At Play

This celluloid and tin button badge is one of a small number of surviving button badges associated with the Port Macquarie Regatta. Button badges were very popular in the early to mid 1900s and were used during World War I to generate income and improve morale through their nationalist designs and sentiments. The practice of selling badges continued after the war for all kinds of fund raising activities in support of charities, sporting events, clubs and societies.

Regattas were held in Port Macquarie from as early as 1882 with the local regatta possibly taking its origins from the Sydney Australia Day Regatta first held in 1837. This badge was used to raise funds for and promote the 1936 Port Macquarie Regatta and features a photograph of the Australian champion sailing boat Tangalooma. This badge was purchased by a Telegraph Point woman who it seems often purchased fund raising button badges for worthy causes.

Fund raising and donations played an important role in providing the necessary prize money to attract entrants in the regattas. The Port Macquarie Regatta Club was assisted for many years by the Sydney Flying Squadron who provided boats, competitors and officials for the Hasting River regatta. Regattas were also common on the Macleay and Manning Rivers and included important rowing competitions.

The Scout uniform is a widely recognised feature of Scouting and the same uniforms have been worn worldwide since the Scouting Movement began in the early 1900s. This maroon neck scarf with its yellow stripes has been part of the uniform worn by members of the 1st Port Macquarie Sea Scouts since the formation of the group in 1933.  The deep red colour was chosen to represent the Port Macquarie earth and the golden stripes represent the sand on the beaches. The colour arrangement is unique to the 1st Port Macquarie Sea Scouts and cannot be used elsewhere in NSW.

However the green khaki shirt was only worn by the Hastings Sea Scouts up until 1992 when the colour was changed to navy blue.  The type and placement of the badges attached to the shirt indicate that it belonged to a member of the Cubs whose ages range from 8 years to 11 years.  The shirt carries a distinctive black badge on the right pocket of a swordfish with the word ‘Hastings’ underneath.  This badge was used by all Mid North Coast Scouts from 1933 till it was phased out in 1994.

Each shirt is unique to its owner and is distinguishable by the number and types of badges attached to it.  The badges on this shirt indicate that the owner had received Achievement awards in swimming, acting, fishing, cooking, craft work and beach activities and had achieved the required level of understanding of the scouting code and law by  being awarded the Bronze and Silver Boomerang awards.  The owner had also made a substantial contribution to raising funds for the group through involvement in the Scouts Jobs Weeks over a four year period and was also a member of a group of six scouts distinguishable by the round blue badge.

Although designed for smartness and equality, the Scout uniform was also practical.  The shirts were traditionally made from strong cotton and had thick seams making them ideal for use as makeshift stretchers, while the triangular scarves were added so they could be easily used as a sling or bandage for a Scout in need.

This restored wooden single scull ‘Seven Oaks 2’ was used by dairy farmer Tom Saul from Bellimbopinni near Kempsey to win numerous local sculling competitions and in 1924 the Australian Heavyweight sculling title and NSW Lightweight sculling championship held on the Lane Cove River in Sydney.

This scull was built by former Australian and world champion sculler George Towns. His sculls were highly regarded and sought after by professional scullers. Only a small number of them survive today. It illustrates the size and manufacture of a championship racing scull and evidences Town’s craft and scull building skills.

The Saul family had a long association with professional sculling, with Tom’s father John and his brother Jack winning many local sculling races. Tom’s attempt to win a world championship was unsuccessful however his son Jim won the Australian and world professional sculling championship in 1952 watched on proudly by his father and grandfather

Tom Saul’s collection of trophies, sashes, rowing vest and an illuminated address are also in the Kempsey Museum collection and displayed together with this scull. They are a reminder of a time when hundreds of people lined local river banks to cheer on their favourite rowers and when our rivers were the centre of local social and sporting life.