As written by a previous person -

There can be no doubt whatsoever that the most momentous event in the earliest years of the twentieth century that would affect the lives and future of boys in all countries of the world was the inspiration of Sir Robert (later Lord) Baden-Powell of Gilwell when he conceived the idea of "Scouting for Boys" in August 1907. He took a troop of twenty boys with him to Brownsea Island in Pool Harbour, England for the first Boy Scout camp the world had ever seen. This camp was a great success and led to the writing and publication in the early months of 1908 of "Scouting for Boys" by Robert Baden-Powell. Within a very short period of the appearance of the book in six fortnightly parts, Scout Patrols and Troops began to spring up not only in England but in numerous other countries.

When the news of the birth of Baden-Powell's Boy Scout movement reached far-off Albany in Western Australia, it immediately fired the interest of a twenty-two year old Hal McKail in the then remote area of Kalgan River, eight miles out from Albany. At this time, (1908), there was little evidence of human habitation in the Kalgan River area of the Albany hinterland. It was unpolluted and devoid of tree-felling - the waters of the river were crystal clear. John McKail was Hal's father, and Albany's first Parliament. He was also one of the passengers on Captain Stirling's ship, "Parmelia". John McKail's efforts led to the establishment of a school for the children of Kalgan River. Hal had just gained qualifications in electrical engineering from the School of Mines in Adelaide, South Australia. However, when the need for a teacher arose, Hal went to Perth for training. Hal's brother Angus thought it odd that after qualifing as an electrical engineer he should hve decided to become a school teacher. However, it was typical of the outlook of this mild mannered intelligent young man that he should elect to fill the need for a school teacher in the new bush school being established at Kalgan River.

Hal started a scout troop at Kalgan River in 1909. The first boys to enrol were Edgar and Walter Douglas, Groves and James Powell, Alan and Denzil McKail. Angus McKail enrolled as a "cub", being too young to enrol as a scout. All of these were pupils at Hal McKail's school and were "river boys" in as much as they had to get to and from school every day by boat. The school was practically on the water, and they spent all their spare time out of class either swimming or boating. No doubt Hal with his love and knowledge of water and boating, with four boats and such a wide expanse of water right at the school door, saw all his boys as "Sea Scouts". They were at least sea-going scouts, and Western Australia's first sea scouts. Later Hal transferred his scouting activities to Albany and took his two beautiful boats there for scout use. Angus remembers two of the Albany Scouts - Ernest Short who later became Scoutmaster of Albany's 3rd WA Troop, and Arnold (Mick) Carter.

It was at the end of 1912 when Hal was transferred to Perth as Science Master at James Street Perth Boys School - a position which he held until he retired about 33 years later. In 1913 he established the first WA Troop of Sea Scouts in St George's Cathedral Troop, meeting in St John's Church of England which was in the triangular site at the junction of Wellington Street and Milligan Street and Melbourne Road. This building was demolished soon after the First World War.

In December 1914, Hal and three senior boys from Perth Boys School - Baden Lathlain, Angus and Henery Cooke - rode bicycles from Perth to Albany to stay at the lower Kalgan River. In December 1915, the first Sea Scout Christmas Camp was held at "Windy Hill", the McKail property at lower Kalgan River. It cost the boys 1/6 per day, their train fare to Albany and boatfare from Albany to the lower Kalgan on the "Silver Star".

In 1917 the troop transferred to a hall at 13 Pier Street, Perth. This was owned by St George's Cathedral. It was here that the hull of the troop's first boat was built. This was "Coobong", a 17 ft dory built along the lines of a Cape Cod dory. The next year it sailed through a terrific thunder storm which capsized some 20 yachts in Melville water, and with the shore help of No l Land Scouts, rescued the crew of three of them. Later, the troop shared quarters at Thomas Street School with No 4 West Perth - Land Scouts led by Stuart Donaldson. An early activity of the troop was radio, and it was the first troop to use the wireless and field telephones. At one time during the war, the troop and members of the PBS Radio Club volunteered for service with the Army Intelligence Department, and did good work locating troublesome illegal wireless apparatus. They engaged in other war work such as making sandbags, collecting old metal and so on. They also helped the Fire Brigade in emergencies under Fire Chief Lapsley, who was also one of the earliest Scout Commissioners.

The Melville waters rescues in 1917 and similar episodes confirmed the idea that such rescue work was the ideal for Sea Scout training and though it was some time before the ideal was realised, a boat was planned for the work. Before "Coobong" was built, the troop had a 14ft clinker built dinghy kept at Lawrence's boatshed in Mounts Bay Road. It was stolen and found near the Causeway too badly damaged to be repaired so the troop hired boats from A. Hawkins' boat shed at the foot of Barrack Street until "Coobong" was built. In 1919 or 20 when an old barge formerly a steamer which was for some years on a mud bank at North Fremantle was to be towed out to sea and sunk. Hal went to the port authorities and was given the barge Dolphin to be towed up river to Matilda Bay. The Swan River Towing Co. cast it loose in Matilda Bay in a position where it settled on the mud. With much effort she was cleaned up and deck houses built and the Sea Scout Training Ship Dolphin came into being and this was the very first Sea Scout Headquarters at Pelican Point. In 1925 by permission of the State Gardens Board, the first "Mast" and buildings were erected of the 1st WA Sea Scout Troop Headquarters, to be known henceforth at "Camp Cornwell named after John Travers Cornwell VC Boy (1st Class) of HMS Chester, Royal Navy. He was also a Scout of St Mary's Mission Manor Park Troop. He died of wounds at the Battle of Jutland on June 2nd 1916, aged 16 1/2 years. He was awarded the Victoria Cross for devotion to duty.

The Headquarters built in 1925 grew into an impressive complex and was the pride and joy of successive generations of Scouters and Sea Scouts. Not the least of these was the distinguished founder and by then WA Sea Scout Commissioner Hal McKail who died 16 June 1944. A full description of the old HQ is on record but is too detailed to include here, but they were the result of efforts by a building committee headed by Mr J Wyle. In its day, the site and facilities of this Sea Scout HQ were considered unequalled anywhere in the world, and it served with distinction for 33 years until replaced.

During World War 2, Pelican Point Sea Scouts (1st WA Sea Scouts Troop) manned their HQ continuously and cooperated with the US Naval Air Force at Crawley in a very creditable manner. They conducted a ferry service to the Catalina aircraft in the bay, maintained an air watching patrol from their lookout tower which was connected by phone to the USNAF base, patrolled the bay to keep it clear of flotsam and jetsam, and in their spare time, made hundreds of camouflage nets. The record of Pelican Point Sea Scouts during the 1939-45 war is one of which they can justly be proud. They also served the community in the years before and after the war by helping capsized yachts, protecting life and property, salvaging sunken and drifting boats and in many other ways. The Water Police of the day favourably commented on the assistance rendered to them on many occasions by the Sea Scouts.

Backing up the Scouters and Scouts over the years there has been a dedicated band of lay committee men and women without whose devoted and practical assistance the Sea Scouts could never have functioned so effectively. This is not the place to record the efforts of so many individuals, but a record exists and it is impressive.

Since the opening of the Camp Cornwell Memorial Sea Scout HQ in 1958 many, many boys have done their Cub and Sea Scouting there and there have been vast numbers of dedicated Scouters both male and female who have served their terms in voluntary service to boys, these are recorded in the archives of 1st Pelican Point (Sea) Scouts.