Your stories; Your Camp Blankets

You might remember the time that you sat around, unpicking your loose stitches so you could swap a badge with the kid from the other side of NSW at a Jamboree. Perhaps you look at a particular addition and remember exactly where you were the moment you first laid your hand on it. Or another might remind you of the experience, the ordeal of driving through 40 degree temperatures with no air conditioning to get to the camp where you met lifelong friends.

They are a map of where you’ve been, whose paths you crossed and what adventures you took on.

They are memories from certain times, special occasions, those which were significant to the owner at the time. But as special as these memories are, without something tangible, a ‘canvas’ to remind us of them, they would be filed into the archives of the mind as you grow up and your life changes.

That ‘canvas’ is the Camp Blanket.

Of course, you might just enjoy the bragging rights your blanket brings you – a chance to show off perhaps – in which case, we’d love to hear from you! Please send a picture and no more than 100 words to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Bruce’s Blanket

My Camp Blanket shows a "Map of the World" sewn into the blanket, and my journeys through over 40 countries.

It contains badges from the 23 "National/International"–Jamborees/Ventures/Rover Moots that I attended from the mid 1970's, and also includes some of my awards.

Laurie Joyce’s Blanket

This is my Camp Blanket, which was started in 1991.

I joined Scouts as a youth in 1965 at 1st Menangle Park, and was only in for a short time but had collected some badges.

The most significant is the 1966 Hume Area - Wandarrah, which is now known as a Jamborette.

In 1989 I joined as a Group Leader at 1st Quakers Hill. During my time there I participated in many camps, Jamborettes and two Jamborees (1992 & 1995), and resigned in 2000.

I have since returned in 2008, as Group Leader at 1st Braidwood.

All the badges on this blanket have some meaning, either by place, person or event.

I have all the Group name tapes for Prospect/Mt Druitt/Blacktown District from 1988 to 1991. Some have since closed.

At the '92 Jamboree I met the S.L. from 1st Northam in WA. I swapped Group badges with him, because Northam was where I was born.

Laurie Joyce
Group Leader
1st Braidwood Scout Group

Our Mum’s Unique Camp Blanket

This is our mum’s unique camp blanket – well known at 1st North Rocks for its unique colour: PINK!

The badges are all over 30 years old, with many so worn they have faded totally.

Badges include her first Patrol Badge, which is hand embroidered, as they all were when she joined the Girl Guides. Other badges include JOTA 76, Cents for Service 77, Queen’s Silver Jubilee, Lady Baden-Powell's death and many from overseas including from New Zealand where Mum attended a Jamboree.

Melanie and Thomas Hrast,
1st North Rocks Cubs
Hunts Creek Waterfall, North Rocks.

Kilgour’s Scout Blanket

Ron Kilgour, from 3rd Bexley, arrived home in 1957 from the Jubilee Jamboree in England to start his camp blanket. The Australian Map and Emblems are in Bexley Colours. As time went by, swaps of states, groups and countries were gathered and sorted before Ron sat down to sewing.

A few badges are very special - the 50 Year Scouting Badge: the Tudor Rose, is centre top row and the Centenary Blanket Badge is yet to be attached.