Camps away were so much fun. Your callers’ missus or the secretary iffen you a comittee run club, would book the whole camp out if she was sure of enough numbers, but usually there were other people in the camp with us. usually a long weekend was chosen..some would get there the day b4, and have a 4 day affair. doing the tourist bit. So, friday arvo, arrive, get your gear stowed, get tea, and go to the first hoedown cum dance. This lasted as long as the caller did..usually there were a few callers, so they could last longer, and stretch the night out further. Saturday morning, our lot had specialty sessions..might be learn a new dance movement..might be a plus session…that was interesting…a plus movement..relay the deusy for example..you Had to know the movement to do it , on account of the girls went across, left hand star, then..roll away…maybe I’m getting movements mixed up..but one call replaced maybe eight individual calls. Hopefully, at the end, all were in place, and in one piece, ready for the next call. Horrendous mixups on occasion,..all you could do was to square up, and wait. Sometimes the caller could help you out..but this tended to get everyone else confused, because you listen to the caller..
We had our own version of ballroom dancing..called round dance. couple danced together..most of the girls really into it..if your girlfriend loved it, you didn’t have a lot of options, but to at least look as though you were learning the blessed stuff. Give me square dance anytime! Each movement had a name..different to ballroom names..and the sods wanted to do one square dance to one round dance! God..half the night sitting down…yuk. So, callers were prevailed upon..bracket of square dance..then one or two round dance, then another bracket of square dancing. eventually, the round dance lot had their own night to do round dance specifically..went along to one, then suggested that they do a square dance here and there..talk about a frosty reception!
If you didn’t want to do the specialty thing on the saturday morning a few of them went into town shopping..or over to the nearest biggish type town/city…Port Sorell camp, people went to Devonport, Camp near Burnie..into Burnie naturally. Saturday arvo, more dancing..saturday night, everyone got tarted up, and it was a Big Deal. Dress codes existed..fancy shirts, long dress trousers, shoes..deoderant was a must. Girls..frilly petticoats, fancy dress over them…at a convention, you had the saturday night Dress Set..so everyone in the one set had the same outfits on..looked spekky. Big parade on, each club being announced..kid with the club banner leading them in.hooey. Girls with one hand holding up handful of dress and petticoat, other arm held out..the partner grabbed that one hand, other around her waist..in they’d march. Spiffy. Not a lot of perfume for the girlz..some had allergies to it..so some lot didn’t have much on at all. Our lot..doused themselves…was very nice!