the parents were friends in and out of Scouts.”
The increasing number of children in the area following World War Two, as well as the presence of major manufacturers in the town, led to three Scout groups forming in Kerang.
The 2nd Kerang Scout Group formed shortly after the opening of the Kerang Swimming Pool, with meetings held in the former pool’s change sheds, whilst the 3rd Kerang Scout Group – the town’s current Scout building – formed after parents helped relocate the Beauchamp Hall to the town.
“There were numerous efforts put in by the parents of the town to pay for these initiatives,” Mr Jane said.
Mr Jane was the district Scout leader in the 1960s, overseeing groups between Barham, Boort and Pyramid Hill, but returned to 1st Kerang as a leader.
During this period one of Mr Jane’s most memorable events as a leader occurred.
“The Scouts decided they wanted to go to Adelaide for the Corroboree in 1967,” Mr Jane said.
“We decided to do up a 1950 Bedford truck I had bought for 70 pounds and drove to Adelaide for the event.
“Even now people who went on the trip will see me when we meet up and say ‘wasn’t that trip to Adelaide a good one”.”
Camping trips to Hall’s Gap and Euroa every Easter also became traditional highlights of the Scouting calendar.
“We would take 60 Scouts to the Hall’s Gap camps,” Mr Jane said.
“We would have to take a school bus, and there would also be eight families of Scout leaders who would travel along with their caravans.”
By the 1970s regulations changed how camping occurred, with leaders needing permission from district commissioners to organise events.
Mr Jane’s Scouting career ended in 1977, with a major celebration occurring.
Present and past Scouts presented him with a book of photos and letters expressing the impact he left on their lives.
“When you leave you feel like you’ve left a little part of your heart behind,” Mr Jane said.
“I do not know if being a Scout changed me, but it’s just good to belong and do your part.”
Since those days, Mr Jane has continued to serve his community, including being the inaugural Gannawarra mayor and leading the historical society.
* THE Kerang Scout Group will celebrate its centenary with events between June 11 and 12.
A celebration dinner is planned for the Saturday, with a Scout’s Own church service and gathering at the Boundary Street hall to occur on the Sunday.
