Riley Willmoth is a prize-winning tramper.
Riley Willmoth sets up his tent at Quartzville on the Scouts Aotearoa Waikato Zone Velocity Venturer Programme Course. Photo: Chris Gardner
The 14-year-old Cambridge Scout Group member and Cambridge High School pupil walked away from this year’s Scouts Aotearoa Waikato Zone Velocity Venturer Programme Course with a prize for an exceptional presentation on kaitiakitanga or guardianship.
Riley was one of 15 Waikato and Bay of Plenty venturers to plan and execute an overnight tramp in the Kaimai Mamaku Forest Park. He was one of five participants from Cambridge Scout Group, in Maclean Street.
Venturers were assigned topics to research and share with their peers during the tramp.
Presentations were also delivered on the seven principles of leave no trace, activity planning, managing risk, gear and tools, packing a backpack, weather, programme tools, tents, emergency shelters and bivouacs, fire safety and cooking, teamwork skills, and river safety.
Venturers climbed from an elevation of about 40 metres at the battery at Wairongomai Valley Loop Road to a small clearing which was once the centre of the Quartzville mining settlement at an elevation of about 600 metres. The group overnighted in their own tents and bivouacs at Quartzville.
“I learned I can be more resourceful,” said Riley after the course.
“I learned that by helping others, they will help you back. It really showed me that being helpful to others is a really important thing to do. It made the team work.”
Quartzville was established in 1882 by gold miners who preferred to live on site next to their workings. A few level terraces along the track are all that remains of this camp. The last miner in the valley, Malcolm Hardy, lived at Quartzville until 1946.
The course helped participants set goals for achieving the highest award in scouting – the King’s Scout Award.
“Going on this Velocity course really helped me with progress on my bronze level, but I still have a few things to do,” Riley said.
It also counted as a practice adventurous journey for the bronze level Duke of Edinburgh International Award Hillary Award.
Venturers climb towards Quartzville via Butler’s Incline. Photo: Chris Gardner
