We don’t know how but the nippers were awake from 6am! We thought they’d be tired after getting up so early on Saturday morning and having such a busy day but no such luck!! Whilst Dame Edna and our helpers prepared breakfast, the rest of the nippers started rolling sleeping bags and packing. Breakfast was a choice of Cheerios or Coco Pops, lots of orange or apple squash and pile of toast with jam or chocolate spread. Oh, and left over ice-cream!! We finished packing and filled the last part of our Brownie holiday with lots of crafts.
First, as they were now dry, we cut out our boomerang bookmarks. Crafts available included a paper plate Echidna (an echidna is a medium-sized, solitary mammal covered with coarse hair and spines), a paper-chain snake, a 3-D effect gecko and a crocodile puppet. They also had their Australian passport/activity books and archaeology interest booklets to finish. While the nippers were busy with the crafts, the Aussies took the chance to pack up their stuff, clear and clean the kitchen, bathrooms and noticeboard. All to soon though, it was time to finish so once all the nippers had put away their crafts, it was on to our awards.
Everyone received 3 badges! A Seagull House souvenir badge, I’m a survivor – guide me out of challenge badge and the archaeology interest badge.
Winning group. Snake Rock won the best group competition, mainly due to some excellent teamwork throughout the day which resulted in them completing the various challenges in the quickest time. Well done to Darcie-Bay, Emma, Emily H, Emily S and Hannah who received a lovely certificate and a wild animal themed pencil. We had 4 separate awards; all received a lovely certificate, a choice of giant plastic bug (our props!), an Australian animal finger puppet and wild animal themed pencil.
Best first timer. Darcy was nominated as the best first timer – tried absolutely everything without batting an eyelid, didn’t get homesick and completed all her chores quickly and very well. Very well done to Darcy, one of our youngest nippers who also received a ‘My first sleepover’ badge.
Most enthusiastic Brownie. Darcie-Bay was nominated as the most enthusiastic Brownie of the weekend –she never stopped smiling, tired her best at everything (especially the Bush Tucker trails!), made some excellent crafts and did really well for her first Brownie holiday.
Most helpful Brownie. Anya was nominated as the most helpful Brownie –always offering to help clear up without asking or did so promptly when asked. Again, always smiling, never complaining and trying everything. Plus she was superb circus ring master on Saturday night and always offering to fan poor Sheila when she was too hot!!
Best Brownie of the weekend. Hannah won this hands down –she thoroughly impressed the Aussies throughout the weekend. As per the other Brownies who won awards, never stopped smiling, had a go at everything, did her chores without complaint, was helpful, kind and quite simply kept her Brownie Promise and the Brownie Guide Law. Well done, well done, well done to Hannah (again, another first timer).
Lastly, Sheila gave her fellow Aussies their thank you gifts – a lovely hanging heart ornament saying “thank you” plus a thank you badge.
It was all hands on deck to clean Seagull House! We had nippers hoovering, picking up rubbish, sweeping and mopping. We finished packing and moved our bags outside ready. Finally, it was time for Matilda and Croc Dundee to walk the nippers the 200m to the car boot field where they were picked up by their parents. One last check of the house by Sheila and Dame Edna and we were done and dusted by 12.45pm.