Scouts afloat thanks to funding

1st Austinmer Scout Troop has been awarded multiple grants

Published December 08, 2025

By 1st Austinmer Scouts committee chair Sam Donohoe

1st Austinmer Scout Troop has been awarded multiple grants, thanks in large part to the quiet and consistent efforts of our former committee chair and current grants chair: volunteer-extraordinaire Paul Rustomji. We wish to share our gratitude for the following:

NSW Government Community Building Partnership Grant of $18,684 for external hall repairs, with thanks to Maryanne Stuart, Member for Heathcote, for support.
Federal Stronger Communities Grant Program, $10,000 for internal hall repairs, with thanks to Cunningham MP Alison Byrnes for her support.
Horizon Bank funding of $4200 for hall repairs.
Energy Australia Tallawarra Grants, $3780 for two new eskies and personal flotation devices.

All of the funds mentioned above have already been put to use with professional updates to the 1st Austinmer Scout Hall, including new interior hall paint and lighting, and also replacement of a portion of the exterior hall cladding and two exterior windows.

Meanwhile our Venturers section have already successfully tested the troop’s new personal flotation devices during a recent kayak out of Wollongong Harbour.

Thank you again to our generous funders!