Brownies celebrate 110 years of Guiding with Rotorua camp

Lake Okataina Outdoor Education Centre was transformed into a Winnie the Pooh themed campgroup for a group of excited young girls at the weekend.

About 78 Brownies made their way to the regional camp to meet others from different Brownie groups from Katikati, Tauranga, Te Puke, Rotorua, Whakatāne, Gisborne, Napier and Hastings.

The theme of the camp was Welcome to 110 Acre Woods to celebrate 110 years since Girl Guiding was introduced in New Zealand.

On the second day of camp the girls, aged 7 to 9, took part in a range of outdoor activities including kite-making, raft-making, cooking crispy cornflake treats, knot-tying and hut-making.

Regional hub co-ordinator Tricia Shields said the regional camp was held biannually and was an opportunity for groups from around the region to come together.

Francisca Marshall, 8, (left), Naomi Dihm, 8, Nicole Wallace, 9, Brooklyn Adamson, 8, Helena Wee, 8, and Caylie Cozens, 9, at the Brownie camp at the Lake Okataina Outdoor Education Centre over the weekend. Photo / Ben Fraser

Shields said Brownie activities 100 years ago would be different to the programme today, but the traditions of the organisation were still in place.

"In 1908 there would have been a lot more home-based skills, then there was the war too so girls would have been involved in the service," Shields said.

She said the programme had evolved over the decades as the girls changed and, despite there being no devices at the camp, there was a programme that taught the young girls how to be safe online.

Shields had been involved with Girl Guiding New Zealand since 1999 and had seen her two now adult daughters go right through the programme.

When asked why she was still involved with Girl Guiding New Zealand, Shields said it was because she wanted young girls to have all opportunities available to them.

Rotorua's Helena Wee was enjoying the camp with her group of friends, some she had only made the day before.

The 8-year-old said her favourite part about the camp was getting to spend time with her friends and being involved in the outdoor activities, especially cooking apples.