Words: Susie Williams

Thanks to Coast Lines magazine

Victor Harbor Girl Guides passed a remarkable milestone last year—100 years—and at 101 the spirit of adventure, service and friendship remains as vibrant as ever. Founded in 1912, Girl Guides South Australia has grown into the state’s largest youth organisation for girls and young women, with around 2,000 youth members supported by some 500 volunteer leaders and adult members. The Australian Guide Program underpins that experience, building confidence and leadership through four elements—Self, People, Practical and Physical—keeping activities girl-led, values-based and often outdoors.

At the heart of the Victor Harbor story is longtime leader Golda Munro, who began as a Brownie at age seven and has now dedicated almost 50 years as a Guide leader. “I saw the girls having fun and just kept going,” she smiles. Guides, she explains, was shaped by the Baden-Powell tradition and the patrol system—small peer groups where girls learn by doing and make decisions together. What once felt more regimented has evolved into a girl-led program, with Guides choosing activities and shaping their own adventures. “We put all the ideas up, work it through in patrols and build the program from what the girls want to do,” she says.

Guides has been a lifelong constant for Golda—and a source of deep connection. “I don’t have children of my own, so it’s great having the connection with young kids and seeing them develop. These are like my children—I get to watch them grow.” Many of her former Guides have become leaders themselves, a living thread of mentorship that keeps the movement strong.

The unit’s centenary celebration in May 2024 was a proud community moment: an open day at the 1928 hall with displays, games and a roll-call of supporters, including local federal MP Rebekha Sharkie, Victor Harbor Mayor Moira Jenkins and the Girl Guides SA State Commissioner Dawn Borchardt. “It was wonderful—and we were lucky with the weather,” Golda laughs. The anniversary year also included a state camp at McLaren Flat, bringing Guides of all ages together; Golda recalls about 150 campers, with her sub-unit alone counting three dozen under-tens.

These days the Victor Harbor Guides meet on Thursday evenings during school terms, with a combined unit spanning ages 7 to 15—a practical way to keep the program running while leader numbers rebuild. The calendar is hands-on and outdoorsy: camping, scavenger hunts, bird-watching, outdoor and indoor cooking, craft and annual traditions such as the International Day of Guiding (22 February) and Clean Up Australia activities. Guest nights bring real-world voices into the hall—from Country Fire Service volunteers to community veterans around ANZAC commemorations—“because it’s so much more powerful to hear it from someone than from a history book,” Golda says.

Service remains a cornerstone for the Girls Guides. Each Christmas the unit runs a giving drive, with girls baking biscuits and collecting food and gifts for people doing it tough. “It’s something we do annually,” says Golda. “It’s practical, local and led by the girls.”

Like many volunteer organisations, the Guides are rebuilding after some girls moved on last year and the unit has only two leaders at present. The beloved 1928 hall also needs ongoing care. Golda’s ask is simple: more helping hands—as leaders, on a parent or community support group, or with grants and maintenance. “They don’t need to be parents—if people are prepared to support Girl Guides, just come and join in. Help us plan how to support the girls.”

Beyond campfires and badges, Guiding builds confidence, leadership and teamwork. The patrol system means girls learn to rely on each other, make decisions and ‘give and take a bit’—the kind of everyday resilience that lasts well beyond Thursday nights. “It’s about having fun—and feeling supported,” Golda says. “If girls want to have fun, learn things and develop in a supportive environment where they can explore the outdoors and try new things as young women—they should come along.”

The Victor Harbor Girl Guides are proud to be 101 and counting—a testament to the leaders and families who’ve kept the flame burning, and to champions like Golda Munro who’ve given half a century to helping local girls grow. To enquire about joining, volunteering or supporting, contact Girl Guides SA and ask for the Victor Harbor unit. “It’s amazing that it’s been going for 101 years… a tribute to the leaders who’ve gone before me,” Golda says.

https://www.girlguidessa.org.au/contact-girl-guides-sa/

Girl Guides SA (08) 8418 0900