Venturers hiking in costume
The organisation known as VILE has been influencing societies for millennia. It is believed that they are a Deep State shadow government that really makes the decisions. VILE are experts in corruption, espionage and spreading conspiracy theories to maintain their power and control. Manipulation, subliminal messaging, propaganda and cover-ups are all straight from the VILE playbook.
A.C.M.E. is the remedy for evil, but it’s never easy. Their goal is to expose corruption, espionage and the fakery of the conspiracy theories pedalled by VILE. By doing so, A.C.M.E. aims to keep the world safe for another day.
Lately, efforts by VILE to maintain their power and control have been escalating. As always, A.C.M.E. is there to keep VILE in check…but for how long?
If you choose to get involved, the fate of the world may well lie in your hands. Will you side with VILE and keep the shadow government in power? Or will you take the red pill and join A.C.M.E. and expose the subversion?
Only one organisation can win.
At EV 2023 you will need to choose your side.
An example of a simple, yet effective, costume
An example of another simple, yet effective, costume at EV 2022
Does your team need ideas for theme? Remember, anything that is related
to the spies, conspiracies and the classic 'good vs evil' is 'in theme' for 2023 - particularly if you can twist it in some way!
Some of the best costumes we've seen have been some of the simplest. Make sure that you can hike easily in your costume - that is, that you don't get too hot and it isn't heavy. Why not incorporate your costume into your hat and make it something to keep the sun off you and your pack?
Here are some ideas we've compiled to get you started. But of course, be prepared to think outside the box and come as something else if you'd prefer.
| Year | Theme | Location | Hikers |
| 1959 | Rostrevor / Ashton / Woodhouse | 139 | |
| 1960 | Adelaide Hills / Woodhouse | ||
| 1961 | Adelaide Hills / Woodhouse | ||
| 1962 | Colonial Venture | Adelaide Hills / Woodhouse | |
| 1963 | 1,000 Islands | Adelaide Hills / Woodhouse | |
| 1964 | Adelaide Hills / Woodhouse | ||
| 1965 | All Arabian Trek | Gawler / Torrens Gorge | 140 |
| 1966 | Saga of the Vikings | Deep Creek | 160 |
| 1967 | The Wild West Show | Philcox Hill / Kuitpo Forest | ~180 |
| 1968 | The Gathering of the Clans | 240 | |
| 1969 | Project Tauri | South Coast / Yankalilla | 250 |
| 1970 | Eden Valley | 300 | |
| 1971 | Krishnev Takes a Holiday | Nairne/Harrogate | 450 |
| 1972 | Delamere | ||
| 1973 | Alligator Rush | Melrose | |
| 1974 | North - ? | ||
| South - Quest for the Golden Fleece | Delamere / Tunkalilla | ||
| 1975 | North - ? | Williamstown | |
| South - The Year of the Lash | Finniss / Kuitpo Forest | ||
| 1976 | North - ? | ||
| South - Operation Ripe Charlie | Eden Valley / Mount Crawford? | ||
| 1977 | North - ? | ||
| South - ? Modified EV, no hiking |
Roonka | ||
| 1978 | Quest for the Holy Grail | ||
| 1979 | North - ? | ||
| South - The Great Gangster Gadabout | Hallett / Mount Bryan | ||
| 1980 | |||
| 1981 | Tarsus vs the Empire | Mount Crawford Forest | |
| 1982 | Spy vs Spy | Kuitpo Forest | |
| 1983 | Cancelled due to Ash Wednesday bushfires | ||
| 1984 | Behind the Magic Mushroom Alternative EV - multiple location bases around SA |
Woodhouse and expedition locations | |
| 1985 | Victory or Death | Mount Crawford Forest | |
| 1986 | Kuitpo Forest | ||
| 1987 | Midnight at the Oasis | Second Valley / Delamere | |
| 1988 | Alice in Wonderland (Mad Hats for Cool Cats) | Clare Valley / Hallett | |
| 1989 | Magical Mystery Tour | Fleurieu Peninsula | |
| 1990 | I Saved the World (Super Heroes) | ||
| 1991 | The Wild Wild West | ||
| 1992 | Daring Deeds on Trusty Steeds (Knights of the Round Table) | ||
| 1993 | Freaked Out Flower Venture | ||
| 1994 | The Saga of the Seven Seas (Pirates) | Deep Creek | |
| 1995 | Chicago Shenanigans - Roaring Twenties Venture | ||
| 1996 | Space - the Final Frontier | Watervale / Clare | |
| 1997 | The Sizzling Seventies | Brookefield / Armstrong / Roonka | 150 |
| 1998 | Around the World in 80 Hours | Robertstown / Burra Gorge | |
| 1999 | Fractured Fairytales | Kuitpo Forest / Kangarilla | |
| 2000 | Good vs Evil | Mt Bryan / Hallett | |
| 2001 | 2001 A Space Oddity | Deep Creek | |
| 2002 | Mobsta Mayhem | Mt Crawford Forest | |
| 2003 | Middle Earth Madness | Kuitpo Forest | |
| 2004 | Action Figure EV - The Toybox Rebellion | Mt Crawford Forest | 74 |
| 2005 | Dawn of the Living Dead | Brookefield / Armstrong / Roonka | 68 |
| 2006 | Jungle fEVer | Wirabarra Forest | 82 |
| 2007 | Motion of the Ocean | Mt Bryan | 82 |
| 2008 | Time Trippin' | Woodhouse | 75 |
| 2009 | World Domination | Terowie (Tilkilkie) | 88 |
| 2010 | Fractured Fairytales | Mt Crawford Forest | 92 |
| 2011 | Spaced Out | Wirabarra Forest | 44 |
| 2012 | Rockin' World Tour | Kuitpo Forest | 69 |
| 2013 | Game On! | Mt Bryan East (Caroona Creek) | 92 |
| 2014 | Around the World in 80 Hours | Mount Crawford Forest | |
| 2015 | Hike at the Museum | Kuitpo Forest | |
| 2016 | Bush Bashed | Bundaleer Forest, (Bundaleer North, near Jamestown). | 69 |
| 2017 | Lost at Sea | Mt Bryan East (Caroona Creek) | 49 |
| 2018 | Happily nEVer After | Mount Crawford | 84 |
| 2019 | EVil Dead | Kuitpo Forest / Woodhouse | 85 |
| 2020 | Not held | ||
| 2021 | Spaced Out | Barossa Goldfields | 60 |
| 2022 | Welcome to the Jungle | Mount Crawford | 87 |
Help us compile this list! If you have an addition or a correction to the list above, then please email easterventure@sa.scouts.com.au
Contributions by: Graham Hill (former BC Senior Scouts & EV Originator), Michael Woodward, Minky Cockshell, Julian Stone, John Rockliff, Amanda Taylor, Julia McTier, Greg Roberts, Bruce Leibhardt, Janette Leibhardt, Bob Ellis and Sandy Ellis.
List last updated 3 November 2023