Scouting and Guiding in Nauru

Nauru is one of 35 countries where Scouting exists (be it embryonic or widespread) but where there is no national Scout organisation which is yet a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement. Scouting in Nauru is closely tied to Scouts Australia, and especially to Scouts in Geelong, Victoria, a port with which Nauru does much trading. Relationships between the Geelong Scouts and the Nauruan Scouts date back to the 1930s,^[1] and continue into modern times.^[2]

Although Nauru does have a Guiding organisation, work towards World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts membership recognition remains unclear.

The Nauru Scouting organisation was approved by the Melbourne Scout Headquarters.^[3] As of December 1937, more one eighth of the island's population were Scouts.^[3] Scouting began in Nauru due to concerns over a decline in physical activity due to the ease of life brought about by the discovery of phosphate.^[3]

In 1982, Nauru printed a miniature sheet of stamps commemorating the Year of the Scout.^[4]

One of the first records of interaction between the Nauruan Scouts and the Geelong Scouts is of the 1934 Jamboree, where members from both groups camped next to each other.^[1]

Harold Hurst, former leader of the Geelong Scouts of Frankston, was a driving force in establishing ties between the two groups, having provided transportation, accommodation and education for visiting Nauruan Scouts.^[1]

In the 1930s, the Geelong Scouts collected books to send to Nauru. As of 1936, the Nauru Scout organisation had a library of approximately 1000 volumes.^[5]

As recently as May 2013, Scouts from Nauru have visited Scouts from Geelong.^[2]

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