General News
10 June, 2026
A centenary of leading
CAIRNS Girl Guide District has celebrated 100 years of guiding, bringing together past and present members, leaders, and supporters for a centenary event at the Cairns Guides Hut in Manunda.
The celebration, held on Saturday 23 May at the district headquarters at 32A James Street, featured traditional guiding activities, a photo slideshow, afternoon tea, a sausage sizzle and a special centenary campfire.
Cairns Mayor Amy Eden attended the event as a special guest and joined members in recognising a century of guiding in the region.
When asked whether she had been a guide, Mayor Eden said she had been a junior ranger in the Northern Territory.
Organisers said it was a pleasure to welcome former guides and leaders back to celebrate the milestone and reconnect with friends from across the district’s history.
Guiding in the Cairns District began in 1926 with the formation of the 1st Cairns (St. John’s) Company.
The original enrolment ceremony involved 42 members, together with their Captain Miss Dora Bain and two lieutenants, including Miss Florence Vallance.
After attending a service at St John’s Church of England on the corner of Minnie and Lake streets, members marched to the Esplanade tennis courts, where 39 youth members were enrolled. The ceremony included local scouts and featured four patrols: Emu, Galah, Kookaburra and Kingfisher.
Later that day, the company joined the town ANZAC service at the monument at the junction of Abbott and Shields streets.
The Cairns District took over the lease of its current James Street property in September 1970 after it had previously been used by boy scouts. Since then, several extensions have been completed through fundraising, grants and volunteer support from leaders, parents and support groups.
One notable milestone came in 1978 when ranger guides held a special enrolment ceremony on the roof of the back building during the official opening of an extension.
The centenary celebration recognised the contribution of generations of Guides and volunteers while highlighting the continuing role of Guiding in the Cairns community as it enters its second century.
