Colo-i-Suva’s forgotten camp
ON a rather hot and humid day, a drive along Princes Road past scenic mountain views and eerie rainforests ended at the Fiji Scouts campsite and training centre in Colo-i-Suva.
The Fiji Scouts movement has been around for more than a decade and has spread across 27 districts, with a membership reaching 11,000, including more than 700 scout leaders in schools.
The campsite remains a priority asset for the Fiji Scouts because it serves as a training centre for developing potential future leaders.
However, for many years, it remained hidden from sight, forgotten and rather unkempt and run down.
According to Fiji Scouts Association national executive commissioner Joji Qaranivalu, after a long wait, renovation at the site, at a cost of about $10,000, has finally started.
For those who do not know, the campsite is located near the Forestry Training Center, on the right-hand side of Princes Road road if you are on your way to Sawani
As you enter a short driveway, you cannot help but notice the luscious flora surrounding the site from huge bamboo trees, swaying palms, a variety of rainforest trees and a breadfruit tree.
The main building includes a hall with a small kitchen, painted in a light cream with blots of mildew waiting for a fresh coat of paint.
This hall is in memory of the late Mr J P Bayly, once a millionaire Fiji landowner and a philanthropist who started JP Bayly Clinic in Suva.
Mr Qaranivalu, our guide for the afternoon, led us inside this hall, and while it was in apparent need of repair, it had an atmosphere oozing with history.
If you closed your eyes and listened to the silent air and the occasional sounds of birds chirping, you’d feel as if the voices of the past were whispering about the past.
At the site are eight wooden triangular-shaped huts. There is a natural pool area nearby.
The stairs leading down to the huts are cemented but one has to carefully tread as it can get slippery when wet.
Inside these huts are wooden bunks ready for campers and their sleeping bags with netted windows, keeping the blood sucking mosquitoes out.
Qaranivalu stated that the pool, however, hardly got used by campers because of safety reasons.
“We give the huts to the kids mainly from around Suva schools to come and camp here but with their leaders,” he said.
“The huts can take eight people each because scouts work in a patrol system and that’s where we build on leadership.
“So the leadership training in scouts starts at that early level.”
From Qaranivalu’s recollection, the site stemmed from the need for a training facility and the headquarters at Holland Street was too small and did not have an environment suitable for scouting.
“We wanted to set up a training hall in context with an environment filled with bush trees, and in the outskirts where nature is more profound.”
According to records in The Fiji Times of December 16, 1977, the official opening of the Jean Murray National Campsite (original site name) was done by the former Governor General Ratu Sir George Cakobau.
Ratu Cakobau described in his opening speech how the campsite had been a culmination of years of hard work.
He shared how the first training camp was initially established at Nasinu 7 miles, however, the area was subsequently taken over by the Forestry Department.
Another proposed site at 9 miles, Nasinu, along Kings Road, was also deemed unsuitable.
In 1967, a license was acquired from the Forestry Department to use the Jean Murray National Campsite.
It was named as such because of the untiring efforts of Mrs Murray in raising funds principally by selling old clothes, books and other items at the Nausori market on Saturday mornings.
Jean was the wife of the deputy chief Scout, Herbert Murray.
“An old corrugated iron and wooden hut was transformed and erected here,” Ratu Cakobau stated amongst those present at Colo-i-Suva.
“With help from the Vatukoula Scout, a swimming pool was blasted out of there and a carpenter’s hut and kitchen were erected.”
Ratu Cakobau said due to the unfavourable weather in the area, more permanent buildings would be needed.
The FSA obtained a formal lease from the Native Land Trust Board (NLTB) now known as the iTaukei Land Trust Board (TLTB) for 8 1/2 acres for 50 years.
A man named Robert Truscott gave his professional architectural services free of charge for the campsite.
The Bayly Trust donated $15,000 and Tom Copley, the President of the Fiji Scouts Association at the time was instrumental in obtaining this.
Other donations were from the Ministry of Education of $7500 with a promise of another $7500 for the following year (1978).
“Friends of Scouting was asked to donate the sum of US $1500 and in turn one of the eight patrol huts would be named after them,” Ratu Cakobau added.
“Mr Jerry Tikaram has travelled extensively overseas for the sole purpose of invoicing other scouting associations in the financial support of the Jean Murray National Campsite.”
He said the response was far and beyond because of Tikaram’s efforts, from the World Scout Headquarters, Scouts of Taiwan, Boy Scouts of Iran, Australian Scout Association, Scout Association of New Zealand, and Mr Wesley Barratt.
“The Fiji Scouts Association provided some $5000 from their resources and the balance was made able by a loan on generous terms from the Bank of New Zealand.
The Fiji Scouts Association had named the huts and hall after these generous donors.
It was envisaged that in 1978, six leader training courses and an international leader training course for scouts would be held at the campsite.
Mr Qaranivalu shared how he was part of this scout leader training at the site and has since been vigorously involved in the scouts movement.
“I was also present during the opening in 1977, with leaders and students from around Suva.
“I remember Ratu Sir George coming in a black car wearing his safari and before this, he had opened our first ever Jamboree in Lautoka in 1974.”
Mr Qaranivalu said since his young days as a scout member and now as a leader, the FSA has engaged itself in training, guiding and developing good character in many young Fijians who have become model citizens.