Our History

Scouting at Northridge Para Vista

The Group can trace it's history back to August 1969, when, due to an increasing population in the newly developed housing estates in and around Clovercrest and Para Vista, the Scout Association advised that a new group would be registered in the Clovercrest area.

1st Clovercrest Scout Group was registered on 4th August 1969, with a Wolf Cub Pack and a Scout Troop, with leaders moving from 1st Modbury to start up to Group.

The early leaders were Ron Grace, Colin Thiele, John and Chris Hutchings, Doreen Richards, Joan Johnson and J. Winston.

At this time the 1st Clovercrest Scout Group had 107 youth members and the Group was growing fast. They met four nights a week in an old storage shed at Para Vista Primary School for over a year. Liaision with the Salisbury Council to find a more permanent home saw the Group being given permission to utilise the ruins and basement of the old 'Altamira' farmhouse as a 'home base' for the Group.

This permission came with conditions:

1. The Group would not be able to move in until the site was deemed safe by council; and
2. The Group would change its name from Clovercrest to Northridge - a name that signifies North of Adelaide and on the ridge of the Adelaide hills. (Clovercrest was a new suburb now in the adjoining council area)

As a result 1st Northridge Scout Group was registered on 16 March 1971.  Over the next year the Leaders and boys (Boy Scouts in those days) spent most weekends clearing the ruins and preparing the cellar for eventual occupation by the Group. Finally in May 1972, the underground hall was ready to be used as a home for the Northridge Scout Group. 140 Youth Members moved into what became fondly known as the 'dungeon'.

In 1977, a proposal to build a hall on top of the existing 'dungeon' was submitted to council, and after much correspondence between the Group and Salisbury Council, the current hall was constructed, and officially opened on 15th March 1980.

In 2004, Northridge Scout Group was registered as Northridge Para Vista Scout Group. This was intended to alleviate the question of where is Northridge located.

Group Leadership

Over the course of our history we have had a strong Leader team steering the Group in the right direction.

• 1970 to 1972 - Ron Grace
• 1973 to 1974 - Helen Salter
• 1975 to 1977 - Diane Stevens
• 1977 to 1978 - Rose Warner
• 1978 to 1980 - Ray Warner
• 1977 to 1977- Peter Gilbert (September whilst Ray became DC)
• 1981 to 1983 - Alan Ernst
• 1983 to 1984 - Lester Lehman (Leader in Charge)
• 1983 to 1984 - Tony Henstridge
• 1985 to 1994 - Carol Synnett
• 1994 to 1997 - Colin Thiele
• 1997 to 2001 - Rob McCarthy
• 2001 to 2004 - Simon Lindsay
• 2004 to 2004 - Ian Wallis (Sept - Oct)
• 2005 to 2007 - Rod Dunt (Leader in Charge)
• 2007 to 2009 - Lorraine Battle
• 2009 to 2012 - Christine Williams
• 2012 to 2013 - Peter Hooper (Leader in Charge)
• 2013 to current - Trev Thompson