The Selwyn Safari

The Selwyn Safari started in 1982 as a result of three Leaders from West Melton Scout Group (then in Selwyn District), wanting to run a well organised weekend tramp for Canterbury Senior/Explorer scouts (ie 13-15 years old). A similar event called the Canterbury Safari was run by the Canterbury Area Scout Leaders in the late 1970s. The Canterbury Safari eventually ceased and the Selwyn Safari superceded it. Two of the original organisers - Graeme Oakley and Colin Watson - are still involved in running the Selwyn Safari.

The Selwyn Safari is held over the first weekend in December each year and is a weekend tramp covering about 25km. The Scouts organise their own food and equipment and walk in their own patrols through pre-determined check points. Each check point is manned by a couple of Scout Leaders. Average attendance is about 80 Scouts and about 30 Leaders. For many Scout Troops, the Safari is a ritual end of year tramp for the Patrol Leaders.

There are three different Safari routes which operate on a three year cycle in the foothills and mountains of the Selwyn District: 1) Thirteen Mile Bush/Selwyn River Gorge area. 2) Porter Heights Skifield/Lake Lyndon/Kowai River area. And 3) Craigieburn Forest Park/Broken River/Cave Stream area. We are lucky to have the cooperation of the local runholders and DOC who allow us saccess onto their properties.

The initial badge in 1982 was a dated ribbon badge woven in white on light blue. For 1983 and 1984 the same badge was used, which was undated and has the same ribbon colour and design as the original, but is woven in gold instead of white. It was thought that this same badge could be used every year, but a few complaints in 1984 from trampers who had already received the same badge the year before meant a new badge was warranted. After all, to receive a cheap bit of ribbon for a weekend of slogging your guts out just wasn?t on !! The current design came about from a sketch by Molly Atkins, the mother of the then Canterbury Area Scout Leader. The tramping boot and mountain range are symbolic of the Safari. Each year a different colour for the badge is chosen. Mostly, the border colour matches the background colour. In 2005, the Pathfinder Award was instigated for those who support the Selwyn Safari. A scout attains this badge by attending his/her second Safari, while a Leader has to attend thrice. The maroon colour of the Pathfinder Award is the colour of the former Selwyn Scout District.

If you have any queries about the Selwyn Safari, please get in touch.

• 2010 Entry Form will be available a bit later in the year

• Tramping Program on a Plate

• Some Photos from 2006 Selwyn Safari
• Some Photos from 2005 Selwyn Safari