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Frequently Asked Questions
Activity FAQs (4)
Adventurous Activities, Abseiling, Bushwalking, Caving, Dinners, Sailing, Exploring, 4 Wheel Driving, Skiing, relaxing weekend breaks and much more...
As an adult member of the Scout Movement you will be covered by Scouts Australia NSW Branch insurance policy.
No. Only the ones you will have fun at.
For our own Rock Activities, kit hire is $5 per trip, and rope use is $5 per person. Passengers contribute to "petrol money". Costs of special trips will always be advertised.
Common Questions (10)
Any adult that lives under the Southern Cross.
Adventurous Activities, Abseiling, Bushwalking, Caving, Dinners, Sailing, Exploring, 4 Wheel Driving, Skiing, relaxing weekend breaks and much more...
The Fellowship is supported and backed by Scouts Australia, NSW Branch.
As an adult member of the Scout Movement you will be covered by Scouts Australia NSW Branch insurance policy.
No. We are like minded people who share similar views and values and enjoy outdoor activities. We do contribute to Scouting by helping with four (4) Youth Activities per year.
No. It is not a requirement of our Fellowship to wear the Scout Uniform.
No. Only the ones you will have fun at.
See our Subscription page for details..
For more details on joining the Southern Cross Adventurous Activities Scout Fellowship, please click here.
Location
The Southern Cross Adventurous Activities Scout Fellowship meets at 7pm on the first Wednesday of every month at Gymea Tradies Club, in the Willow bistro, for dinner, trip tales and ideas.
Visitors are welcome to attend these meetings.
RockSchool (5)
RockSchool began back around 1998 with the ideal of providing an environment for people to practice and develop their vertical rock skills under the guidance and supervision of other experienced leaders.
A cooperative of leaders provide appropriate rockcraft training, practice and assessment for members of Guiding and Scouting. It is a joint program between Southern Cross Adventurous Activities Scout Fellowship SCAASF (NSW Branch) and Girl Guides (Sutherland Zone) Noorumba Camp Staff.
We run two parallel programs at RockSchool.
- One is for Cubs, Scouts, Junior Guides and their Leaders. This is the OUTDOOR ADVENTURE ACTIVITY PROGRAM. Click the link for more information.
- The other is for Venturers, Rovers, Senior Guides, Leaders and other adults in Scouting. This is the ADVANCED STAGE TRAINING PROGRAM. Click the link for more information.
The usual location is Noorumba Guide Camp. The site used is Crown Reserve near Woronora (Sutherland Shire, Sydney) and administered by Girl Guides Assoc NSW.
Map link: Google maps
Travel: participants arrange their own travel to the site.
To access Noorumba, several tracks reach the valley from rail stations at Sutherland and Loftus.
Cars can be parked at Prince Edward Park, in Thorp Road, Woronora, or Kingswood Rd Engadine.
*** IMPORTANT NOTE: No RockSchool visitors cars are allowed on site. They will need to be left at one of the previously mentioned locations, and you and your group must walk along the fire trail to the RockSchool site. ***
It is run on the first Saturday of the month (we don't meet in January, or when the first Saturday of the month falls on a public holiday long weekend).
- The OUTDOOR ADVENTURE ACTIVITY PROGRAM is booked out several months in advance. All Activity visitors mustbook via the website so that the volunteer roster can be sorted, and all appropriate equipment can be sourced.
- The ADVANCED STAGE TRAINING PROGRAM is also run on the first Saturday of the month, but different arrangements may be made.
The goals for Adventurous Activities in Scouting differ from those of commercial trip operators and rescue board employees and volunteers in the following ways:
- In Scouting, the Scout Method provides progressive learning by practice, experience, self-evaluation, skill mastery dictates progression and expectations of skill development relating to age, section and maturity.
- In the outdoor recreation industry commercial trip operators emphasise the experience, safety to the lowest common denominator, and is less focussed on development of skill of the participants.
- In rescue operations the locus of control has shifted entirely to the operator who controls all aspects of rigging, ascent and descent while the participant is passive.
*** IMPORTANT NOTE ***
Due to the popularity of RockSchool, we are usually booked out many months in advance.
To secure your booking for the OUTDOOR ADVENTURE ACTIVITY PROGRAM, you need to complete the online enquiry and booking form, or contact us on rockschool@adventure.org.au.
Within 2 weeks of us confirming your booking, we require a 50% (non-refundable) deposit to be paid. The balance MUST be received into the RockSchool bank account 6 weeks before your booking date. This is to ensure we have an adequate number of volunteers and equipment available for your day. If your group needs to cancel your booking, there are others on a waiting list who would appreciate an earlier date, so please contact us as soon as possible.
- It is your responsibility to print and complete these permission forms (click here for Scouts & Guides forms) and forward them to your Group Leader and your Region's office.
- A copy of all signed forms and a nominal roll (including all persons attending the site) must be handed to the RockSchool staff at the start of the Activity.
- NOTE: As per our Risk Management Plan under Adventurous Activities policy, for Cubs, Scouts and Junior Guides, we require a ratio of 1 adult per 4 youth members, with a minimum of 3 adults to be supplied by your group, to assist with supervision and belaying.
- NOTE: Non-abseilers are required to supply a completed personal permission note also.
- Only participants with a signed consent form can be allowed to abseil.
- All attendees are expected to behave in a safe manner, and be considerate of others, equipment and the environment.
*** IMPORTANT NOTE: All participants in your group must arrive at the RockSchool site together, and leave the RockSchool site together. This activity is NOT suitable for those who need to arrive later or leave earlier. ***
- 0900 be ready for the sign in and introduction at the campfire circle. This is essential to ensure that we can complete the safety briefing as one group so that we can get all participants out onto the rockface as soon as possible.
- Your group will be at the fire trail gate around 1530.
*** IMPORTANT NOTE: No RockSchool visitors cars are allowed on site. They will need to be left at one of the previously mentioned locations, and you and your group must walk along the fire trail to the RockSchool site. ***
- 'paperwork'
- packed morning tea & lunch, and water bottle
- Bring/wear suitable clothing for the weather, including wet weather gear, enclosed shoes and long pants
- Insect repellent and sunscreen
- Long hair must be tied back
- On arrival, your group will be signed in.
- Site orientation and induction.
- Introduction to abseiling - on flat ground.
- Introduction to rockface safety and abseil activity (click here to see a map of the drops available at RockSchool).
- Morning tea as required.
- Lunch break approx. 1200 - 1245.
- Afternoon activity.
- 1430 assist with pack-up. The last abseil and pack-up starts at 1430. The group cannot leave the site until all gear has been returned and logged.
- Approx. 1530 return to fire trail gate.
- Own transport
- Trains: to Sutherland or Loftus station. Bush trails lead from both stations into the valley. Make sure you know the trails and can navigate.
- Parking: Kingswood Rd, Engadine (2km walk) or Thorp Rd, Woronora (1.4kms from fire trail gate). If there is no room in Thorp Rd, you may need to move your cars down near the river.
- There are no signs.
- Maps
- If you want to attend as an ADVANCED STAGE TRAINING trainee, we appreciate knowing more than a week in advance, via the online enquiry and booking form only so that we can ensure that we have enough equipment and the roster for RockSchool staff can be finalised.
- It is your responsibility to print and complete these E1 forms (click here for Scouts & Guides forms) and forward them to your Unit Leader and your Region's office.
- A copy of your signed forms must be handed to the RockSchool staff at the start of the Activity.
- NOTE: Non-abseilers are required to supply a completed personal permission note also.
- Only participants with a signed consent form can be allowed to abseil.
- 0800 be ready for the sign in and skill development discussion.
- On your first visit to RockSchool, you will be required to attend the Induction and Orientation at the campfire circle at 0900.
*** IMPORTANT NOTE: No RockSchool visitors cars are allowed on site. They will need to be left at Thorp Rd, Woronora Park or Kingswood Rd , Engadine. There are limited RockSchool staff parking passes. ***
- 'paperwork'
- packed morning tea & lunch, and water bottle
- Bring/wear suitable clothing for the weather, including wet weather gear, enclosed shoes and long pants
- Insect repellent and sunscreen
- Long hair must be tied back
- Everyone must provide their own
- personal first aid kit
- gloves
- whistle and
- prussik loops
- You also need to bring a minimum FULL KIT of gear that complies with the appropriate standards or you will be required to hire a kit at $5 per visit
- harness
- helmet
- at least 3 karabiners
- descending device
- On arrival at 0800, you sign in and present your permission note (click here for Scouts & Guides forms), and other paperwork as required, and if you have not prepaid, the RockSchool fee, and equipment hire if required.
- All attendees are expected to behave in a safe manner, and be considerate of others, equipment and the environment.
- Discussion about skill development
- discuss with supervisors your preferred goals for the day, and inform them at the start of the session if you require assessment of competencies on particular skills.
- if you are interested in working towards skill recognition, you can print any skill checklists for yourself and get them signed off as you are ready to be assessed. You can find some checklists on our Resources pages.
- discuss with supervisors your preferred goals for the day, and inform them at the start of the session if you require assessment of competencies on particular skills.
- The trainee is allocated to a group and instructor, and an appropriate set-up for their level of experience. Relevant education and instruction (including safety issues and use of gear) are given.
- Trainees are encouraged to observe, question and practise with a variety of instructors / Level 3 activity guides.
- 0900 (at least once) Site Orientation and Induction.
- Rockface or skill/exercise (click here to see a map of the drops available at RockSchool).
- Morning tea as required.
- Lunch break approx. 1200 - 1245.
- Afternoon activity.
- 1430 - 1500 assist with pack-up. Trainees are expected to assist with setting up as well as dismantling, checking and logging equipment usage.
- Participants can leave the site once all gear has been returned and logged.
- All trainees sign off as they depart.
- 1530 - 1700 RockSchool staff meeting off-site.
- Own transport
- Trains: to Sutherland or Loftus station. Bush trails lead from both stations into the valley. Make sure you know the trails and can navigate.
- Parking: Kingswood Rd, Engadine (2km walk) or Thorp Rd, Woronora (1.4kms from fire trail gate). If there is no room in Thorp Rd, you may need to move your cars down near the river.
- There are no signs.
- Maps
