Maps

 Gympie, Imbil, Tin Can Bay

Badge Description

Scout logo

Figure : Gold miner, probably John Nash, panning for gold.

The badge was first designed and issued in 1963, and the image of the Gold miner was adapted from the Gympie coat of arms, to coincide with the Gold Rush theme prior to the City’s first Gold Rush festival [7]

Previous Badge Variations

The following are variations of the badge:

Type: Woven bound, Black border	Type: Ribbon (issued 1963)	Type: Ribbon	Type: Woven bound, (issued 1982) Various shade of gold Thickness of image lines varies
46 x 48 mm	52 x 52 mm	54 x 48 mm	50 x 58 mm; 52 x 58 mm
Ext	Ext  [1]	Ext	Ext

History

Gympie district is named after the town of Gympie within the Wide Bay-Burnett Region.  Gympie is derived from the Kabi Kabi Aboriginal word “gimpi-gimpi” which means stinging tree [1].  The tree has large, round leaves that have similar properties to stinging nettles. The town was previously named Nashville, after James Nash, who discovered gold in the area in 1867.  The name was later changed to Gympie in 1868.   At the time of Nash’s discovery, Queensland was suffering from a severe economic depression. The gold probably saved Queensland from bankruptcy.  By 1927, the gold had run out and diary farming and agriculture are the primary local industries [2].

The term “Gympie District Scout Association” was first mentioned in 1935.  Prior to this, it was known by a number of names such as “The Gympie Boy Scouts (Divisional) Association” and the “Gympie Scout’s Council” whose roots can be traced back to 1910.  On 8^th August 1912, John Squire Aspinall (1^st Gympie Scout Troop) was appointed the first District Commissioner [3].  Prior to this in 1911, the 1^st Gympie Troop was awarded the “King’s Flag” or “Challenge Banner”, and were entitled to be called “King’s Own”.  This was for having at least 24 scouts by 30^th September who had achieved the King’s Scout Award [4].

Prior to the Suncoast Region being formed, the district was part of the South East Queensland Zone, which was administered by Branch Headquarters in Brisbane, and districts were supported by Field Commissioners [5].  In 1972, the districts within this Zone included: Maryborough, Maheno, Gympie, Cooroora, Beaver Masters, Nambour, D’Agular Range, Murrumba, Bunya, Barambah, Condamine, Dolphin, South Coast, Stradbroke Island and Beaudesert districts.  Gympie district was re-located to being part of Central and Coastal Region in 1982 [6].  In 1991, Gympie district was organised as part of the Sun Coast Region, when the region was formed.

Local Scout Event

Annual district camp for each section.  Kiwi Woggle.

Local Places of Interest

Gympie Gold Mining museum, Gympie Scout museum, Gympie Woodworks museum, Gympie Bone Museum, Mary Valley Rattler-Steam train, Tin Can Bay-Dolphin feeding, Rainbow beach-surfing, Upper Noosa River-kayaking, Gympie town centre-Historical buildings, Amamoor State Forest-Gympie Music Muster, Mary River catchment-conservation, Exotic fruit farms in the area

Groups

Gympie District Groups (1920s-1950s):  1^st Gympie Scout Group, 2^nd Gympie Scout Group, 3^rd Gympie Scout Group (later Queen’s Park Scout Group), Eumundi Scout Troop, Gympie Salvation Army Patrol, 4^th Gympie Scout Group (formerly: St Patrick’s Roman Catholic Boy Scout Group & St Patrick’s (Gympie) Scout Group), 1^st Nashville Scout Group (formerly One Mile Scout Group) [8]

Gympie District Groups (1962): Nashville Scout Group, Queen’s Park Scout Group, St. Patrick’s Scout Group. [9]

Gympie District Groups (1971): Centenary Scout Group, Nashville Scout Group, Queen’s Park Scout Group, St. Patrick’s Theebine Scout Group. [10]

Gympie District Groups (1983): Centenary Scout Group, Cooloola Coast Scout Group, Cooroy Scout Group, Imbil Mary Valley Scout Group, Nashville Scout Group, Pomona Scout Group, Queens Park Scout Group, Theebine Scout Group [11]

Gympie District Groups (2018): Centenary-Gympie Scout Group, Imbil Mary Valley Scout Group, Nashville Scout Group [12]

Gympie District Groups (2024): Centenary-Gympie Scout Group, Imbil Mary Valley Scout Group, Nashville Scout Group