'GUNYAH', FIRST CANTERBURY TROOP SCOUT HALL & CAMBERWELL NORTH GUIDE HALL

'Gunyah', the First Canterbury Troop Scout Hall, at 25 Shierlaw Avenue, and the Camberwell North Guide Hall, at 1A Faversham Road, Canterbury, are significant. The Scout Hall was purpose-built for the 'Lady Best's Own' Troop in 1924. The Guide Hall was purpose-built for the Camberwell North Guides in 1928.

The later extensions to these two halls are of contributory significance, in demonstrating the continuing use of these two halls. The 1940 pipe and chian-mesh fence in front of the Guide Hall is also contributory.

How is it significant?

The Scout Hall and the Guide Hall are of local historical, architectural and social significance to the City of Boroondara. The Guide Hall may be of significance to the State of Victoria.

Why is it significant?

The Scout Hall and Guide Hall are historically significant for their demonstration of the origins of these respective movements. The scouting movement played an important role in the lives of adolescent boys in the twentieth century and this hall demonstrates the formative period after World War I when it had become established and troops began to create permanent places to meet. The Guide Hall represents a triumph over the initial resistance to the formation of a female branch of the scouting movement. As late as 1909, Victorian Scout Masters would have to resign if they assisted in aiding the formation of a girls' scouting group. A year later, the first official Girl Guides groups was formed in Hawthorn. Even then, the Girl Guides were poor relations to the Scouts, and rarely had the funds to erect their own halls. The diminutive original size of the Guide Hall, in comparison to the adjacent Scout Hall, helps to demonstrate this. (Criterion A)

The Guide Hall represents the very modest sort of halls built for both Scouts and Guides during the interwar period. Its diminutive original size, just two bays long, is indicative of the poorer financial situation the Girl Guides were in compared to the Boy Scouts. (Criterion D)

The Scout Hall and Guide Hall are rare as the oldest purpose-built halls of their type in the City of Boroondara. The Guide Hall, moreover, was the second to be built in the State and is now the oldest in Victoria. The Girl Guides most commonly met in hired spaces, so Guide Halls are generally rare. (Criterion B)

The Scout Hall and Guide Hall are of social significance for their long and continuing association with the Canterbury-area Scouts and Guides who have met on this site for nearly 90 years. (Criterion G)

The Scout Hall and Guide Hall are also of significance for their association with the charitable activities of Aaron Danks, who chaired the first meeting planning the formation of a local scout troop. He and his sister, Mrs Alex Brown, donated the land to both organisations so they could build their halls. Danks was a member of the influential Danks Hardware Family, and a noted philanthropist of his time, donating the land to create Epworth Hospital. They are also of significance for the association with Lady Maude Evelyn Best, the patroness and namesake of the 'Lady Best's Own' Scout Troop, and the first Divisional Commissioner to the Girl Guides' Association for Melbourne and suburbs. (Criterion H)

Group

Community Facilities

Category

Hall Girl Guide/ Scout