Scouthike
Scouthike is an annual, state-wide hiking event for around 800 Scouts. It is held within a State Forest early in May each year.
On arrival, Patrol Leaders are provided with a map, a list of grid references for Activity and Sleep Point locations, and a Patrol Passport which includes their instructions. Patrols plot the Activity points and decide which route they want to take throughout the weekend. After breakfast on Saturday morning, Competition Patrols set off hiking between Activities to their designated Saturday Sleep Point. Sunday morning they head off again to finish at a central Finish Point, from where they are collected by the coaches or private transport and travel back to their original departure location. Learner Patrols are also provided for, although they are accompanied by an adult on their hike, walk with a half full pack and return to the same Sleep point on Saturday night (their tent and sleeping gear stays set-up).
Each Activity is a Patrol-based exercise provided by Leaders, Rovers and Venturers. Those which are not purely fun are based on Scout Skills, usually linked to a requirement from the Explorer Level Award Scheme. Patrols are assessed at each Activity as a team in four aspects: "Leadership", "Planning", "Attitude and Enthusiasm" and "Overall Achievement". The total of their weekend scores determine if they are Gold, Silver, Bronze or Competition standard. Competitive Patrols earning Gold Standard, are "Co-holders" of the Annual Scouthike Trophy, learner patrols all receive a Competition pennant.