By Sienna Brown
2023 Mudbash Committee
Mudbash is an annual motorsport event run by the Rover Scout section of Scouts Australia. Held at Mafeking Rover Park in Caveat on the King’s Birthday weekend in June, it is the largest Rover Scout event in Australia with over 1,500 participants and visitors annually. Mudbash puts the best aspects of Rover Scouting together. Among the weekend’s activities are adventurous expeditions, competitive on-site activities, scouting camp craft, exciting nightlife entertainment, and of course motorsport!
Mudbash first started in 1972 at Big River Campsite, with five Rover crews and their $50 modified vehicles. To avoid the environmental impact that the buggies had on the state forest, Rover Scouts Victoria made the decision to look for land to continue to run Mudbash and future Scouting events. In 1992, a 130-hectare property was purchased in Caveat, about 30 minutes out of Yea which soon became Mafeking Rover Park. Ever since, the park has been owned and operated by the Victorian Branch Rover Council alongside the Mafeking Park management group and hosts a range of camps and motorsport competitions year-round. The park offers a diverse landscape of open land, scrub and bush providing a variety of camping opportunities and areas to explore for all members of Scouting and the wider community. Over the years, Mudbash has changed and grown into the event we know today and has quickly become a staple event in the scouting calendar.
Motorsport has been a part of Rovers for over 50 years with Mudbash celebrating its 50th event last year. Rover Scout Motorsport (RSM) oversees and manages the safe participation and running of motorsports events in affiliation with Motorsport Australia’s requirements. Vehicles competing in Mudbash are built, repaired, and raced by Rover Units across Australia. Vehicles range from modified sedans and hatchbacks to rear engine frame buggies. Every car is different, has its own name, number and some would say personality. Over 150 drivers enter each year to represent their Rover Unit and compete for the winning title. Each driver is required to have the appropriate Motorsport Australia speed license to compete. Mudbash is the final and biggest event of the Rover motorsport season.
Although Mudbash is primarily a motorsport event, there is a range of other onsite activities to entertain non-racers during the weekend. If Rovers are not spectating the racing or hanging with friends around a campfire, they can have a go at archery and axe throwing, play a round of mini golf or compete in the Rover X Games. At night, live music and DJs entertain the crowds and friends huddle around campfires to the crack of dawn.
Mudbash is proudly run by Rover Scouts for Rover Scouts. The event is organised and managed by a committee of around 40 Rovers, elected into their position at the annual AGM. Any 18-26 year old member of the Rover section can be nominated for a position on the committee. Although there is a lot of work involved in getting an event like Mudbash up and running, it is one of the most rewarding experiences a Rovering career can offer.
The Mudbash Open Day held on Sunday 11 June between 10am and 5pm showcases the best of scouting! Open to all who are interested from motorsport enthusiasts through to families looking for a day out. Mudbash open day offers an array of fun family activities and motorsport action!
We will have a range of onsite activities open to all including passenger hot lap rides in the race cars (12+), motorsport spectating, abseiling, radio activities, axe throwing, mini golf, bush golf, archery, a smash car, commando course, face painting, a BMX course, damper making and an onsite canteen. We welcome all to come and experience the fun and action of Mudbash and see what scouting has to offer!
