Scouting in South Australia began in 1908.
In the early years of Scouting in South Australia, local Boy Scout patrols and troops formed independently and there were several separate central organisations including Boys' Brigade Scouts, Church Lads Brigade Scouts, Chums Scouts, British Boy Scouts, The Boy Scouts Association, Life-Saving Scouts of the Salvation Army and Methodist Boy Scouts.[1] [2]
Scouting in South Australia is now predominantly represented by Scouts Australia's South Australian Branch and the Girl Guides South Australia, a member organisation of Girl Guides Australia. There is representation by ethnic scout associations, some of which form the Ethnic Scouts and Guides of South Australia (ESGOSA) and, since 1984, representation by the Baden-Powell Scouts' Association.
| South Australia | |
| Owner: | Scouts Australia |
| Headquarters: | Scout Hall |
| Location: | 83 Greenhill Road Wayville South Australia 5034 |
| Country: | Australia |
| F-Date: | 1914 |
| Founder: | The Boy Scouts Association of the United Kingdom |
| Chiefscouttitle: | Chief Scout |
| Chiefscout: | Her Excellency The Honorable Frances Adamson AC |
| Chiefscouttitle2: | Chief Commissioner |
| Chiefscout2: | John Clarke OAM |
| Chiefscouttitle3: | Chief Executive Officer |
| Chiefscout3: | James Sellers |
| Website: | http://sa.scouts.com.au |
Scouts Australia's South Australian Branch has 11 districts - Adelaide Foothills, Beadell, Heysen, Hills to Coast, Karkana, Limestone Coast, Mawson, Ridley, Three Rivers and Torrens. There are also Lone Scouts for youth too far away from a regular meeting place.
As of August 2020, there are 14 Rover Units (previously called Crews) in South Australia which run programs at the Unit and Branch level.[6]
Girl Guides SA operates three accommodation sites in South Australia, GTS Dolphin beachfront accommodation in Port Adelaide, Douglas Scrub campsite near McLaren Flat, and Tuckerway Hostel.[7]
There are a number of Gang Shows put on in South Australia. A Gang Show is a Scout variety show.