Community & Business
18 February, 2026
Give girl guides a go!
YOUNG girls in the local area looking to challenge themselves, build friendships, or just give something new a go should take advantage of Mareeba Girl Guides’ free, three-week come and try course.
The organisation invites all potential newcomers to three, pressure-free meetings to see if it’s a good fit for them, according to unit leader and district manager, Emma Baker.
“We’re an organisation with the mission to help young girls and women become strong, independent people of tomorrow – to go out into the world with a sense of pride and knowledge that they can give anything a go. Overall, we’re nurturing them to become the best versions of themselves,” she said.
“We invite everyone to come along for three meetings to see if it’s something that their daughter actually wants to do, because we want them to know that it’s the right fit for them. It’s an amazing organisation, everyone should really consider it.”
Ms Baker said she’s seen firsthand the benefits girl guiding can have on a young woman’s confidence and character, especially after becoming a Guide herself when she was younger.
“I’ve been here since I was 11 and oh my gosh it’s an epic adventure. There are so many things I’ve done through girl guiding that I would never have done out in the real world,” she said.
“It’s beneficial for young girls, and even the boys over at our sibling organisation, Scouts, to not only get engrained with our core beliefs and values, but to do it in an environment where they can challenge themselves a little bit more than what they might do in their normal everyday life.
“The skills and the knowledge that you learn through your guiding or scouting career lives with you for the rest of time.”
The Mareeba group, which has been around since the 1940s, is part of the Tropical North Region (covering from Innisfail north) and attends regular camps at Innisfail and Lake Tinaroo. Ms Baker said she tries to organise as many activities as she can for the girls.
“We were actually really fortunate last year. We had three of our girls go down to the International Jamboree, and I went with them to a camp with over 2,000 other Girl Guides from all over the country, and all over the world. It was amazing,” she said passionately.
“Outside of that, we did several canoeing days, camps, we went horse riding as well. We’ve done activities everywhere we can. It’s safe to say there’s at least one activity a month and at least three or four region-based events a year that the girls are able to attend.”
The Girl Guides program runs for the entire school year, beginning in February and ending in November, with meetings held every Wednesday during a school term from 5.30pm-7pm.
“During our (meetings), we do a range of fundamental activities. They might be outdoor, promise and law, world guiding, a bit of history or a bit of challenge,” Ms Baker said.
“It depends on the age group that we’re working with as to what the girls will do during their activity. Some nights the girls elect to just have a board game night, which absolutely brings camaraderie and fun into the atmosphere.”
For more information, contact mareebadm@guidesqld.org.au via email or visit www.guidesqld.org. Mareeba Girl Guides is located at 14 Egan St, Mareeba.
