Bush Kitchen

Four nights of camp cooking skills — damper making, billy tea and campfire snacks, camp meal planning, and a cook-off challenge. Cubs learn practical outdoor cooking with a focus on hygiene and safety.

Challenge Area
Outdoor
Award Type
General Skills
Nights
4
Total Duration
5 hr 35 min
Equipment Summary
flag, flag pole, soap, water station (tap or bucket), paper towels, hygiene poster, self-raising flour, salt, water, mixing bowls (one per patrol) and 57 more

About this trail

This 4-night trail is designed around the Outdoor Challenge Area, making it straightforward to program outdoor-focused nights that contribute to Milestone credit. Each night follows the Scouts Australia Plan > Do > Review cycle and is structured as a mix of indoor and outdoor nights.

Across its 4 nights, this trail maps to OAS requirements in Bushcraft, Camping. The requirements are specific — not just "do some bushcraft" but individual Stage requirements like fire-lighting methods or shelter construction techniques. Tussock pre-loads these requirements into each night's event plan so leaders can sign them off during the activity rather than transcribing them later.

The SPICES developmental domains covered by this trail are: Intellectual, Physical, Social, Character. Programming across multiple domains in a single trail helps Groups demonstrate balanced youth development in their term plans and annual reports.

You can run the four nights in order for a coherent multi-week program, or pick individual nights to fill gaps in your existing term plan. In Tussock, importing a night from this trail pre-fills the Scout Night wizard: Challenge Area, SPICES domains, OAS requirements, and suggested segments are all set. Customise from there to suit your Section.

Import into Tussock

Import this trail into Tussock to run each night with attendance tracking and automatic OAS requirement awarding built in — no manual requirement lookup needed.

OAS Requirements Covered

The following Outdoor Adventure Skills requirements are mapped across this trail's four nights. Import this trail into Tussock to award these requirements automatically when Scouts attend each night.

Bushcraft

Camping

The Four Nights

Each night below is a standalone Scout Night session of approximately 1 hr 24 min and follows the Plan > Do > Review cycle. Run them in order for the full Bush Kitchen trail, or adapt individual nights for your program.

Night 1: Damper Making

Mix and cook damper on sticks over a campfire (or in the oven). Discuss camp hygiene and safe food handling basics.

Outdoor Challenge Area: Outdoor Duration: 1 hr 25 min
Intellectual Physical Social

OAS requirements this night: camping.s1.do-3, camping.s2.plan-5

  1. Opening Ceremony Ceremony

    Grand Howl. Flag break. Introduce the Bush Kitchen trail: "Good Scouts can cook anywhere — tonight we make damper, one of Australia's oldest bush foods."

    Character
    Equipment (2 items)
    • flag
    • flag pole
  2. Hygiene First Instruction

    Discuss camp hygiene rules: wash hands before cooking, tie back hair, keep work surfaces clean, no licking fingers then touching food. Cubs wash hands with soap and water before handling food.

    Intellectual
    Equipment (4 items)
    • soap
    • water station (tap or bucket)
    • paper towels
    • hygiene poster

    OAS: camping.s2.plan-5

  3. Damper Mix practice

    Each patrol mixes damper dough: 2 cups self-raising flour, pinch of salt, 1 cup water. Knead until smooth. Divide into one piece per Cub. Wrap dough around the end of a stick in a spiral.

    Physical Intellectual
    Equipment (6 items)
    • self-raising flour
    • salt
    • water
    • mixing bowls (one per patrol)
    • measuring cups
    • clean sticks (green wood, ~1 m long, bark peeled)

    OAS: camping.s1.do-3

  4. Cook the Damper practice

    Cubs hold their sticks over the campfire coals (NOT flames), turning slowly. Cook for 8-12 minutes until golden and hollow-sounding when tapped. Leader supervises fire safety at all times.

    Physical Intellectual
    Equipment (2 items)
    • campfire (pre-lit with adult supervision)
    • fire safety bucket of water

    OAS: bushcraft.s2.do-2

  5. Taste Test discussion

    Eat the damper! Optionally add butter, jam, or golden syrup. Discuss: "How does this compare to bread? What would Indigenous Australians have added?"

    Social Intellectual
    Equipment (5 items)
    • butter
    • jam
    • golden syrup
    • plates
    • napkins
  6. Campfire Safety Recap Reflection

    Quick review: name three rules for being safe around a campfire. Cubs share answers. Leader fills gaps (closed shoes, no aerosols, water bucket nearby, adult supervision).

    Intellectual Character
  7. Closing Ceremony Ceremony

    Next week: billy tea and campfire snacks! Grand Howl. Dismiss.

    Character

Total night duration: 1 hr 25 min

Night 2: Billy Tea & Campfire Snacks

Learn to boil a billy. Make jaffles or chocolate bananas on the fire. Practise safe fire and food handling.

Outdoor Challenge Area: Outdoor Duration: 1 hr 25 min
Intellectual Physical Social

OAS requirements this night: bushcraft.s2.do-2, camping.s1.do-3

  1. Opening Ceremony Ceremony

    Grand Howl outdoors. Hands washed? Check. Tonight: "Boil a billy and cook a snack — real bush cooking."

    Character
    Equipment (1 item)
    • flag
  2. Boil the Billy practice

    Demonstrate filling a billy, hanging it over the fire (on a tripod or trammel), and waiting for it to boil. Cubs take turns checking the fire and the billy. When boiled, make billy tea (add tea bag, optional gum leaf for aroma).

    Physical Intellectual
    Equipment (7 items)
    • billy can
    • water
    • tea bags
    • fire tripod or green-stick trammel
    • campfire (pre-lit)
    • oven mitts or leather gloves
    • cups

    OAS: bushcraft.s2.do-2

  3. Campfire Snacks: Jaffle or Chocolate Banana practice

    Option A: Jaffles — Cubs fill jaffle irons with bread, cheese, and ham (or pizza toppings). Cook over coals for 3-4 minutes per side. Option B: Chocolate bananas — slit a banana, push in chocolate pieces, wrap in foil, cook on coals for 5 minutes.

    Physical Social Intellectual
    Equipment (8 items)
    • jaffle irons (one per pair)
    • bread
    • cheese
    • ham or alternative filling
    • bananas
    • chocolate pieces
    • foil
    • tongs

    OAS: bushcraft.s2.do-2, camping.s1.do-3

  4. Washing Up Station practice

    Teach the three-basin wash system: (1) scrape, (2) wash in hot soapy water, (3) rinse in clean water. Cubs wash their own plates and utensils.

    Physical Intellectual
    Equipment (5 items)
    • three basins
    • hot water
    • dish soap
    • scourers
    • tea towels

    OAS: camping.s2.plan-5

  5. Camp Cooking Trivia Game

    Sit around the fire. Quick trivia: "What temperature does water boil at?" (100°C). "Name three foods you can cook on a campfire." "Why do we wash hands before cooking?" Keep it fun and conversational.

    Intellectual Social
    Equipment (1 item)
    • trivia cards (optional)
  6. Closing Ceremony Ceremony

    Extinguish the fire properly (water, stir, water again, feel for heat). Next week: meal planning. Grand Howl. Dismiss.

    Character
    Equipment (1 item)
    • water bucket

Total night duration: 1 hr 25 min

Night 3: Camp Meal Planning

Plan a full camp meal. Practise food prep and safe handling. Learn about nutrition, portion sizes, and food storage at camp.

Indoor Challenge Area: Outdoor Duration: 1 hr 20 min
Intellectual Social

OAS requirements this night: camping.s2.plan-5, camping.s1.do-3

  1. Opening Ceremony Ceremony

    Grand Howl. Flag break. Tonight: "Before you cook at camp, you need a plan."

    Character
    Equipment (2 items)
    • flag
    • flag pole
  2. What Makes a Good Camp Meal? Instruction

    Discuss: easy to prepare, fills you up, does not need refrigeration (or you have an esky), not too much waste. Show examples of good vs. bad camp meals. Cubs suggest their favourite camp food.

    Intellectual
    Equipment (3 items)
    • meal examples (pictures or packages)
    • whiteboard
    • markers
  3. Menu Planning Activity practice

    Each patrol plans a full camp menu for dinner: a main course and a dessert. They must list every ingredient, the quantity, the cooking method, and the equipment needed. Use a template.

    Intellectual Social
    Equipment (3 items)
    • menu planning templates
    • pencils
    • recipe idea cards

    OAS: camping.s1.do-3

  4. Food Safety Stations practice

    Four rotating stations: (1) Handwashing — time a proper 20-second wash. (2) Temperature danger zone — sort cards into "safe" and "unsafe" storage temperatures. (3) Cross-contamination — match which chopping boards go with which foods. (4) Expiry dates — read labels and decide: safe or toss?

    Intellectual Physical
    Equipment (4 items)
    • hand-wash station with soap and timer
    • temperature cards
    • chopping board colour cards
    • food label samples

    OAS: camping.s2.plan-5

  5. Shopping List Challenge Game

    Each patrol creates a shopping list for their planned menu, estimating quantities for a patrol of 6. Compare: "Who has the most efficient list?" Discuss portion sizing.

    Intellectual Social
    Equipment (2 items)
    • paper
    • pencils
  6. Food Prep Practice practice

    Safe knife handling demonstration (butter knives only for this age): the claw grip, cutting away from the body. Cubs practise cutting soft vegetables (cucumber, banana) using the safe technique.

    Physical Intellectual
    Equipment (4 items)
    • butter knives
    • cutting boards
    • cucumbers or bananas
    • paper towels

    OAS: camping.s1.do-3

  7. Closing Ceremony Ceremony

    Next week: the cook-off! Each patrol will cook their planned dish (simplified). Send shopping list home. Grand Howl. Dismiss.

    Character

Total night duration: 1 hr 20 min

Night 4: Cook-Off Challenge

Patrols cook a simple dish from their meal plan. Taste testing by all. Review the trail and celebrate Bush Kitchen completion.

Outdoor Challenge Area: Outdoor Duration: 1 hr 25 min
Physical Social Intellectual Character

OAS requirements this night: bushcraft.s2.do-2, camping.s1.do-3, camping.s2.plan-5

  1. Opening Ceremony Ceremony

    Grand Howl outdoors. Tonight: "Show us what you have learned — time to cook!" Hygiene check: hands washed, hair tied back, aprons on.

    Character
    Equipment (2 items)
    • flag
    • aprons (optional)
  2. Cooking Setup practice

    Each patrol sets up their cooking area: camp stove or fire zone, preparation space (cutting board, ingredients), washing station. Leader checks setup before cooking begins.

    Physical Intellectual
    Equipment (6 items)
    • camp stoves or campfire zones
    • cooking pots/pans
    • utensils
    • cutting boards
    • ingredients (per patrol plan)
    • water for washing
  3. Cook-Off: Patrol Cooking practice

    Each patrol cooks their planned dish. Leaders supervise fire/stove safety and food handling. Cubs divide tasks: one measures, one chops (butter knife), one stirs, one manages the fire/stove.

    Physical Social Intellectual
    Equipment (4 items)
    • all cooking equipment and ingredients
    • fire safety bucket
    • oven mitts
    • tongs

    OAS: bushcraft.s2.do-2, camping.s1.do-3, camping.s2.plan-5

  4. Taste Testing discussion

    All patrols present their dish to the pack. Everyone tastes each dish (allergy-safe portions). Cubs vote for their favourite (cannot vote for their own).

    Social Intellectual
    Equipment (3 items)
    • tasting plates
    • spoons
    • voting slips
  5. Wash Up & Pack Down practice

    Three-basin wash system. Cubs clean all their equipment. Fire extinguished properly. Cooking area left cleaner than they found it.

    Physical Character
    Equipment (5 items)
    • three basins
    • hot water
    • dish soap
    • scourers
    • tea towels

    OAS: camping.s2.plan-5

  6. Trail Celebration & Closing Ceremony

    Announce cook-off winner. Celebrate all patrols — everyone cooked a real meal! Reflect: "What was the hardest part of cooking at camp?" Award trail completion recognition. Grand Howl. Dismiss.

    Character Social Emotional
    Equipment (1 item)
    • trail completion certificates (optional)

Total night duration: 1 hr 25 min

See also

OAS Framework Reference

Full breakdown of all 9 OAS streams and their stage requirements.

Browse OAS framework →

More General Skills Trails

Find other trails with a similar Outdoor focus.

All Night Ideas →