Jenny Ware (Hughes, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak about Camp Coutts, a beautiful, 200-hectare piece of bushland situated within the Heathcote National Park at Waterfall, in the Hughes electorate. This area showcases the rugged beauty of the Australian bush at its best: untamed park characterised by magnificent native vegetation and wildlife, rocky outcrops and freshwater pools.

The camp is operated by the New South Wales branch of the Scout Association of Australia and managed wholly by scouting volunteer wardens led by John and Helen Dwyer, as well as Peter, Bob and David. Camp Coutts has been serving our local community for over 100 years, providing a bush experience, whether walking or camping, for both the public and various scouting groups. The camp contains over 40 campsites as well as outdoor accommodation for 150 people.

Over the June long weekend it was a great pleasure for me to visit the Scouts team at Camp Coutts as it hosted the annual South Metropolitan Region Scout Camp for over 1,000 participants from across New South Wales. On that occasion I presented the Australian, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags and met with many scouts and leaders engaged in bushwalks, abseiling, learning about bush tucker, water activities as well as enjoying the campfire. Congratulations and well done to all of those involved in Camp Coutts.