Speakers

22 April 2025 - Rotary Regionalisation

Speaker - Jade Catherall

Come and hear

an overview of the Rotary Regionalization Pilot
the different aspects of what is happening with the Regional Council,
what and who Rotary Specialists,
what is our Rotary Community Group.
What are other clubs doing that is different?
What can she do for us?

JADE CATHERALL, has been a Rotarian for 22 years, and over this time has been a member of several Clubs and President 4 times. Prior to joining Rotary, she was a Rotaractor for 6 years. She is currently President of Ryde RC, District Public Image Chair. Over the last 12 years she has held numerous District roles

Guests are always welcome.

29 April 2025 - Club Forum

At our Club Forum we will discuss our current program and causes we wish to support in the future. In doing so, we shall bear in mind our Club goals. Please bring along your ideas, suggestions and proposals – the more the better!

The agenda will include

Finances & Fundraising
Public relations including Web site and Facebook
Community
Youth
Any other general business

Guests are always welcome.

06 May 2025 - Faroe Islands

Speaker - Alfonso Calero

The Faroe Islands are a remote archipelago located halfway between Iceland and Norway in the North Atlantic Ocean. The islands are volcanic in origin, with steep cliffs, deep fjords, and rugged landscapes. The climate is mild and temperate, with frequent rain and strong winds.

The capital and largest city is Tórshavn, which is home to around 13,000 people. The total population of the Faroe Islands is approximately 50,000.

Using his photos and personal experiences Alfonso will provide a unique insight into these islands

Alfonso is a multi award winning travel photographer based in Sydney. He was born and raised in the Philippines of Spanish descent but moved to Australia at 15 years of age. He has been a Japanese and Spanish speaking tour-guide, and a Professional Photographer for the last 30 years. He specialises in People and Places as a travel photographer. This has given him the experience and versatility to shoot in different genres such as Landscape, Astrophotography, Street Portraits, Nature, Wildlife and Architecture."

Guests are always welcome.

13 May 2025 - Power of Perserverance

Speaker - Paul Upham

The xxx

Guests are always welcome.

20 May 2025 - HMAS Waterhen

Speaker - Commander Lucy Frauenfelder

The xxx

Guests are always welcome.

27 May 2025 - Ukraine Update

Speaker - Jerry Duma

Is there a road to peace in Ukraine?

Join us to hear a briefing by Jaroslav Duma OAM (the Emeritus Honorary Consul of Ukraine in Sydney).

Hear about the war - 3 years on from the full invasion by Russia.

What are the chances for peace?

You will hear about

what is happening in the war - beyond what is in the media.
the support provided by the Australian and NSW governments, Rotary, the Australian people, and other groups around the world.
the Ukrainian displaced people in Australia and how they are being helped.

Jaroslav Duma OAM was the Honorary Consul of Ukraine in Sydney, and an active member of the Australian Ukrainian community. In the Honorary Consul role, he represented Ukraine at official consular functions. He also provided support to Ukrainian citizens when required.

Guests are always welcome.

03 June 2025 - Voluntary Assisted Dying

Speaker - Penny Hackett

Dying with Dignity NSW is an advocacy organisation committed to supporting voluntary assisted dying laws and other end-of-life choices for residents in NSW.

For nearly 50 years we pursued a change in the law to allow competent adults experiencing intolerable suffering, from a terminal or incurable illness, to receive medical assistance to end their life peacefully, at the time of their choosing. In May 2022 we achieved our primary goal when NSW Parliament passed the Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2022. That law took effect on 28 November 2023.

Guests are always welcome.

10 June 2025 - TBA

Speaker - TBA

The xxx

Guests are always welcome.

17 June 2025 - TBA

Speaker - TBA

The xxx

Guests are always welcome.

24 June 2025 - Club Forum

The agenda will include

Finances & Fundraising
Public relations including Web site and Facebook
Community
Youth
Any other general business

Guests are always welcome.

01 July 2025 - Changeover Dinner

Speaker - Trent Zimmerman / Ken Preshaw

Location - Piato Restaurant

Time 6:30 PM

Details - TBA The xxx

Guests are always welcome.

08 July 2025 - ROMAC

Speaker - Anita Robinson

The xxx

Guests are always welcome.

05 August 2025 - Club Forum

The agenda will include

Finances & Fundraising
Public relations including Web site and Facebook
Community
Youth
Any other general business

Guests are always welcome.

Previous Speakers

15 April 2025 - Cyber Security & AI

Speaker - Nasim Islam

Nasim will talk about

targeted cyber scam and fraud leveraging artificial intelligence
what to do to be protected from these emerging threats.

Nasim Islam is a cyber security professional with many years of cyber and threat protection experience. He specializes in translating complex technical threats into actionable insights. His expertise includes developing strategic cyber security roadmaps and enhancing threat detection capabilities.

As a security evangelist, Nasim fosters a culture of security consciousness through targeted awareness training, successfully reducing organizational risk across his tenure in both the USA and Australia. He currently works for Audinate an Australian Software, hardware and networked Audio and video distribution company.

Guests are always welcome

8 April 2025 - Tasmania

Speaker - Richard Vahtrick

Richard will focus on

what makes Tasmania different,
why it has so much appeal to so many tourists,
who are some of the people who have made such a difference in creating the Tasmania we all know today.
Using the Huon Valley as an example he will also talk about factors which influence how rural communities can change over time.

Richard Vahtrick spent almost 35 years with IBM in a range of roles across many areas of IBM, living and working in every continent except Africa and Antarctica. Since leaving IBM, he has had senior executive roles at Perpetual Limited and Telstra Corporation and has also run his own consulting business. He met my wife Julie at IBM and they have 3 wonderful children and 3 amazing grandchildren.

Guests are always welcome.

25 March 2025 - The Fathering Project

Speaker - Josh Wiggins

This presentation will provide an overview of the Non for Profit that is “The Fathering Project”. Josh will talk about

the goals and missions,
the multiple areas they operate within to achieve those goals,
the current outcomes that they have seen
their plan of action moving forward and the challenges they are facing
his role and the current groups that he is working with across NSW, QLD and the Territories.

Josh Wiggins is a former Australian soldier who has been in the health, fitness and mental wellbeing space for over thirteen years, working with high school students, sporting teams and corporations to promote a healthy way of thinking and being. has since stepped into the Community Dads Group Manager role with “The Fathering Project”, supporting Dads in NSW, QLD, The ACT and the NT.

In this role his goal is to spread the mission of The Fathering Project around the community, create more Dads Groups, partner with more schools and really change children's lives for the better.

Guests are always welcome.

11 March 2025 - Looming Energy Crisis

Speaker - Alan Lawrensen

Alan Lawrenson, after tertiary studies, spent almost his entire working life in the commercial side of the science industry, marketing scientific and medical equipment and running the peak industry association for laboratory technology in Australia. He also served on a number of Australian Government-initiated reviews and committees.

Guests are always welcome.

04 March 2025 - Demographics of the North Sydney Community

Speaker - Eric Poulos

North Sydney is going through substantial changes – population growth, residential and commercial development, new Metro and transport corridors!
How are changes affecting the character of the area?
Do you know what is happening with people, housing, facilities and what strategies are in place to address these challenge?

Come & hear Eric Poulos discuss what is going on in the demographics of the North Sydney Community. Eric is North Sydney Council’s Community Worker - Social Planner and he’ll take you through the latest data. He’s worked in North Sydney for 9 years and has a wealth of experience in managing projects in the social and welfare field. He is strategic and creative, with particular interests in social planning, cultural diversity, community development, capacity building and community engagement.

Guests are always welcome.

25 February 2025 - Domestic Violence

Speaker - Mandy Ellis

Dr Mandy Ellis is passionate about helping children, adolescents, families and couples cultivate healthy psychological growth and improve relationships post separation.

Mandy has a Doctorate in Educational and Developmental Psychology, a Masters in School Psychology, and a BSc in Psychology and also has extensive experience working with the Family Court of Australia as a Child Expert. Mandy currently works as a psychologist on the Northern Beaches assisting children, adolescents and families, providing family therapy and running child educational and group programs such as Circle of Security, Tuning Into Kids, Tuning Into Teens, Parenting Coordination and Positive Behaviour Strategies.

Guests are always welcome.

04 February 2025 - RYLA experiences

Speaker - Mingyuan ZHANG (Micardo)

RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Award) Is a transformational 7-day program facilitated by Rotary. It is open to young people with leadership potential. RYLA 2025 was held at Knox Grammar School from 12th-18th January 2025.

North Sydney Sunrise Rotary Club nominated Micardo to participate in RYLA 2025. Micardo will tell us about his life & experiences at RYLA:

His background including
- where grew up in China
- his life at high school and day to day life in Singapore
- his time at University of NSW
the content of the program
the key experiences during the week
the people that he met.
How he will use his new skills in the future

Guests are always welcome.

28 January 2025 - Chinese New Year Dinner

Location - Fortuna Court

We are delighted to have as our special guest, Patrick Mayoh, the CEO of Australia China Business Council (NSW). Patrick will speak about Australia’s economic and trade relationship with China and its challenges and opportunities.

Patrick is a former Australian diplomat with extensive experience working in China. He served in the Australian foreign service for a decade, across the North Asia Division and Free Trade Division. He was posted to the Australian embassy in Beijing and Tel Aviv.

21 January 2025 - How & When to use Bonds

Speaker - Harrison Moore

In this age of uncertainty across the global economy, it is challenging for retirees to derive sensible investment opportunities that take the hassle out of investing when retired. Fixed income or “bonds” are an integral asset class for any retiree portfolio. Many people do not know how bonds work or how they fit into an investment portfolio.

This presentation will introduce

fixed income or “bonds”
provide an insight into the current bond market,
explore the benefits of holding bonds in an SMSF or investment portfolio,
outline the key differences between stocks and bonds,
and explain how retirees can access bonds that protect capital and provide a reliable income stream in retirement.

Harrison Moore is a financial market professional with over five years experience. He completed a Commerce degree in May 2022 and immediately commenced working in the FX and Global Markets trading division at Macquarie Bank. Since leaving Macquarie, he took up an interest in fixed income at BGC Fixed Income Solutions (FIS). He has been working at FIS for just under two years and has helped preserve his client's capital and deliver reliable income.

Guests are always welcome.

14 January 2025 - Sydney to Hobart review

Speaker - Lindsay May

Hear all about the 2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart from Lindsay .

Although Lindsay was unable to sail to Hobart this year, he will present a review of Hobart 2024 from his shore side aspect

His talk will include

some of the video of the race
the conditions, and
a discussion of how “Love & War” planned and sailed the race (winning Division 4)

Guests are always welcome.

10 December 2024 - Geraldine Doogue in conversation with Wendy Whiteley

Location - Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron (RSYS)

I am delighted to invite you to our annual dinner on Tuesday 10 December 2024 at which we are thrilled to bring you legendary ABC broadcaster, Geraldine Doogue in conversation with prominent local and artist Wendy Whiteley.

Wendy’s Secret Garden on Lavender Bay has become one of our most iconic and idyllic locations on the north shore. Its creation has been a labour of love for Wendy Whiteley and an enduring legacy for our community.

All funds raised at the dinner will be donated to the Wendy Whiteley Secret Garden Trust which has been established to ensure the future of this precious place

26 November 2024 - Rotary in Kathmandu

Speaker - Yoga Raj Pokhrel

Guests are always welcome.

03 December 2024 - Torres Strait

Speaker - Ian Burnet

Come and hear Ian Burnet tell this fascinating story

The reef-strewn passage between the Australian mainland and Papua New Guinea remains the most hazardous of all the major Straits in the world. It is 270 kilometres long and only 150 kilometres wide but contains over 274 islands, islets, coral reefs and coral cays and its waters are full of potential hazards separated by narrow and often dangerous channels.

This talk will follow both the history of the Torres Strait Islanders and of the first European voyagers who tried to find their way through the Torres Strait and the numerous shipwrecks that occurred in the process. It was the early navigators such as Torres, Cook, Bligh, Flinders and King who contributed to the charting of this dangerous passage. However, it was not until the completion of detailed hydrographic surveys undertaken by the British Admiralty in the 1840s, the advent of steamships and the introduction of Torres Strait Pilots that it could ultimately be used as a major shipping route.

Guests are always welcome.

19 November 2024 - Warringah Freeway Upgrade

Speaker - Steven Clark

The Western Harbour Tunnel and Warringah Freeway Upgrade is a major transport infrastructure project that will make it easier, faster and safer to get around Sydney. By creating a western bypass of the Sydney CBD, the Western Harbour Tunnel will take pressure off the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Harbour Tunnel, Anzac Bridge and Western Distributor corridors to improve transport capacity in and around Sydney Harbour.

The Warringah Freeway upgrade will make it safer and easier to use, and more efficient and reliable for the benefit of all road users, including public transport users.

This talk will look at

Objectives of the project – i.e.. What it’s trying to achieve
Challenges to the project (it’s an extraordinarily complex project with lots of physical, community and road network challenges)
Key highlights achieved so far
Key activities coming up in the next 6-12 months

Guests are always welcome.

29 October 2024 - 2MBS

Speaker - Simon Moore

2MBS Fine Music Sydney is Australia’s oldest FM radio station, and the first to broadcast in stereo. They are approaching 50 years on air, having kicked off their first broadcast at noon on 15 December 1974. The station is volunteer owned and operated, being run by music lovers, for music lovers. All programs are prepared and presented by volunteers, who enjoy sharing the love of fine music with their listeners. Some of the original founders from 50 years ago are still associated with the station.

Simon Moore is the current Chair of 2MBS Fine Music Sydney, and has been a broadcaster there for 20 years. He presents Breakfast on Thursday mornings, and also the weekly long-form interview program In Conversation. Simon has interviewed countless Australian and international music talent, including Andreas Scholl, Sarah Brightman, Anthony Warlow, Richard Tognetti, Roger Woodward and Jane Rutter.

Simon will talk about the origins of 2MBS and how the station has evolved and matured over the last 50 years, sharing how such an intricate operation continues to flourish with only a minimal paid support staff.

Guests are always welcome.

22 October 2024 - Gin

Speaker - Kyle Ford

Kyle will go through the story of how he & Georgia came to start a distillery in St Leonards and run through how they make their spirits. He will show the distillation equipment and run through its operation.

Kyle and Georgia have both enjoyed successful careers in their fields. Kyle learnt his trade in engineering with the Australian Airforce and went on to spend 10 years working on military aircraft. Georgia started her career as a buyer in women’s fashion and later moved into the alcohol industry. In 2016 Kyle and Georgia resigned from their jobs, sold almost everything they owned and set off on a two year, around the world trip. Whilst travelling there seemed to be a common occurrence; visiting distilleries and trying local produce. The idea for Finders Distillery was born.

This little distillery is housed in an industrial unit in St Leonards, on Sydney's North Shore. It is at this location that every bottle of Finders Distillery product is produced. They use a 300L copper pot still and create each batch individually. They run all of their ingredients in a single distillation, using an exact quantity of each ingredient to produce the perfect taste. They dilute the spirit to drinking strength using water that has been through a multi-stage filtration system. They then bottle, seal, label and package all products by hand, under the same roof.

Guests are always welcome.

15 October 2024 - Harbour Tunnel Update

Speaker - Management Team

This talk will provide an update on the progress of the Western Harbour Tunnel, its impact on North Sydney, and the tunnel boring machine used for construction.

The presentation will focus on:

The changes to the tunnelling methodology since the approval of the Modification Report,
an update of the tunnelling progress to the North of Harbour since the start of road header tunnelling in November 2023 and
an overview of tunnelling methodology using Tunnel Boring Machines to cross under Sydney Harbour.

The presentation will be run by:

Yu Teng Fong - Construction Director (Tunnels), Infrastructure & Place – Transport for NSW.
Claudia Wright - Communication and Stakeholder Engagement Manager – Transport for NSW
Samuel Harrison – Senior Project Manager – ACCIONA

Guests are always welcome.

24 September 2024 - Healthy Brain Aging

Speaker - Katya Numbers

This talk will cover the essential factors that contribute to healthy brain ageing, emphasising the importance of lifestyle choices such as regular physical activity, mental stimulation, and a balanced diet in maintaining cognitive health. It will also highlight the significance of social engagement and stress management in preventing cognitive decline, providing practical strategies to help individuals support their brain health as they age. Additionally, the talk will explore current research and advancements in the field, offering insights into the latest findings on cognitive health. The goal is to empower attendees with knowledge and actionable steps to reduce the risk of dementia and enhance their quality of life as they grow older.

Katya is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow and Lecturer at the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA) within the Discipline of Psychiatry & Mental Health. Her work focuses on modifiable lifestyle factors associated with increased risk of dementia and identifying behavioral indicators of very early dementia. Specifically, her work focuses largely on the relationship between older adults’ self-reports of cognitive and function decline and risk of dementia, how mood and personality influence these relationships, and early intervention strategies.

Guests are always welcome.

17 September 2024 - Mary's House

Speaker - Janine Wood

Mary's House Services, a community-built and community-funded organisation, operates without any government support, relying solely on the generosity of philanthropists, corporates, and organisations like Rotary.

Janine will be sharing from Mary's House Services some of the life-saving work that they do within the community. They provide safe and critical care to women and children who are victim survivors of domestic and family violence. At the refuge, they have provided over 14,000 room nights to these vulnerable women.

Also, at the community centre, they offer numerous programs that provide practical tips surrounding legal aid, financial support, safety planning, as well as therapeutic and evidence-based well-being programs.

Janine is a local resident and currently the Philanthropy and Communications Manager for Mary's House Services, dedicated to raising funds to sustain this vital work. Her professional journey spans a long career in the media and marketing industry, coupled with some experience in the not-for-profit sector for veterans and their families prior to joining Mary’s House Services.

Guests are always welcome.

10 September 2024 - Journey to Antarctica

Speaker - Jenny May

In February 2020 Jenny was fortunate to enjoy her dream trip to the Antarctic Peninsula via the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) and South Georgia. Through her photography, Jenny will take you on an expedition to these remote and pristine regions, showcasing their rugged landscapes, unique wildlife, and rich history. From the windswept shores of the Falklands to the iconic penguin colonies of South Georgia and the ethereal beauty of Antarctica, this talk offers a glimpse into some of the most remarkable places on Earth. Join Jenny on this journey as she delves into the wonders of the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, and the Antarctic Peninsula, offering a glimpse into a world few have the privilege to experience firsthand.

Jenny May has been an active member of Lane Cove Rotary since 2009 with a history tied to the club dating back to the late 1960s when her father and later her husband were members. After moving from Perth to Sydney at the age of 8, she has always lived in the Lane Cove area. On leaving school, Jenny trained as a nurse. The last 27 years of her working life were spent in the Operating Suite at Hunters Hill Private Hospital, where she was a Nurse Unit Manager. Now enjoying retirement for almost 4 years, she treasures time spent with her three children and four grandchildren. Travel is her passion and she has visited all 7 continents but still has many places she would like to visit.

Guests are always welcome.

03 September 2024 - Hearing Technology

Speaker - Steve Reinhardt

Hearing Loss & Dementia, Hearing Technology Update & the birth of a foundation.

This talk will cover

the basics of how we hear,
the connection between hearing loss & dementia,
how treating hearing loss reduces dementia risk
hearing device update
where the technology is at currently, and where it is headed
it will also outline the story of the newly established foundation - “Helping Ears”
- This was started with the goal of enabling the recycling of hearing aids for those in need, located in remote communities. The aim is to become the next “Fred Hollows” Foundation (except hearing-focused).
  - The foundation started by receiving donations of hearing aids through the private practice “Ears to You”
  - In total they have now assisted over 900 people in Fiji
  - website - helpingears.org

Steve Reinhardt has been working in the audiological field since 2006. He currently works at Northside Audiology (a diagnostic centre in Chatswood) under the direction of 2 Ear Nose & Throat specialists, and a Paediatric Developmental Specialist.

Steve has been specializing in advanced hearing rehabilitation at this clinic with a primary focus on hearing aid fitting, Bluetooth integration in hearing rehabilitation and technological advancements to promote active hearing.

When Steve is not working with rehabilitating ears, he plays drums in a rock band, and has also studied music. This adds a unique perspective to achieving optimal sound reproduction in hearing aid setting, and enables Steve to provide the best advice on ear protection for musicians.

Guests are always welcome.

27 August 2024 - The Future of Brain Diseases

Speaker - Prof Clement Loy

What stops us from living healthy lives, what are the brain diseases and why are neurodegenerative diseases so hard to treat? This short talk will also cover some of the recent advances and imagine the future for brain diseases.

Professor Clement Loy (Head of School & Dean, Macquarie Medical School) is a neurologist with research interests in molecular genetics and clinical epidemiology. He undertook subspecialty training in cognitive neurology at the National Hospital for Neurology & Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London United Kingdom, and laboratory training at the Garvan Institute, Sydney Australia. He has had the privilege of caring for families with Huntington Disease (HD) since 2000. He leads a quaternary referral service and research group for people with HD, at Westmead Hospital Sydney, with a special interest in clinical trials. He is Head of School and Dean for Macquarie Medical School, Macquarie University, and serves the wider community as a member of the Pharmaceutical Beneﬁts Advisory Committee.

Guests are always welcome.

13 August 2024

Light & Dark - Conservation through a Polar Lens

Speaker - Marnie Ogg

Marnie, with her extensive background in the travel industry, has ventured through an awe-inspiring 82 countries, each with its own tale and terrain. But what truly sets her journey apart is her profound appreciation for the natural world, especially the enigmatic, expanses that lie hidden in the polar realms.

The polar regions, with their icy majesty and unparalleled beauty, hold secrets that beckon the adventurous spirit in us. Yet, beyond their breathtaking landscapes, they whisper tales of conservation, resilience, and the delicate balance of nature. Marnie's deep love for the dark world, where stars shimmer undisturbed and nature's rhythms play out in their purest form, has led her to champion the cause of night conservation.

Join us on this mesmerising expedition as Marnie intertwines her travel tales, her dark sky protection work, and the crucial lessons the Arctic and Antarctic teach us about conservation of these threatened environments.

With over 17 years of experience as a Managing Director of Dark Sky Traveller, she has combined her passion for astronomy, tourism, and conservation to create unique and memorable experiences for travellers and communities. As a Dark Sky Defender and a holder of a Diploma of Psychology and a Diplome de Francaise, she has leveraged her skills and credentials to promote and protect the night environment, educate and inspire audiences, and collaborate with diverse stakeholders.

Guests are always welcome.

06 August 2024 - What is AI - Risks and opportunities

Speaker - Ahmed Fattah

Ahmed will explore the Wonders of Artificial Intelligence. He will cover:

The Evolution of AI
Understanding AI Capabilities
Introducing Generative AI (GenAI)
GenAI in Action
Opportunities and Challenges with AI/GenAI
Embracing AI/GenAI Responsibly
Q&A and Discussion

Ahmed Fattah is a social entrepreneur, an artificial intelligence software architect and educator. He has more than 20 years of consulting experience with IBM. He is the founder of My Personal Graph, a social enterprise with the aims to empower individuals to own their personal data and apply artificial intelligence to enhance their wellbeing.

Guests are always welcome.

23 July 2024 - Rotary Australia World Community Service

Speaker - David Waterhouse

RAWCS was formed to enable Australian Rotarians, Rotary Districts and Rotary Clubs to assist disadvantaged communities and individuals through humanitarian aid projects. RAWCS facilitates and empowers Rotary projects to do good in the World.

This talk will explain

What is RAWCS
What RAWCS can do for you
How to use RAWCS
Some examples of RAWCS projects

David has been a Rotarian for the last 25 years. Dianne and David are also volunteers at Camp Breakaway at San Remo on the Central Coast for the last 15 years. During the 25 years with Rotary, David and Dianne have made numerous trips overseas with RAWCS. These trips have been made to renovate hospitals in developing countries, help conduct eye camps, dispensing second hand glasses and more recently, dismantling Cath-Lab machines in hospitals around Australia and reinstalling them overseas. They have also been involved with the eradication of polio in India. Recently they were involved in relief work during and after the Earthquake in Nepal.

David is currently on the RAWCS Eastern Region Executive as the Eastern Region Volunteer Manager

Guests are always welcome.

Harbour Trust’s Master Plans for Middle Head / Gubbuh Gubbuh and North Head Sanctuary -

30 July 2024 - Janet Carding

Following her well-received presentation earlier this year on Cockatoo Island / Wareamah and Sub Base Platypus, Janet Carding, the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust’s Executive Director, will be giving a presentation that will illustrate the longer-term vision of place and the key elements that comprise the master plans for Middle Head / Gubbuh Gubbuh and North Head Sanctuary – two more of their important heritage sites that sit around the harbour.

The Harbour Trust has recently finalised the master plans for Middle Head / Gubbuh Gubbuh and North Head Sanctuary following extensive public consultation. Feedback received from these consultations about the two former army sites was incorporated into the master plans which have now been endorsed and approved by the Harbour Trust’s board. The master plans provide strategic roadmaps to protect and revitalise the two sites’ natural, cultural and built heritage, and will guide future decisions on projects, priorities and funding and ensure future work complies with the relevant statutory requirements. As the master plans outline the sites’ full potential rather than what current funding permits, this allows future decisions on projects and staging to be made strategically. Planning has already begun on the first stage of implementing the plans at Middle Head / Gubbuh Gubbuh.

Janet Carding has enjoyed a distinguished career in the galleries and museums sector, having served cultural organisations across three continents. Hailing from England, she commenced her career as a curator in Medical History at London’s Science Museum.

Janet joined the Harbour Federation Trust as its Executive Director in September 2021.

Guests are always welcome.

16 July 2024 - School for Life

Speaker - Amelia Cavanagh

Amelia Cavanagh will outline the history of the “School for Life Foundation”. organisation. She will explore the incredible need for quality education in the country of Uganda and will outline the organisation’s incredible mission of educating poverty out of existence through the engagement of local leaders and transformative community inclusion.

Amelia is the Donor Care Coordinator at the School for Life Foundation. After completing a Bachelor of Global Studies with a major in International Law at the University of Technology in Sydney, she was privileged to land a position at the incredible School for Life foundation where she now oversees the donor care component of the fundraising team. Though new to the sector, she has an incredible desire to contribute to making the world a better place and doing what she can to ensure vulnerable communities receive the resources they need to thrive.

Guests are always welcome.

25 June 2024 - D-Day Miracle

Speaker - Noel Phelan

In May 1944, the Western Allies were finally prepared to deliver their greatest blow of the war, the long-delayed, cross-channel invasion of northern France, code-named Overlord. General Dwight D. Eisenhower was supreme commander of the operation that ultimately involved the coordinated efforts of 12 nations.

Come and hear Noel delve into many aspects of the planning and execution including

The decisions by Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin.
The strategies by both Eisenhower and Rommel.
The myriad of German defences.
The deception and confusion of the Germans involving Patton.
The clever design of lots of military equipment.
The construction of an artificial harbour.
The scuttling of 70 ships to form a breakwater.
The towing and sinking of 210 Phoenix caissons to also form a breakwater.
The logistics to land the men and their equipment.
The aerial support of 1,000 heavy bombers and fighters.
The Naval support of 28 battleships and 56 destroyers.

Noel Phelan's first career was as a science and mathematics teacher. He then moved into IT with IBM where he spent 25 years in various technical and management positions. He has been a volunteer guide at the Maritime Museum for several years and enjoys showing visitors over HMAS Vampire, HMAS Advance, HMAS Onslow and First Lady. Noel is also the team leader for the museum speakers.

Guests are always welcome.

18 June 2024 - Gallipoli Legacy

Speaker - Denis Moore

Denis’s talk will cover:

Türkiye’s geostrategic location and who the Ottoman’s were and the rise and fall of the Ottoman Empire,
Türkiye’s dreadnaught battleships and the German cruisers,
what led Türkiye to enter the First World War,
the circumstances that led the ANZACs to fight on Gallipoli when they were supposed to be going to France,
the basis for the naval attempt to force the Dardanelles,
the 25 April 1915 landing and Ataturk’s counterattack,
the 20 December withdrawal,
the poor decisions of the British High Command and the outcome of the campaign

Denis is a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the Australian Army and currently represents the Friends of Gallipoli Inc in NSW. The Friends of Gallipoli is a non-political, non-religious, not-for-profit association. It promotes friendship and understanding from the mutual respect generated through honour in battle between the opposing forces on Gallipoli. It promotes friendship between the peoples of Australia and Türkiye.

Guests are always welcome.

11 June 2024 - Metabolic Health

Speaker - Professor Katharine Samaras

Professor Katharine Samaras will speak on metabolic health:

What is it?
What has it to do with body and brain ageing?
What is all this fuss with fasting?
What is time restricted eating and how is it different? What is the fuss with metformin and Ozempic about?
What can I do to live longer, healthier and really give my children and grandchildren something to worry about?

Professor Samaras is a senior staff specialist in Endocrinology at St Vincent's Hospital and is a Professor of Medicine at UNSW. She heads her own laboratory in the Garvan Institute of Medicine, where she held an executive position as the Theme Leader in Healthy Ageing. She has published over 200 scientific papers, led guideline development in metabolism and obesity. She is the Specialty Chief Editor for Obesity for Frontiers in Endocrinology, the world's most highly cited and ranked endocrinology journal. She has served numerous bodies in the promotion of medical science, including as Chair of the Specialist Advisory Committee for the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and the National Health and Medical Research Council.

She has held positions at St Thomas' Hospital London and the Harvard School of Public Health, where she completed her PhD and post-doctoral studies.

Her research interests are how metabolism contributes to ageing, particularly brain ageing, cognitive decline and dementia. She is the lead investigator for the MetMemory Study, a 3 year clinical trial repurposing the diabetes medication metformin to prevent cognitive decline, being run at the Garvan and garnering international interest.

Guests are always welcome.

09 April 2024 - Sydney Harbour Federation Trust

Speaker - Janet Carding

Come and hear Janet Carding. She will provide an update on the work of the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust with particular focus on Platypus and Cockatoo Island and the plans for these.

Janet joined the Harbour Federation Trust as its Executive Director in September 2021.

Guests are always welcome.

16 April 2024 - Around the Globe sailing

Speaker - Lindsay May

Details - TBA

Guests are always welcome.

30 April 2024 - Navy at Gallipoli

Speaker - Noel Phelan

Come and hear Noel look into the role of the Navy at Gallipoli.

He will cover

An overview of WW I in 1914/1915 and the role of our RAN ships under the command of the RN. The decision by Churchill to attack Constantinople and stop it joining the AXIS forces.
The Navy attacks on the Dardanelles forts.
The landings.
The RAN Bridging Train. Wharves and dockyards had to be built so supplies and soldiers could be landed and the wounded evacuated.
The role of AE2 – our second submarine.
The evacuation. This was done at night in secrecy in December by over 100 ships without casualties.

Australian forces were first in and last out at Gallipoli. The historian Charles Bean described the ANZAC spirit using the following words.

“Endurance, courage, ingenuity, resourceful, good humour, mateship and loyal”.

Guests are always welcome.

07 May 2024 - The Petrov Affair

Speaker - Geoff Pritchard

Hollywood spy drama comes to life

The key plot points of the Petrov affair are straightforward. After a carefully planned Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) operation, Vladimir Petrov – a KGB officer based in the Soviet embassy in Canberra – was convinced to defect to Australia in 1954, providing information in exchange for political asylum.

As the Bulletin put it at the time, Australians had long read of espionage in Europe and felt a vicarious thrill of horror as they have read of hairbreadth escapes across borders and of spy rings. Now their own country was a world in which Hollywood spy drama had come to life.

Guests are always welcome.

14 May 2024 - Woodside Santuary

Speaker - Patricia Veale

Woodside Sanctuary was founded by her parents Vernon and Norah Veale in 1955, following their first baby, Barry Robin, born with spina bifida who lived for 5 months. His short life led to the establishment of this amazing organisation. Woodside provides total multidisciplinary care - nursing, medical, stimulation and well-being programmes. It is a learning environment for students (Care Givers, Social Workers, OT) completing their coursework required practical hours. It also provides outreach coaching to other less fortunate NGOs, in this way uplifting skills in the sector.

Patricia grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa. Her original training was in Social Work and she worked as a medical Social Worker in the Johannesburg Hospital for 4.5 years. She emigrated to Australia (in 1997), where she held various roles in HR consulting, and Change Management before setting up as an independent consultant. She is now devoting her time to help Woodside Sanctuary turn its situation around, in the immediate short term, and build foundations for a sustainable future in the medium and longer term, thus ensuring its continued legacy.

Guests are always welcome.

21 May 2024 - Royal Far West

Speaker - Rebecca Bazley

Our Rotary Club has been pleased to nominate the Royal Far West as one of our key charities for the last two years.

Established in 1924, Royal Far West is one of Australia’s most enduring and respected charities dedicated to connecting kids in rural and remote communities to the care they need.

Royal Far West supports children’s developmental, mental and behavioural health so they can reach their full potential. Where you live should not be a barrier to services nor a cause for disadvantage yet 190,000 children in rural and remote Australia have health and development needs that are not being met.

They offer health, education and disability services for country children and their families at the Centre for Country Kids in Manly, virtually via Telecare, and in local communities.

Rebecca will discuss the work of the Royal Far West and how our financial contribution paid a part in helping children.

Guests are always welcome.

28 May 2024 - History of Northbridge

Speaker - Ron Besdansky

This presentation covers the early history of land acquisition in the area, followed by the story of construction of the "Suspension Bridge" and subsequent events including the initial subdivisions in 1913 and the rebuilding of the bridge in the 1930s. It will also include historic images of the suburb and its heritage items.

Ron graduated in electrical engineering from Sydney University in 1970 and was awarded a Master of Engineering Science degree by the University of Melbourne in 1973. He was employed as a telecommunications engineer by the PMG Department. In the 1970s he moved into the IT field and subsequently worked as a systems engineer in the private sector. He has been a volunteer tutor at the Crows Nest Centre Computer Club since 2010.

Guests are always welcome.

4 June 2024 - Transitional Housing

Speaker - Dennis Van Someren

Some seven years ago, a local friend and Dennis van Someren became alarmed at the plight of women and children becoming homeless, so they decided to try and do something about it. Dennis Van Someren and James Visione from Kenthurst have spent several years trying to find a community solution to homelessness. They have established the Hills Women’s Transitional Housing Project with the support of several community groups.

Homelessness has become a pandemic and domestic violence seems out of control, with some 110,000 women in NSW over 45 at risk of becoming homeless. The fastest growing sector of homelessness is women over 55. The urgency to do something about this pandemic is such that the way forward is by community driven projects. Obviously, political decision making has fallen way short of the mark, so this presentation to North Sydney Sunrise is a part of a call to arms.

Guests are always welcome.

02 April 2024 - Finding the Montevideo Maru

Speaker - Andrea Williams

The loss of the Montevideo Maru is the worst maritime disaster in Australian history, and for 81 years, until 2023, the exact location of its final resting place remained a mystery. The ship sank with at least 850 Australian service members and 210 civilians. The tragedy has transcended generations and reminds us of the human cost of conflict.

Andrea Williams was part of the 2023 Silentworld Expedition team which found the wreck of the Montevideo Maru. Its discovery in the South China Sea, off the coast of the Philippines, made headlines around the world. The mission had been planned for five years following two decades of dedication and research. It was only possible with the latest state-of-the-art technology, including an autonomous underwater vehicle.

The search was led by Australian businessman, maritime history philanthropist and explorer John Mullen, the director of Silentworld Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to maritime archaeology and history.

Andrea has a direct connection with Montevideo Maru as her grandfather and great-uncle became civilian internees, losing their lives on Montevideo Maru. Growing up in Rabaul, her family connection spanned four generations. Andrea is an executive and honorary life member of the Papua New Guinea Association of Australia.

Join us as Andrea shares the significance of this expedition and behind-the-scenes insights into the remarkable discovery and successful identification of the Montevideo Maru.

Guests are always welcome.

26 March 2024 - Salvation Army Homeless and Outreach Support

Speaker - Cameron Barrack & Alan Earls

Come and hear about the Salvation Army Homeless and Outreach support program.

Cameron Barrack (the Program Manager for Homelessness and Outreach Support) and Alan Earls (from the Lived Experience/Peer Support Worker team) will provide an overview of the programs that they deliver. They will highlight the importance the lived experience voice plays in supporting their clients and community members.

Guests are always welcome.

19 March 2024 - Nusa Tenggara Update

Speaker - Phil Domaschenz & Nadine Vincenc

Phil and Nadine will provide an update including the following:

Recap on NTA’s mission and purpose, changes to NTA team
An overview of proposed NTA activities in the coming year – operations and fund raising
A more detailed report on the success of the 2023 School Festival supported by RCNSS

Phil Domaschenz - Phil has been an Executive officer with NTA for 10 Years. He has had a long career in Federal government agencies specialising in natural resource management. He has both local and international experience especially in Indonesia.

Nadine Vincenc - Nadine has been an NTA Board member since 2023. She has had an extensive career as a management consultant with a focus on transformation and technology implementation. She has worked both in private and public sector organisations both all over Australia as well as internationally and spent 2 years working in Indonesia.

Guests are always welcome.

05 March 2024 - NSW Clean Energy plans

Speaker - Clay Preshaw

The Australian energy sector is undergoing a transformation. Renewable energy in our electricity supply mix is continuing to grow and plays a critical role in reducing emissions. In November 2020, the NSW Government released the NSW Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap. There is now a statutory target to build 12 gigawatts of new energy generation by 2030, which is greater than the combined capacity of all the coal-fired power stations in NSW.

A key aspect of the energy transition is an efficient planning approvals process for energy projects. All large-scale wind, solar, hydro, battery and transmission lines are assessed by the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (the Department) as State Significant projects. The Department has already approved 112 energy projects in NSW and there are now more energy projects in the planning system than ever before. In 2023 alone, the Department approved 18 energy projects, including 3 wind farms, 6 solar farms and 9 large-scale batteries. In 2024, the Department is looking to determine approximately 50 more energy projects.

Clay Preshaw leads the Department’s branch that assesses all the energy, mining and resource projects in NSW. He will discuss the current status of NSW’s energy transition and the various challenges associated with it.

Guests are always welcome.

27 February 2024 - The Golden Age of Steam

Speaker - Noel Phelan

The industrial revolution from 1760 to 1840 was powered initially by water wheels then by steam. This was the transition from man made goods to machines. Steam power quickly became the power of choice for factories, cars and trucks, locomotives and tractors. This was done by boilers and reciprocating steam engines.

With the invention of the steam turbine by Charles Parsons everything changed for the better. He built a small ship powered by three steam turbines and nine propellers. The Royal Navy saw the future of the steam turbine and then used it to power the huge battleships – the Dreadnought’s.

The next major change was from coal to oil which made working conditions much better. Today, navy ships are powered by both diesel engines and gas turbines. Cruise liners are often powered by mammoth diesel engines.

Today you can experience and enjoy the romance of steam – the smell, the hissing and mechanical noises that make it seem alive. The Sydney Heritage Fleet has two steam vessels – LADY HOPETOUN and the steam tug WARATAH. The Australian National Maritime Museum in Darling Harbour has the steam yacht ENA.

Come and hear Noel delve into this golden age.

Guests are always welcome.

20 February 2024 - William Bligh - hero, villain, or an accident waiting to happen

Speaker - Ian Burnett

Vice-Admiral William Bligh FRS was a British officer in the Royal Navy and a colonial administrator. He is best known for the mutiny on HMS Bounty, which occurred in 1789 when the ship was under his command.

Guests are always welcome.

13 February 2024 - Chinese New Year dinner

Details - TBA

Guests are always welcome.

30 January 2024 - North Shore Police Area Command

Speaker - Dominic Trevor

The talk looks at the North Shore Police Area Command and the various roles within the command including:

general duties,
youth officer,
crime scene,
detectives etc

and briefly what each role entails.

Senior Constable Dominic Trevor moved into the Crime Prevention Unit as the second Crime Prevention Officer in September 2022. He started in General Duties – responding to day-to-day jobs such as traffic accidents, domestic violence, stealing’s, break and enters, neighbour disputes etc He also did rotations through the North Shore Street Police Team (High Visibility Policing) and North Shore Proactive Crime Team (Plain Clothes).

Guests are always welcome.

23 January 2024 - Nikola Tesla

Speaker - Don Napper

Nikola Tesla: Brilliant Inventor but Tragic Eccentric

The Tesla electric car has recently brought Tesla’s name to public notice. However, it is his many inventions, especially exploiting AC electricity, that have contributed greatly to the world’s technological well-being for over a century and are present unacknowledged in our lives every day. His personal life was that of a tragic eccentric.

Don Napper will talk about Tesla’s life and inventions.

Emeritus Professor Don Napper was educated at Sydney and Cambridge Universities in molecular chemistry. He retired from Sydney University in 2003 as the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Sciences & Technology), where he is now Professor Emeritus.

Guests are always welcome.

16 January 2024 - 2023 Sydney to Hobart Report

Speaker - Lindsay May

Come & hear ???

Guests are always welcome.

28 November 2023 - Australian innovation in Light Treatment for Parkinson's disease

Speaker - Ann Liebert

This talk will discuss the last 12 years of Australian research innovation in light therapy. This has resulted in treatment protocols with a device approved by the TGA for the treatment of the symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

Light is a switch in the body and it can provide energy to cells in many processes. It is the relevant to our circadian rhythms, particularly the morning sun and the afternoon and evening sun which is rich in red light. The seasons also affect our circadian rhythms.

Light as a therapy has been utilised at the San Hospital in Sydney and world-wide since 1903 when Niels Finsen won the Nobel Prize for his use of red light to treat the scars of smallpox. Laser has been used as a treatment since the incidental discovery by Dr Endre Mester in 1967 that it regrew hair and healed wounds in mice. Since that time, light therapy has been used for many areas of medicine and physiotherapy, including in the treatment of wounds, for pain relief, to heal tissues, and to treat the pain of arthritis.

The treatment of symptoms for people with Parkinson’s disease involves an evidence-based treatment protocol to the head and the abdomen with a TGA approved home laser device. Consolidating this research in a large clinical trial has the potential to bring millions of people relief from the symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

Ann Liebert is a clinician/scientist and Coordinator of Photomolecular Research at the San Hospital, Sydney, Australia. She has research positions at Sydney University and the University of Western Sydney and teaches in the Diploma of Photobiomodulation at Universite de Montpellier, France. Ann researches the mechanisms of photobiomodulation and the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and kidney disease. She has published many papers on these and other topics, as well as continuing to treat patients in her photobiomodulation clinic. Ann is a cofounder of the med-tech company SYMBYX Biome, which produces photobiomodulation devices to treat Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Guests are always welcome.

21 November 2023 - Social Haptics

Speaker - Roslyn Barnes

Come & hear Roslyn Barnes. She is a professional interpreter and teacher of Australian Sign language (AUSLAN) and is a passionate advocate for those who are both Deaf and Blind.

Roslyn will speak of the difficulties faced by those who are both Deaf and Blind. Importantly, she will speak about "Social Haptics", which is a special system of touch gestures to enable communication with them. She will also advise how to guide and support such people in everyday situations.

Roslyn learnt Auslan (Australian Sign Language) 20 years after watching deaf children on a bus when she was a child. Realising the need for interpreters, she went on to do a Diploma and later Postgraduate Diploma of English Auslan interpreting and has been working as an Auslan/English interpreter, and now also a teacher of Auslan since 2000. In 2001 she was asked to volunteer at the Inaugural Helen Keller world conference for Deaf Blind people and has been working with Dual-Sensory Loss / Deafblind people ever since. This work encompasses interpreting, mentoring, and teaching a tactile system called Social Haptics, to raise their level of communication.

Guests are always welcome.

13 November 2023

Diwali Dinner Meeting

Location - Malabar Restaurant

6:30 PM

???

Guests are always welcome.

07 November 2023 - NSW Electricity in the future

Speaker - Tony Irwin

Come and hear Tony Irwin talk on electrical supply options for NSW. He will consider:

What do we want from our electricity supply?
What is the problem?
What are the options?
Are Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) an option?
Cost comparisons of low emissions technologies – is Minister Bowen’s $387 billion for nuclear accurate?
Examples of SMRs
How do we manage the waste?

Tony Irwin FIEAust MIET FAIE CPEng is a Chartered Engineer, Technical Director of SMR Nuclear Technology Pty Ltd and Chair of Engineers Australia Sydney Nuclear Engineering Panel. Tony worked for British Energy in the UK for more than thirty years commissioning and operating 8 nuclear power reactors. In 1999 he moved to Australia and joined ANSTO where he was the first Reactor Manager of ANSTO’s new OPAL research reactor. Tony is now a Consultant, Honorary Associate Professor and principal lecturer for Nuclear Reactors and the Nuclear Fuel Cycle at the ANU.

Guests are always welcome.

31 October 2023 - Hearing & Brain Health

Speaker - Andrew Campbell

Come & hear Andrew’s Hearing & Brain Health Talk. This is What You'll Learn

Discover how the cognitive overload you’re suffering from may be caused by untreated hearing loss.
Find out why untreated hearing loss is the number 1 modifiable risk factor for Dementia.
Understand the critical importance of preserving the neural pathways between the ears and the brain, for the prevention of Dementia.
Find out what you can do to keep your brain engaged and active and how soon you need to start.
Learn why the term “use it or lose it” applies to the connection between hearing and the brain.

Andrew Campbell is a Masters trained Audiologist, who has been recognised multiple times as a leader in industry and integrity for his work in Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and the USA. He was a founding member of one of the largest hearing health care groups in the country, the founder of Neuaudio – Hearing & Brain Health, and the founder of the Gain Hearing Network, an organisation dedicated to supporting independent private practices in Australia. Andrew is a member of the Australian College of Audiology.

Guests are always welcome.

24 October 2023 - History of Flying Boats

Speaker - Noel Phelan

During WW I flying boats demonstrated their value for reconnaissance and antisubmarine work. All they needed to operate was some flat water instead of an airfield. During WWII flying boats in particular the Catalinas changed the course of battles. A Catalina found a Japanese submarine off Pearl Harbour before the attack and also found the BISMARCK battleship for the British Navy. Many of the Japanese invasion fleets in the Pacific were found by a Catalina. They were extensively used for sea rescue and mining harbours to stop supplies reaching Japan. To avoid U boats sinking convoys Howard Hughes convinced the American Government to fund the construction of “THE SPRUCE GOOSE”. It could carry 750 troops.

In the 50’s and 60’s you could travel by flying boat from Sydney to London. We had our own International Flying Boat base at Rose Bay. This was very expensive and had lots of luxurious amenities including beds and mini golf. However the golden years of flying boats ended with the advent of the jet plane.

Come and hear Noel delve into the history of flying boats.

Guests are always welcome.

17 October 2023 - How to reduce the risk of Dementia

Denise Ward

Denise Ward is the Executive Officer, Crows Nest Centre, a position she has held since 2011. Denise has previously worked in a wide variety of government and non-government roles in the ageing and disability sector. As one of Northern Sydney's original Home and Community Care Development Workers, she contributed to the development of many services that enable older people to remain in their own homes. Denise has also undertaken policy and strategy roles in State and Local government and taught up and coming community service workers at TAFE. The not for profit sector remains dear to her heart and she has enjoyed a return to direct service, alongside the opportunity to balance her work and family life. Denise is also a past RYLArian and the recipient of a Rotary management scholarship.

Denise will explain

What is dementia
What does dementia affect
What are the early signs
Who gets dementia
What risks can’t you change
What risk can you change
5 simple steps to brain health

Guests are always welcome.

26 September 2023 - Sydney Harbour High Line

Ian Mutton

The Sydney Harbour HighLine

is 3.3km long;
runs through a 310 metre tunnel;
ends in a harbour fronting 2 hectare parkland;
passes and will link:
Ball’s Head Reserve (and the coal loader),
Waverton Park,
Sawmillers Reserve,
Wendy’s “Secret” Garden,
Lavender Bay Parklands
Harry’s Park
Luna Park,
the Olympic Pool and
the Harbour Bridge

Come & hear Ian Mutton share the ups and downs of the HighLine saga

Ian is a lawyer with an extensive background in competition and product liability laws and company management. He has worked in the Trade Practices Commission, and in the private sector where he was heavily involved in product liability claims around the world. Then he managed the relationships between a Northern Ireland based energy start-up company with governments and regulators based in Belfast, Westminster and Brussels. Following this he started a firm that specialised in devising and implementing competition law and product liability related governance and training programs for companies in Australia, New Zealand and Europe. Ian is also a North Sydney Councillor.

Guests are always welcome.

19 September 2023 - North Sydney Mayor

Zoe Baker

Independent Councillor Zoë Baker was first elected to North Sydney Council in 2008 and was elected Mayor in January 2022. She has a passion for urban design and planning and a strong commitment to sustainability and innovation in all aspects of Council decision making.

Throughout Zoë’s service as Councillor and Mayor, she worked to protect and expand open space, deliver environmental, financial and social sustainability and initiated progressive approaches to complex issues facing her community.

For example, Zoë has championed award winning precinct planning, such as St Leonards/Crows Nest Precinct Planning Studies and Educational Precinct Planning Study and the adoption and implementation of Council’s Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) Best Practice project.

Zoë has also served as:

Deputy Mayor
Director, Local Government NSW (2013-2015)
Chair of Council's Environmental Reference Group
Established and chaired Council's Educational Institutions Working Group
Council's Delegate Community Advisory Group - St Leonards Priority Precinct
Council's Delegate to Northern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils
Chair, Waverton Peninsula Working Group
Chair, Council's Sustainable Transport Working Group

She has an Honours degree in Government from the University of Sydney and holds a Certificate of Excellence in Local Government.

She will talk about “What is going on at Council”.

Guests are always welcome.

12 September 2023 - "Public Servants"

Paul Mullins

Paul Mullins is currently the publisher of the Molong Express, a 150 year old newspaper in the Central West. Prior to taking this "retirement job" Paul spent many years in the Public Service in Canberra and Sydney working for the Prime Ministers and Premiers Departments (in "Old" Parliament House) and the National Archives.

Paul will share some funny and amusing anecdotes from the days when public servants were truly "frank and fearless" and memorable finds in the Archives.

Guests are always welcome.

5 September 2023 - Western Harbour Tunnel

Michael Burden

TBA

Guests are always welcome.

29 August 2023 The History 0f the Australian Colonies from First Fleet to Federation

Ian Burnet

Ian Burnet has a combined Bsc. In Geology and Geophysics and has an interest in maritime history and historic maps.

Guests are always welcome.

15 August - Blues Point Bookshop

Helen Baxter

Helen completed a law degree at Sydney University. However, she joined Qantas as part of their cadetship program when equal pay and opportunity was gazetted by the Federal Government. She had a long and what would be seen as a successful career in a male dominated industry working in many divisions in Australia and Overseas. When she retired [as Qantas was privatising] she was the Director of wholesale travel for Qantas. Having lost 3 members of her family she had always wanted to own a bookshop and 27 years ago chose McMahons Point as the location to start what is now the iconic and “centre” of the community Bluespoint Bookshop.

Helen will talk about the importance of Village High Streets to a community and the need for greater support by a community to those living in and visiting the Community …. The importance of Rotary and encouraging younger locals to participate….

Guests are always welcome.

08 August - Rotary District Governor Visit

Christine Owen

Come

Guests are always welcome.

01 August - Australia's Defence Strategy in the 21st century

Gus McLachlan

Join us for breakfast with one of Australia's most experienced military experts. Gus McLachlan will provide an overview of AUKUS, the Defence Strategic Review and the war in Ukraine and what they mean for Australia.

Gus McLachlan completed his 37-year career with the Australian Army in 2019, retiring as a Major General. He has been responsible for generating Australian Defence capability in cyber space, electronic warfare and command and control systems. He completed two years as Head of Army Modernisation, during which time he worked closely with industry to commence a major recapitalisation of Army equipment and to network the systems of the Army.
Gus McLachlan’s military career concluded after he led Land Forces Command where he was responsible for 35,000 women and men of the Army. Since his retirement he has been a regular commentator on defence issues.

Guests are always welcome.

25 July - Western Front Tour

Will Davies

Come and hear a briefing about the Western Front (then and now). As a regular visitor to the Australian operational areas of the Western Front in both France and Belgium, Will’s presentation shows the battlefields, then and now.

Will Davies - After graduating from the ANU in 1971, he started work at the Commonwealth Film Unit in Lindfield, the beginning of a career spanning nearly forty years producing documentaries for national and international television, until his retirement in 2010. To date he has written ten books. He also holds a PhD from the ANU in Canberra. Between 2010 and 2019 he was a member of the NSW Centenary of Anzac Advisory Council and has since that time, been leading battlefield tours to the Western Front, Normandy, Jersey, wartime London and Gallipoli.

18 July - Ukraine Update

Jaroslav Duma OAM

Come and hear a briefing on the Russian invasion of Ukraine by the Honorary Consul of Ukraine in Sydney - Jaroslav Duma OAM.

You will hear about

what is happening in the war - beyond what is in the media.
the support provided by the Australian and NSW governments, Rotary, the Australian people and other groups around the world.
the Ukrainian Displaced People in Australia and how they are being helped.

Jaroslav Duma OAM is currently the Honorary Consul of Ukraine in Sydney, and an active member of the Australian-Ukrainian community to which he has devoted most of his life through a myriad of “volunteer” positions in various community organisations. In the Honorary Consul role, he represents Ukraine at official consular functions. He also provides support to Ukrainian citizens when required.

Guests are always welcome.

11 July 2023 - Australian Shareholders Association

Richard McDonald

Australian Shareholders' Association (ASA) is Australia's largest independent not-for-profit, shareholder association and has representation in all states of Australia. Founded in 1960, the organisation is driven by its mission to be the voice of retail shareholders through educating investors and standing up for shareholder rights.

Richard will explain how the ASA functions and the services that they provide.

Richard McDonald is a retired Qantas pilot. When he retired, he joined the Australian Shareholders Association which is a voluntary organisation and of which he is the NSW state Chairman. Whilst at Qantas he spent 4 years on the Board of Qantas Superannuation fund and sat on the investment committee.

04 July 2023 - Changeover Dinner Meeting

Location - Waterview at Waverton

97 Bay Road, Waverton

Cost: $60 per person Includes three course dinner.

BYO

6:30 PM for 7:00 PM

Please RSVP to kpreshaw@gmail.com

Guests are always welcome.

20 June 2023 - The Frankenstein Law

Phillip Lawrence

There is no doubt the world is facing several critical issues. We have left behind an era of extraordinary low interest rates, and now charting new waters of increasing rates and super charged inflation challenging the global economy. The pent-up tension between the west and the east, challenging international security. Global inequality of wealth, challenging the poorest people and nations. Runaway technologies that have recently been described by some commentators as useless goods, Frankenstein artificial intelligence. And of course, climate change, we have a target, (meaning the world) but what are the chances, a challenge for future generations?

Phillip will present his research into why the 1862 Company Act in the UK is the root cause of all these problems. The law was suddenly introduced and passed without adequate debate. According to some, it was the single greatest human invention, and to others it was the darkest moment in human history. Phillip calls it the ultimate Frankenstein law, a monster wreaking havoc on the world over generations. It was the promise the creature made to Dr Frankenstein in repayment for being created in the first place.

Phillip Lawrence worked in international business areas in the US and Europe up until 2007 when he began academic research into a theory of modernising societies.

He is a founder and director of a Bio-Medical technology business. Interests in innovative energy technologies in energy saving, storage, and production.

He lectures at the University of Sydney on Globalisation and Governance in the department of Government and International Relations. His research interests are in the future of capitalism, politics of climate change, and imbedded inequality.

13 June 2023 - Greenway Update

Christopher Ireland & Bryce Gunn

What is the role of Social Housing in Kirribilli, and why should we care?

Internationally acclaimed photographer Christopher Ireland gives us an insight into the circumstances that lead people to Social Housing.

Exploring the stories of some of the Greenway Residents, Chris questions a widely held myth that people bring circumstances upon themselves, presenting a complex, intimate, and personal account of life as told by his subjects. Chris’ project aims to increase the connections between all members of this great community through his photography and storytelling.

Chris and Bryce will provide an update on

His project and its exhibition
the Mens Shed at Greenway.
Bryce’s presidents update on Rotary / Greenway collaborations yielding stronger community ties.

Chris Ireland is a Sydney based commercial photographer and artist. As well as shooting ad campaigns for Uber, Telstra, Canon, Samsung and The Australian Defence Force, Chris uses photographic exhibitions to raise our social awareness of emotionally sensitive issues.

Bryce Gunn is the President of the Greenway Tenants Group

06 June 2023 - Mike Dureau

"Is Hydrogen the Answer to Australia's Future as a Renewable Superpower".

To ensure that the climate is stable and predictable the world needs to act now to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Australia, as a country, is neither causing nor exacerbating the problem but we must do all that is reasonably and economically possible to lead in emissions reduction and hopefully create jobs and growth in the process.

This talk will discuss the problem and explore how Hydrogen could play a role in Australia’s Future Energy Vision. Australia is a lucky country and we can leverage our special position in the push to Net Zero by 2050. The talk will clarify the Hydrogen puzzle, describe the colours of hydrogen, and discuss what NSW and other states are doing with Renewable Energy Zones and incentives.

Adjunct Professor Michael Dureau AM has a proven track record as a successful CEO and Chairman of Private, Public and Not-for-Profit Organisations. He was the Chairman of Engineers Australia’s National Committee on Fuels and Energy, Vice President Finance (Treasurer) and Chairman of the Chemical College Board.

He is passionate about renewable clean energy and is a director of BioTek Fuels Ltd. And a member of the NSW Decarbonisation Expert Panel. He is Chairman of Coal Innovation NSW and was the Deputy Chairman of the ACT Solar/Wind Auction Panel.

He is an Honorary Fellow of Engineers Australia (EA) and has been listed several times as one of Australia’s Top 100 Most Influential Engineers.

Guests are always welcome.

30 May - Streetwork

Helen Banu

Streetwork’s Purpose is to support vulnerable young people in the community to turn their lives around.

Teenage years can be difficult and confusing. For Streetwork’s young people they are also dangerous and life-threatening. Shut off from a close adult role model, the 11 to 18 year olds referred to our program struggle with mental health (often suicidal thoughts and self-harm), substance misuse, social isolation, school or work absenteeism, youth crime, and youth homelessness.

To break the cycle of these destructive behaviours we match our young people with their own trained and experienced youth case worker, who supports them to:

set goals to address the behaviors that place them at risk
2. connect with the community services that can help them achieve those goals

Their mentoring model combines case management with a youth-centred approach.

Youth Case Management is about assessing, coordinating, monitoring and evaluating a young person’s improved outcomes and experiences.

Guests are always welcome.

23 May - Topic TBA

Speaker - Azita Abdollahian

Guests are always welcome.

09 May - Therapy for kids

Kevin Rangi

Therapies For Kids is a paediatric allied health service which specialises in Intensive Therapy Programs, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Language Pathology and Exercise Physiology for children of all abilities. The therapists are a passionate, energetic and caring team who take a transdisciplinary approach in developing a child’s full potential.

The transdisciplinary approach integrates the knowledge and methods from different disciplines so that the child receives a uniform, holistic individualised approach.

Kevin Rangi (Business Manager of TFK) will give a presentation on the advantages that independence has on typically developing children vs. the effect that lack of independence has on children who live with a disability.

Therapies for Kids (TFK) is an Allied Health Provider, a private practice with 3 clinics. 2 in Sydney and 1 in Narrandera in the Riverina district. TFK treats approx. 400 children weekly. TFK has been providing battery powered toy cars to various children to assist them in their quest for independence.

Guests are always welcome.

02 May - Sydney to Hobart Experiences

John Taylor

JT (John Taylor) will talk about crewing aboard the 38ft timber boat "King Billy" in last year’s Sydney Hobart. Race preparation, smart navigation strategy, chaos at the start and high speed sailing in black night are all part of what makes the Sydney Hobart one of most challenging yacht races in the world.

He'll highlight the stark differences between the high-speed super maxis and the traditional Corinthian campaigns and what makes sailors come back year after year despite 4 days of enduring cold, wet and windy sailing.

JT lives, works, and sails from North Sydney. Educated in Adelaide and trained as a stockbroker in Brisbane JT worked in Hong Kong for 9 years during the 80's boom and bust era. On returning to Sydney with a young family he started a printing and mailing business while still finding time to go sailing. He now runs his own property management business. He joined Rotary in Hong Kong in 1987, His interest include sailing for the disable and improving indigenous education.

Guests are always welcome.

18 April - Key Issues facing the Community

Speaker - Felicity Wilson MLA

Following the recent state election, Felicity will talk about the key issues facing our local community.

Felicity has served as the Member for North Shore in the Parliament of NSW since April 2017.

Guests are always welcome.

11 April - Housing as we age

Denise Tomlinson

This “Housing as we Age” talk is all about how successful this generation has been and the differences between Retirement Living, Residential, and Aged Care. It will guide us through fun facts about aging happily and what is and what isn’t a Retirement village.

Denise will explain the new form of urban living designed for the over 55’s.

Denise’s job is helping Seniors move from their family home to the next stage.

She has been involved with seniors living for over 20 years, and times have changed. She grew up in the 60’s, went to work here in the 70’s, had her kids in the 80’s, and her grandchildren were born in the third millennium. Reaching this point in our lives should be acknowledged as a triumph! This ageing society has been a successful society, seeing through many major paradigm shifts. This generation has adopted more changes than any other in world history.

Guests are always welcome.

04 April 2023 - How to connect security and recovery within a "new deal" for Ukraine

Mikhail Prokopenko

Mikhail will briefly review a continuing pattern of Soviet/Russian invasions into neighbouring countries, and discuss approaches to post-war reconstruction of Ukraine, in the spirit of Roosevelt’s “New Deal” of 1930s and the Marshall Plan of 1947–1952. However, he will also need to acknowledge the unique features of the current situation and systemic challenges facing Ukraine.

Prof. Mikhail Prokopenko leads the Centre for Complex Systems at the University of Sydney. He holds PhD in Computer Science (Macquarie University, Australia, 2002), MA in Economics (University of Missouri–Columbia, USA, 1994), and MSc in Applied Mathematics (Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University, Baku, USSR, 1988).

Guests are always welcome.

14 March 2023 - The Rotary Foundation

Mark Anderson

Mark Anderson will explain how the Rotary Foundation functions. He will talk about The Rotary Foundation, The Community Assessment and its IMPACT on a Club.

Mark is the Senior Coordinator, Fund Development for The Rotary Foundation at the South Pacific and Philippines Office in Sydney. His role is donor acquisition and stewardship. He has been a Rotarian for over 35 years, being a member in Clubs in Victoria, New South Wales and South Africa.

Guests are always welcome.

07 March 2023 - Manufacturing Snacks in Australia

Kurt Preshaw

The cost of building in Australia remains high, and there are still many hidden costs such as infrastructure requirements for utilities, very strict environmental, health and safety standards & complex bureaucratic approval processes with many layers of stakeholders.

However, there are a number of factors that make Australian manufacturing more appealing again. The cost of freight (both environmental and monetary), the growing focus on environmental impact, the ever changing equation of technology cost (think robots) vs the high Australian labour cost and the surety of local supply chains which thanks to Covid have become more important than ever.

Furthermore, digital tools and simulations are reducing the risk and cost of investments, making it easier and more efficient for companies to invest in Australian manufacturing. Ultimately, despite the challenges, the benefits and opportunities presented by investing in Australian manufacturing make it a worthwhile consideration for food businesses looking to expand their operations.

Kurt Preshaw is currently the CEO and Chairman of Intersnack ANZ, which is Australia and New Zealand's second-largest snack company. The company sells some of the most popular brands of chips, muesli bars, and biscuits, generating over a billion dollars in revenue. Intersnack ANZ employs more than 1000 people who manufacture most of its products in Sydney, Auckland, or Nelson.

Kurt began his career as a truck driver selling potato chips and corn chips to milk bars, pubs, and petrol stations in the Northern beaches of Sydney. He then moved on to a successful career in PepsiCo, working primarily in Sales and Marketing. His impressive trajectory at PepsiCo included running the company's food business in Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos. Before that, he was the General Manager of the NZ snacks business and also led the Quaker foods business in Australia.

Guests are always welcome.

28 February - The History of Australia through its Maps

Ian Burnet

Ian Burnet will tell the history of Australia through its maps. Starting with maps of Terra Australia Incognita, the various Dutch maps of New Holland, James Cook’s map of New Holland and New South Wales, Louis Freycinet's Map of Australia 1811, and then Mathew Flinders's Map of Australia 1814 and 1829.

Ian Burnet Is the author of a number of books, including Spice Islands, which tells the History, Romance and Adventure of the spice trade from the Moluccas in Eastern Indonesia over a 2000 year period.

Guests are always welcome.

21 February - Crows Nest Community Center

Denise Ward

Denise will give us an update on the work of the Centre.

Guests are always welcome.

14 February - North Sydney Council Sustainability Program

Daniella MacDowell

Come & hear how North Sydney Council is assisting businesses in reducing their environmental impact and supporting them through their sustainability journey.

Through the Better Business Partnership program, small businesses in North Sydney get a full sustainability assessment with tailored advice from Council Sustainable Business Officer, where they develop a sustainability action plan. It is a one-stop shop for all programs, events, rebates and supports relating to sustainability. Whether it is saving businesses energy, water or reducing waste costs, increasing staff and community engagement or buying better through sustainable purchasing, there are lots of opportunities.

CitySwitch is a national program supported by Council where office-based businesses have access to free professional advice on how to reduce carbon emissions, go net zero and access to a wide network of other companies also taking steps to improve their sustainability. Encompassing businesses from different sectors and sizes, CitySwitch assists businesses to measure baseline carbon emissions and find practical solutions on how to improve energy efficiency and reduce its impact.

Daniella MacDowell (Council Sustainable Business Officer) will explain how these programs work. Daniella has more than 15 years’ experience working on various projects, in Australia and overseas, regarding sustainability, environmental and social positive impacts, sustainable and environmental education as well as corporate social responsibility. She also has a Specialization in Environmental Law and an Academic Master Degree in Environmental Health.

Guests are always welcome.

07 February - Scam Awareness

Dominic Trevor & Michael Alexander

In the month of December 2022, there were 23,744 scams reported and over $34 million lost. Michael and Dominic will provide an insight into the latest scams and what to do to avoid hem.

Senior Constable Michael Alexander has been in the Crime Prevention Unit as the Crime Prevention Officer since 2017. In this time, he has worked closely with the community. He has also had various opportunities to work at the Police Operations Centre (POC), including deployments to the Victorian border during Covid, and to Lismore during the floods.

Senior Constable Dominic Trevor moved into the Crime Prevention Unit as the second Crime Prevention Officer with S/CST Alexander In September 2022. He started in General Duties – responding to day to day jobs such as traffic accidents, domestic violence, stealing’s, break and enters, neighbour disputes etc He also did rotations through the North Shore Street Police Team (High Visibility Policing) and North Shore Proactive Crime Team (Plain Clothes).

Guests are always welcome.

31 January - Rotary Peace Scholar

Ana Prada

Ana Prada is a Colombian activist interested in Latin American local peacebuilding processes and sustainable agriculture. Ana has accompanied organic and agroecological production processes in Colombia, Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Peru. She has also accompanied different organisations in the implementation of the Peace Agreement in the areas of comprehensive rural reform, economic reintegration and solutions to the drug problem. She is a Rotary peace fellow at the University of Queensland, a business administrator in sociology at the
Javeriana University of Bogotá. She is an alumna of the International Training in Dialogue and Mediation at Uppsala University and the international course on Food Systems and Sustainable and Healthy Diets at the University of Wageningen.

Ana will talk about how she seeks to contribute to the consolidation of peace economy models in Latin America, designed collaboratively by local communities as an alternative to extractive and drug trafficking economies.

Guests are always welcome.

17 January 2023 - 2022 Sydney to Hobart

Lindsay May

Lindsay May competed in his 48^th consecutive Sydney Hobart Yacht Race last December. A record for consecutive races. He navigated the classic 73 foot yawl Kialoa II (the line honours winner in 1971)

Lindsay will give an overview of the race illustrated by spectacular photographs from some of yachting’s best photographers.

Guests are always welcome.

13 December 2022 - Dinner meeting

Location - Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, Kirribilli

CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION
7.00pm for 7.30 pm

Price $85 pp for Entree, Main, Desert and Tea/Coffee

Cash Bar, No BYO

Dress: Neat and Casual

***Please RSVP Andrew Young* *aaya09@gmail.com***

PS - no breakfast meeting on this day

06 December 2022 - Nusa Tengarra Update

Stephanie Heighes

North Sydney Sunrise Rotary Club sponsored the Nusa Tenggara association (NTA). This presentation will cover

A brief overview of the NTA, focusing on NTAs achievements in FY 21-22
A short update on the current Covid-19 situation in Indonesia and how Covid-19 affected NTA’s operations
A report on the Music and Dance festival 2022, funded by Rotary North Sydney Sunrise
Rotary Donor trip 2022
A glimpse of the future

Stephanie is a social Anthropologist from Switzerland. She has been working for the Humanitarian Aid and Development Cooperation since 2004 and lived from 2007 to 2017 in Flores (NTT- Indonesia). She moved to Sydney in December 2017 with her Australian husband and their 2 children. She started working for NTA in June 2017.

Guests are always welcome.

29 November 2022 - Box Head Plastics

Bec Healy

Only 1.9% of Australian automotive plastic waste is recycled. Boxhead Plastics exists to support the auto industry divert more of its plastic waste from landfill.”

Only 11.5% of Australian plastic waste is recycled. Boxhead Plastics was founded in response to this plastic waste crisis.

Early experiments centred on recycling PET plastic from discarded bottles to produce filament used in 3D printers.

In 2017 we started experimenting with polypropylene car bumper bars, handcrafting boxes from this plastic material. This is where the name Boxhead Plastics comes from

In 2018, Boxhead Founder Bec Healy, enrolled at Lidcombe TAFE studying Polymer Technology.

By 2020, Boxhead Plastics had successfully forged a chain of relationships that turns locally recycled car bumper bars into a feedstock ready for injection moulding.

Guests are always welcome.

22 November 2022 - Alzheimer’s research

Prof Ralph Martins

Prof. Ralph Martins has dedicated the last 33 years to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) research and is highly regarded as a world leader in the field. His insight into this devastating disease has led to a number of ground-breaking discoveries. Prof. Martins and his team have been at the forefront globally in developing non-invasive and cost-effective early diagnostics for pre-clinical AD.

In recognition of Prof. Martin's outstanding achievements in AD research, he was awarded the Western Australian of the Year in 2010, the Western Australia’s Citizen of the Year (Professions) in 2011 and Officer of the Order of Australia in 2013.

Guests are always welcome.

15 November 2022 - Phoenix House Breakfast

at Norths Leagues Club 7 AM

Phoenix House mission has three pillars, Care, Educate and Connect.

They care by providing Crisis and Transitional housing and Case Management and Counselling for young people.

They Educate by providing Flexible and Inclusive alternative education and training pathways.

And they Connect young people with those from intercultural and intergenerational cohorts within their community.

08 November 2022 - Savings Finder Program

Nerita Hammer

The Savings Finder Service is a NSW Government initiative bringing more than 70 rebates and savings together in one convenient location. NSW customers can view, access and apply for over 70 rebates and savings online at www.service.nsw.gov.au

Nenita Hammer, Support Service Specialist of Service NSW North Sydney, will be explain how you can save as the cost-of-living rises. Not many are aware that there are more than 70 discounts and rebates available through the Savings Finder program, with a range of them specifically designed to assist our seniors.

The Savings Finder tool via the Service NSW website makes it easy to see what help is available. You will be shown how to navigate the program online and make an appointment should you need more assistance with applying for these rebates.

Nenita from Service NSW North Sydney originally came from a travel background, having worked in the industry for over 20 years. The pandemic has changed all that, when travel was put on standstill. Service NSW gave her the opportunity to work in their Disaster Welfare Assistance Line, assisting Covid, Bushfires and Flood enquiries. She just recently completed a deployment to flood affected NSW Northern Rivers where she worked at several Disaster Recovery Centres in Northern NSW. She's now based in the Service NSW North Sydney office, where she conducts daily Savings Finder appointments.

Guests are always welcome.

25 October 2022 - To be or not to be relevant

Carla Moore

Shakespeare is probably the most famous playwright in the world, having written 37 plays and 154 sonnets. His work is still read, studied and loved 400 years later leaving an everlasting impact on English literature. The reach of the playwright is extensive, and people from all over the globe and all walks of life have read him, watched his plays, or have at least watched screen adaptations of his work.

The million-dollar question is: Why does the work of William Shakespeare continue to resonate with generation after generation and why he remains so popular in the 21st century?

Carla Moore is a teacher, director and playwright and has a Master in Applied Theatre, a Postgraduate Certificate in the Teaching of Shakespeare and is a NIDA Graduate in Playwriting. She has worked extensively in the field of Drama in Infants, Primary, High and tertiary institutions. Carla tutors at UTS and UNSW in Shakespeare in the English Classroom and has taught Performance Workshops for NSW Community Theatre Association, Drama NSW, the English Teachers’ Association, and Teacher Training Australia. . In 2007, she wrote the Teachers’ Notes for the Bell Shakespeare Company. Carla currently teaches HSC Drama at Bradfield Senior College

Guests are always welcome.

11 October 2022 - Stroke Safe

Caleb Ferguson

More than 27,000 strokes will be experienced by Australians this year – that is one stroke every 19 minutes. But the good news is that it doesn't need to be this way. Up to 80 percent of strokes are preventable.

Associate Professor Caleb Ferguson is a Sydney based StrokeSafe Speaker and cardiovascular disease researcher. So, while he will present common information about stroke and its prevention, he will also draw on his own experiences as a researcher which makes his talk different – and very powerful.

Caleb's talk will cover:

What stroke is – What happens when someone is having a stroke and the different types of stroke.
How to recognise the signs of stroke – Learn the vital FAST signs which will help you recognise when someone is having a stroke.
What to do if someone is having a stroke – If you or someone else experiences the signs of stroke, no matter how long they last, call 000 immediately.
How to prevent stroke – Steps that can be taken to better understand and reduce the risk of having a stroke.

Guests are always welcome.

18 October 2022 - World Poker Championship

Mark Staples

Mark Staples, secretary of Crows Nest Rotary, recently played in the World Championships of Poker in Las Vegas. He will have a very informal discussion on his experience amongst 9000 players fighting for 1^st prize of $10,000,000.

Taking on professional players where skill is more important than luck, and explaining why Poker is not gaming.

He will also provide an update on the changing rules & problems of international travel.

Guests are always welcome.

04 October 2022 - Juliette Tobias-Webb

How can we actually enable stronger action on climate change using behavioural insights?

With the rise in polarisation, it is important to reframe how we think about changing someone's mind. If you want to bridge the gap, it’s more productive to appeal to someone’s identity, motivations and social networks than to their logic. Dr Juliette will present evidence from psychological science to help us understand why we are polarised, how we can shift peoples beliefs and judgements, and how we can create sustainable behavioural change (without changing people's minds).

Dr Juliette Tobias-Webb is a Chief Behavioural Scientist, Senior MBA Lecturer and one of 60 women in Australia nominated as a Superstar of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths).

Dr Juliette has a PhD in Experimental Psychology from Cambridge University (focused on gambling behaviour) and has worked for a range of leading government and corporate organisations to design better products and services for human decision making and behaviour change. Dr Juliette has been a Senior Manager in Behavioural Science for Commonwealth Bank, the Behaviour Change Lead for Ogilvy Australia, and a Research Fellow for the Behavioural Insights Team. Dr Juliette has also run large scale behaviour change programs for clients such as Atlassian, Citibank and PWC.

Guests are always welcome.

20 September 2022 - Life at Greenway Kirribilli

Chris Ireland

What is the role of Social Housing in Kirribilli, and why should we care?

Internationally acclaimed photographer Christopher Ireland gives us an insight into the circumstances that lead people to Social Housing.

Exploring the stories of some of the Greenway Residents, Chris questions a widely held myth that people bring circumstances upon themselves, presenting a complex, intimate and personal account of life as told by his subjects.

Chris’ project aims to increase the connections between all members of this great community through his photography and storytelling.

President of the Greenway Tennants Group Bryce Gunn will be in attendance.

Chris is a Sydney based commercial photographer and artist. As well as shooting ad campaigns for Uber, Telstra, Canon, Samsung and The Australian Defence Force, Chris uses photographic exhibitions to raise our social awareness of emotionally sensitive issues.

Guests are always welcome.

30 August 2022 - An independent in Canberra

Kylea Tink

In September 2021, Kylea announced her candidacy to run for the seat of North Sydney at the 2022 election. The main focus of Tink's campaign was climate policy and equality in society.

Kylea was born in Coonabarabran. She was educated at Coonabarabran High School, and the Australian National University. She lives in Northbridge and is a mother of three.

Kylea is a former managing director of Edelman Australia. She worked pro bono as a PR consultant for the McGrath Foundation, after being invited to assist the growing organisation following the death of Jane McGrath. She became the CEO of the Foundation and helped bring about the Pink Test (a cricketing fundraiser that raises awareness and money for the Foundation).

Guests are always welcome.

23 August 2022 - The Aussie Camino

Luke Keighery

The Aussie Camino is a 200km pilgrimage route running from Portland in Victoria to Penola in South Australia, inspired by the life and journeys of Australia’s Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop and her mentor Fr Julian Tenison Woods. The walk is based on the traditions of the Camino de Santiago de Compostela: pilgrims receive a guidebook, passport, scallop shell and stay in the local towns along the way.

Luke is Waverton Hub President; he enjoys walking and is passionate about supporting worthy causes. In March this year Luke walked the Aussie Camino in a group of 8 pilgrims. It was an amazing adventure and Luke has many stories to tell. Through this walk Luke raised over $10,000 for Interplast Australia – a charity doing amazing work sending teams of volunteer plastic and reconstructive surgeons, anaesthetists and allied health professionals to provide life-changing surgery and medical training in 17 countries across the Asia-Pacific region.

Guests are always welcome.

16 August 2022 - Alfonso Calero

Shoot for the Stars

Do you want to capture beautiful images of the night sky?

Alfonso Calero has six great tips to help you shoot for the stars. He will explain

WHEN TO SHOOT
WHERE TO SHOOT
COMPOSITION
GEAR
TECHNIQUE
POST PRODUCTION

Come along with your questions.

Alfonso Calero used to be a Japanese and Spanish speaking tour-guide and taught English in Tokyo. For the last 20 years, he has been a Professional Photographer. He specialises in People and Places. As a travel photographer this has given him the experience and versatility to shoot in different genres such as Landscape, Street Portraits, Nature, Wildlife and Architecture.

Guests are always welcome.

09 August 2022 - Jailing is Failing

Robert Tickner AO

The Justice Reform Initiative is committed to reducing Australia's harmful and costly reliance on incarceration. The patrons include more than 100 eminent Australians, including two former Governors-General, former Members of Parliament from all sides of politics, academics, respected Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders, senior former judges, and many other community leaders.

There are multiple evidence based alternatives to incarceration that are known to make the community safer. These alternatives address the drivers of incarceration (including homelessness, unemployment, disconnection from culture, problematic drug and alcohol use, access to mental health and disability services). The Justice Reform Initiative is keen to work with all sides of politics to build an evidence-based approach to justice policy, and to ensure there is adequate resourcing and capacity for community led services and organisations that are able to break the cycle of incarceration.

Robert Tickner will present a large and compelling evidence base outlining how to build alternatives to incarceration and pathways out of the prison system. The campaign seeks to bring together organisations and people of goodwill from across the political spectrum and the broader public to build the conversation in Australia around how jailing is failing.

Robert Tickner AO has a Batchelor of Laws and Master of Laws (Hons), Bachelor of Economics from University of Sydney. He is Australia’s longest serving Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs 1990-96. He has been the CEO of Australian Red Cross, a Councillor on Sydney City Council including a brief period as Acting Lord Mayor. Also he was Acting Under Secretary General of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Federation

Guests are always welcome.

02 August 2022 - North Sydney Demographics

Eric Poulos

What is happening to the neighbourhood? Is it all jobs and growth in our CBD? North Sydney is seen as a great place to live, work, be educated, visit and shop. But really, do you know about the mix of people, housing and facilities and how it’s changed in the last five years?

Come & hear Eric Poulos describe changes in the demographics of the North Sydney Community. One of his current projects is to survey families and input into a new Community Services Strategy for North Sydney which he’ll also fill you in about.

Eric Poulos is North Sydney Council’s Community Worker and Social Planner and he’ll take you through census information and a range of data about the area. He’s worked in North Sydney for 7 years and has a wealth of experience in managing projects in the social and welfare field. He is strategic and creative, with particular interests in social planning, cultural diversity, community development, capacity building and community engagement. Over half his career has been in local government. One of his current projects is to deliver a new Family and Children’s Strategy for North Sydney which he’ll also fill you in about.

Guests are always welcome.

26 July 2022 - Living well with Glaucoma

Gem Chew

It is estimated that over 300,000 Australians have glaucoma, yet 50% are unaware they have it, thinking they have healthy eyes. Anyone may develop glaucoma, but the incidence increases with age. About 1 in 10,000 babies are born with glaucoma, by age 40 about 1 in 200 have glaucoma, rising to 1 in 8 at age 80.

Known as the 'silent thief of sight' glaucoma develops slowly and often without any symptoms, leaving people undetected until the disease reaches an advanced stage. Left untreated, glaucoma can cause vision loss and may even lead to blindness. But if detected early, glaucoma can be managed and vision loss prevented.

Gem Chew (a Glaucoma Australia clinical volunteer) will provide an overview of glaucoma, the importance of early detection as well as tips on living with and managing this condition.

Gem is a fifth year medical student at UNSW and is currently on clinical rotations with an ophthalmology clinic in Green Square where she is working as an Ophthalmic Assistant.

Guests are always welcome.

19 July 2022 - Kakoda Veteran

Reg Chard

The Kokoda Trail campaign was part of the Pacific War of World War II. The campaign consisted of a series of battles fought between July and November 1942.

Reg Chard is a genuine digger – and a great Australian. He will talk about his own experiences during World War 2 including the Kokoda Trail.

Visitors are always welcome

21 June 2022 - Club Health Check Discussion

Allen Colburt

All members have been asked to complete a survey about our club. A discussion of the responses from members will be led by Allen Colburt. This will also include a discussion of ideas (new or old) for activities our club could / should participate in.

Guests are always welcome.

14 June 2022 - Northsider

Anna Gordon

Northsider Magazine is the insider guide to all the best bits of Sydney's lower north shore created for locals, by locals in North Sydney. It is published quarterly and is an insider’s guide that celebrates our vibrant and iconic neighbourhoods on the Lower North Shore of Sydney.

Anna Gordon, Editorial Director: From reporting on secret schools for girls in Afghanistan to discussing Ironman with Turia Pitt, Anna has delivered exclusive content for some of the world’s biggest publications. She has held a number of senior editorial roles on national newspapers and magazines, both in the UK and Australia. A Kirribilli resident for eight years, she now lives in Neutral Bay and works in North Sydney.

Guests are always welcome.

31 May 2022 - North Sydney Community Strategic Plan

Jenny Gleeson

Under the Local Government Act 1993, following the commencement of each term of council all NSW councils must prepare an integrated suite of plans to guide its planning and reporting - this is known as Integrated Planning & Reporting (IP&R). The IP&R suite includes the following components listed in order of hierarchy:

Community Strategic Plan
Resourcing Strategy - includes three inter-related sections - long term financial planning, asset management planning and workforce planning
Delivery Program - includes 4 year financial estimates
Operational Plan & Budget - annual; includes the Statement of Revenue Policy
Annual Report - includes Audited Financial Statements

The Community Strategic Plan is a plan to shape the North Sydney LGA’s future. It is both an aspirational vision and a practical plan. The plan seeks to address four key questions:

Where are we now?
Where do we want to be in 10-20 years’ time?
How will we get there?
How will we know we have arrived?

North Sydney Council is in the final stage of reviewing the North Sydney Community Strategic Plan - feedback closes 8 June.

Jenny will give an overview of the draft North Sydney Community Strategic Plan.

Jenny Gleeson, Manager Corporate Planning & Engagement has worked at North Sydney Council for 18 years and during this time has been responsible for several portfolios. Prior, Jenny worked for Campbelltown City Council in several different roles.

Guests are always welcome.

24 May 2022 - New home for Sydney Heritage Fleet

Alan Edenborough

Sydney Heritage Fleet has long sought a permanent home in Sydney Harbour. Promises and near-misses make for an interesting tale. But the SHF is counting on the search nearing its end.

Berrys Bay is a perfect combination of location and heritage infrastructure able to be adaptively redeveloped to provide a cultural tourism hub for the heritage of Sydney Harbour. A new home for the Sydney Heritage Fleet and the creation of a new cultural tourism attraction, The Museum of Sydney Harbour, capitalises on our city’s greatest natural asset - the spectacular beauty of Sydney Harbour.

The relocation of Sydney Heritage Fleet to Berrys Bay, integrated with the new Museum of Sydney Harbour, provides a once in a lifetime opportunity to provide Sydney with a sustainable cultural tourist attraction and a permanent home for the Fleet’s living maritime heritage and contribution to social capital.

Alan Edenborough has more than fifty years involvement with the Sydney Maritime Museum, home of Sydney Heritage Fleet, which was founded in 1965. Alan has served on the Board of the Museum and is still an active Fleet volunteer. He is currently steering the Fleet towards a permanent home on the shores of Sydney Harbour.

Alan discovered and led the salvage of the now fully restored 1874 barque, James Craig, from remote southern Tasmania. He has also been involved with the restoration of other historic vessels in the Sydney Heritage Fleet.

He is a member of the Council and Steering Committee of the Australian Register of Historic Vessels (ARHV), and President of the Australian Maritime Museums Council (AMMC). Internationally, Alan is a member of the Executive Council of the International Congress of Maritime Museums (ICMM), and founder of ICMM’s Ships Committee.

Guests are always welcome.

17 May 2022 - Edgeworth David

Jenny Horsfield

T.W Edgeworth David came to Australia from Wales as a young mining engineer in 1882. On the ship coming out he met and fell in love with Cara Mallett, an orphan from a working class background in rural England. This was the beginning of a lifelong marriage and a remarkable partnership that saw Cara establish the first college in NSW to train women teachers. Her husband became Professor of Geology at Sydney University. The couple raised a family in Sydney while actively engaged with many aspects of the city’s cultural and political life.

David is remembered for his heroic expedition with Douglas to find the South Magnetic Pole in 1908, and later, for leading the Mining Battalion the ‘Tunnellers’ in their dangerous work on the Western Front.

Cara’s life, though less well-known, was equally adventurous, including trips to a coral island in the Pacific and to geology camps in the Snowy Mountains. During the war she ran a convalescent home for soldiers in the Blue Mountains and was later instrumental in the founding of the Girl Guides. Her two daughters also led remarkable and inspirational lives.

Jenny Horsfield will talk about this remarkable family.

Jenny Horsfield is a Canberra writer and historian. Her book, ‘Rainbow: the story of Rania MacPhillamy’ won the award for Non-Fiction Book of the Year in the 2008 ACT Writers and Publishers awards.

Guests are always welcome.

09 May 2022 - Nusa Tenggara Dinner

Note - no breakfast meeting 10 May 2022

When - Monday 9th May 2022 - 6:30 pm

Where - Lane Cove Golf Club, 180 River Road, Northwood NSW 2066

What – a Traditional Indonesian 3 course meal with a full bar service available

Nusa Tenggara Association - Australia (NTA).

NTA has been successfully delivering support to poor farming communities for more than 30 years. The focus is on food security, improved livelihoods, water, sanitation and education. They also have helped the community respond to emergency situations such as the outbreak of Covid-19 in 2020 and the Cyclone Seroja in 2021.

Indonesia has 1800 islands including Flores, West Timor, Sumba which are just North of Australia (800km). The province of Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) - literally East-Southeast Islands. Conditions are dry for geographical and geological reasons and the population of 6 million has an annual income of about 1/3 of the Indonesian average. Child mortality is high and less than 40% of children attend school. 80 children are reported to die of malaria each year.

03 May 2022 - Francis Greenway

Don Napper

The Sad Life of Francis Greenway, our First Government Architect.

Francis Greenway’s death sentence for forgery in England was commuted to transportation to NSW for 14 years. Governor Macquarie appointed Greenway as our first Government Architect in which role he designed some 80 buildings. Less than one-quarter of these remain today. After Macquarie left the colony, Greenway fell upon hard times. He died completely unsung and the location of his pauper’s grave in the East Maitland Cemetery remains unknown.

Don Napper will talk about Francis Greenway’s life.

Guests are always welcome.

19 April 2022 - North Sydney Council's new Mayor

Zoe Baker

North Sydney Council has a new Mayor, Zoë Baker. She was first elected to Council, representing Wollstonecraft Ward, in 2008 and brings energy, intelligence and integrity to her role. She has a passion for urban design and planning and a strong commitment to sustainability and innovation in all aspects of Council decision making. Zoë has championed precinct planning, in particular in the St Leonards/Crows Nest Planning Studies, the Educational Precinct Planning Study and the ESD Best Practice project.

She believes that there are many pressing issues which need to be addressed, including

over-development pressures,
the impacts of various state government infrastructure projects and
the need for community facilities.

Her personal passion is working with the community to address, what she calls, the ‘terrible decline’ of the urban tree canopy.

She will talk about how she wants to engage the community in the preparation of Council’s upcoming community strategic plan and how the plan will set the agenda for the next four years.

Zoë is married with a daughter who attends a local primary school. She has an Honours degree in Government from the University of Sydney and holds a Certificate of Excellence in Local Government.

Guests are always welcome.

12 April 2022 - Aboriginal Heritage

Speaker - Karen Smith

The Aboriginal Heritage Office (AHO) is a joint initiative between 6 local Councils, to protect local Aboriginal heritage sites. The creation of an Education Program was part of the vision of the original Memorandum of Understanding that was signed in 1999 when the partnership of Councils was entered into. Today those Councils are Ku-ring-gai, Lane Cove, North Sydney, Northern Beaches, Strathfield and Willoughby Councils.

Education has always been valued by the AHO as important for the protection of heritage sites. The main objective of the Education Program is to develop and implement community education activities and events aimed at increasing the collective knowledge of Aboriginal cultural heritage. By increasing the community’s knowledge of Aboriginal cultural heritage, the participating Councils and the AHO believe Aboriginal heritage will be more highly valued and the school children and community will take a more active role in site protection and preservation.

These heritage sites are now in the hands of all Australians. Aboriginal people represent the oldest culture in the world, the first custodians of Australia and form the fabric of our unique identity as a nation.

Karen has been the AHO’s Education Officer since 2011. She will share her knowledge and experience of the local area and Aboriginal history and culture.

Karen is from the Buruberongal clan of the Hawkesbury (Derrubin) area. Her family has been living in the Manly area for many years.

Guests are always welcome.

05 April - Fascinating Bhutan

Speaker - Eileen Hayse

Eileen will give a brief outline of the history of the country (Bhutan) and then talk about the culture, beauty, and customs of the Bhutanese as she found them during her journey there. She will have a PowerPoint presentation which will give colour and flavour to the talk.

In her 45-year career as a Travel Advisor, she has planned journeys far and wide for a diverse clientele. With a base in Double Bay, she arranged everything from backpacker trips for University students to luxury travel for the rich and famous.

During this time, she witnessed the evolution of the travel industry as we know it today. Starting by telephoning airlines, to the first airline booking system. Writing letters to book hotels, followed by telex then email. She has travelled to many far flung and exotic places – including Libya, Cuba, Uzbekistan, West Coast Africa, Antartica and most of South East Asia. She strives to be a traveller, not a tourist.

Guests are always welcome.

15 March 2022 - Finding the AE1

Speaker - Noel Phelan

AE1 was Australia’s first submarine. Commissioned in England on 28th February 1914 and arriving in Sydney on 24th May 1914 to a tumultuous welcome. When war was declared AE1 and AE2 with most of the RAN ships including HMAS AUSTRALIA were tasked to seize the German facilities in New Guinea and the surrounding islands. AE1 and HMAS PARRAMATTA were on patrol on 14th September 1914 near the Duke of York islands. AE1 was last seen on the afternoon of 14th September. When it did not return extensive searches were conducted after which AE1 was declared lost. There was no debris, oil slick, no distress message, nothing.

During the following years 12 unsuccessful searches were conducted. In December 2017 AE1 was found using the survey vessel FUGRO EQUATOR using an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). The AUV was also used to photograph the wreck. In April 2018 a second expedition explored the wreck. This time it was the research vessel RV PETREL from the Paul Allen foundation using a remote operated vehicle (ROV) that took enough detailed photos that the probable cause of the sinking could be determined. A 3D model of AE1 was possible from all the photos showing the extensive damage.

Come along and hear Noel explain how the AE1 was found using the very latest technology and see photos of the wreck from the ROV of RV PETREL. Learn the conclusions on what happened. Also learn why the locations of wrecks are not released.

Guests are always welcome.

22 March 2022 - Cape Don Light House

Speaker - Paul Pokorney

Paul’s talk will explain what the Sea Heritage Foundation is and what is the MV Cape Don (a museum ship) including:

The history of the MV Cape Don
Plans for the future
MV Cape Don - a living, working museum
Training & employment pathways
Work completed over the past 12 months
Outcome of Thales Naval Dockyard Inspections

Paul Pokorny has been associated with the MV Cape Don Society Inc. as a volunteer Electrician/Electrical Engineer since 2012. Paul is Director and Engineering Manager of the NATA-accredited electrical testing laboratory company, Power System Support Pty Ltd. He established this, having spent 15 years with the CSIRO/National Measurement Institute’s High Voltage Laboratory.

Paul has a Bachelor of Science (Maths & Physics) from Macquarie University and a licenced amateur radio operator, callsign VK2ZBI.

Guests are always welcome.

08 March 2022 - Federal Election Facts & Foibles

Ian Brightwell

This talk will give a quick overview of the Australian federal election in terms of size and processes. This information will provide a basis for a closer examination of the processes which are under strain and those which are undergoing change. The talk will particularly look at the increased use of computers in counting of senate votes and the difficulties this poses to traditional partisan scrutiny processes.

Ian Brightwell is a consultant and experienced CIO. He has also held an adjunct academic position at the University of NSW in cyber security and also developed and presented a post graduate course in IT Governance for Charles Stuart University. He was the CIO for the NSW Electoral Commission (NSWEC) in Australia from 2005 to April 2016 and responsible for developing all its technology and cyber security during that period. Prior to that position he was a consultant performing a variety of consulting assignments, within state and federal government agencies and the private sector.

In his role as at NSWEC he was responsible for the development and operation of the iVote system which in 2015 was credited as taking the largest number of remote internet votes for a parliamentary election in the world.

Guests are always welcome.

01 March 2022 - International Travel (in the COVID world)

Speaker - Mark Staples

Mark Staples, a Kiwi (dual citizen) living in Sydney since 1980. IT manager for 20 years in Westpac, then 15 years in IBM. Last role in IBM was an IT Critical Situation Manager, including training of people in “Incident Management”. He joined Crows Nest Rotary in 2015 after retiring, where in 2016 he moved into, and still is, the Secretary. He had a 1-year break, when he was president for 2019-20 year. Mark also volunteers at the Crows Nest community Centre. And is a very serious Poker player.

Mark will talk on his experience travelling to NZ last November/December getting through Quarantine & Self isolation. Coping with isolation is one aspect, but the additional planning required needs to be understood. Most importantly Mark will lead us through the planning considerations for his next trip – America in June.

Guests are always welcome.

15 February 2022 - How Vaccine-derived Polioviruses are slowing "End Polio Now"

Don Napper

The wild poliovirus appears to be nearing eradication as there were perhaps as few as 5 cases in 2021. However, the occurrence of polioviruses derived from the use of the Sabin oral vaccine has become many times greater (51 cases) than that of the wild virus, even though (or perhaps because) the oral vaccine powered the eradication of the wild virus from almost all continents. These vaccine-derived polioviruses can behave like wild viruses and cause paralysis, so they too must be eradicated to end polio once-and-for-all.

Guests are always welcome.

08 February 2022 - USS Indianapolis

Noel Phelan

USS INDIANAPOLIS departed San Francisco on the 16^th July 1945 for a high speed run to Hawaii and then onto Tinian Island. The ship was commanded by Captain Charles McVay III. On board were key components for the atomic bomb. These components were delivered to Tinian Island on 26^th July. They were then loaded onto the super fortress ENOLA GAY for the flight to Hiroshima.

The return voyage was to be by Guam to Leyte. The ship was sunk by torpedoes from the Japanese submarine I-58 halfway between Guam and Leyte. The ship lost all power, turned over and sank in 12 minutes. There were 900 survivors out of the 1,200 crew. However, the Navy lost the ship from its plotting boards, so no rescue was mounted. On the 4^th day in the water the survivors were spotted by planes. After the 4 days in the water there were only 316 survivors out of the 900. Many had been taken by sharks.

Captain McVay was court martialled for the loss of his ship. The captain of I-58 was brought to the USA by the prosecution to testify against McVay. The submarine captain testified that he was in such a good position to attack that zigzagging would have not have made any difference.

Finally in 2000 McVay was exonerated by Congress and signed by Bill Clinton. This would be little comfort to McVay who received lots of hate mail and committed suicide in 1968.

Come along to hear this amazing story of a travesty of justice to protect the reputations of some very important Navy people.

Guests are always welcome.

01 February 2022 - North Sydney Scouts

Speaker Stuart Warren

1^st North Sydney Scouts (formally 1^st Lavender Bay) operates out of the Scout Hall at 1 Munro Street in McMahons Point. While the hall may seem dormant, we are one of the biggest and most active Scout Groups on the Lower North Shore. We have 125 kids (co-ed) aged 5-18 who attend a weekly programme of activities plus 2-3 weekend activities per term, run by 16 volunteer leaders. Over the last 5 years we have been able to invest heavily in new equipment and leader training that lets us run an exciting programme of overnight hiking, canyoning, white water kayaking, abseiling and rock climbing.

1st North Sydney has been established for 12 years now. Over that time we have built increasingly stronger links to the community, including running a fruit & veg co-op, making weekly fresh food donations to LGA residents in financial difficulty and assisting senior residents move large items for council clean up (to mention a few).

Talk Outline - This talk will introduce 1^st North Sydney Scout Group, focussing on the programme that is run for the kids, our work in the community and our plans for growth over the next 5 years.

Guests are always welcome.

25 January 2022 - Phoenix House

Paul Gabrielides

Many young people need support to stay at school, or to find suitable education or training that meets their needs and aspirations. Early intervention for young people who are struggling in education is critical. If core skills, knowledge, attitudes and behaviours are not developed across childhood and adolescence, they become increasingly difficult and expensive to address later in life.

Phoenix House provides early intervention and support services to the most challenged young people living in Sydney and delivers life-changing outcomes.

Paul Gabrielides is the CEO of Phoenix House and will explain

the history of the organisation
the fully integrated, wrap around service model
how it provides flexible education programs for young people with very specific and challenging needs
how they catch young people before they fully disengage with formal education and aim to inspire a life-long love of learning

Paul has over twenty years in the corporate world of Information Technology in Sales and Management. Though success was always measured in dollars, he believes real long-term success is measured in a different currency, one of integrity and relationships.

His passion to be helpful to people and make his corner of the world a better place burns brightly, so bringing his skills into the NFP sector was a natural step.

Guests are always welcome.

18 January 2022 - 2021 Sydney to Hobart

Lindsay May

Lindsay May competed in his 48^th consecutive Sydney Hobart Yacht Race last December. A record for consecutive races. He navigated the classic 73 foot yawl Kialoa II (the line honours winner in 1971)

Lindsay will give an overview of the race illustrated by spectacular photographs from some of yachting’s best photographers.

Guests are always welcome.

11 January 2022 AI & Robotics

Surinder Jain

Artificial Intelligence and Digital Machine controls are two disruptive technologies that are merging into AI Robotics. The talk covers the growth of Robotics and the implications of an artificial intelligent agent in a mobile machine, its impact on the industry, its impact on jobs and its impact on humanity.

AI enabled Robots can be a boon as well as the biggest existential challenge for the survival of humanity. What safeguards are needed to keep AI Robots on a leash, implications of its ownership and laws needed to co-exist with AI are discussed. Finally the talk explores if it is too late to control AI Robotics and can humans escape being extinct.

Surinder studied MBA and M Phil in Computer Science from University of Sydney publishing a paper on software quality. He worked as a software developer in various roles in Sydney and New York before starting an Internet Service Provider business during the early stage of Internet revolution. He sold his business and took an early retirement to volunteer his services to the not for profit industry. He is on the board of many charities. Surinder has a keen interest in emerging disruptive technologies

Guests are always welcome.

14 December 2021 - Club AGM

The agenda will include

Finances
Rotary Foundation
Club service including the Speaker program
Fundraising
Public relations including Web site and Facebook
Community
Youth
Any other general business

Guests are always welcome.

07 December - Nuclear Powered Submarines for Australia

Peter Bullard

The announcement on 16 September of the historic AUKUS Alliance a trilateral security partnership, caught us all by surprise. In hindsight however, its origin can be traced to recent political events and the rapidly changing strategic military environment. The first major initiative of the Alliance is to assist Australia to acquire at least eight nuclear powered submarines with the US and UK helping with technology transfer. Exactly how that will be done is not yet clear as Vice Admiral Johnathan Mead AO has been appointed as the Chief of Nuclear-Powered Submarine Task Force to conduct an 18-month study to “define the optimal path to acquire the submarines.” It will be a challenging project as the intention is to build all the submarines in South Australia in time to take over from the current Collins Class submarines as they retire from service.

Peter will cover a broad sweep from the origin of the Alliance and the regional reactions to it with an overview of the two options available, the US Virginia Class and the UK Astute Class, outlining their roles and capabilities followed by a short excursion into the support facilities, also covering nuclear safety.

Presenter - John Peter Bullard

Peter spent 35 years as an engineer officer in the Royal Navy. He qualified as a conventional submariner and as the RN nuclear submarine program expanded undertook an advanced marine engineering course studying nuclear submarine reactor design. His sea time in nuclear submarines finished with a nine-month unsupported deployment to the Far East. He followed by lecturing to engineer officers undergoing nuclear propulsion training before moving to the nuclear operational safety section. His design time was spent as the head of the future submarine nuclear propulsion plant section working on the as then unnamed, Astute Cass machinery design. In London in the Naval Staff Operational Requirements Directorate he managed the concept studies for the Astute class. He became an Australian citizen in 2009.

Guests are always welcome.

30 November - NTA Update

Stephanie Heighes

North Sydney Sunrise Rotary Club sponsored the Nusa Tenggara association (NTA). This presentation will cover

A short overview of the NTA, including NTAs achievements in FY 20-21
The current Covid-19 situation in Indonesia (focus on eastern Indonesia) and how Covid-19 affected NTA’s operations (opportunities and challenges)
A completion report on how the donation of $ 2500 by the Rotary Club of North Sydney Sunrise has been spent (including picture documentation, comments from supported schools etc.)
A glimpse of the future (including for example new pilot projects - teacher in a box, teacher training in Sikka, etc.)

Guests are always welcome.

16 November - Captain Cook Graving Dock

Noel Phelan

The construction of the dock was the second largest engineering project in Australia – larger than the Harbour Bridge. The Snowy Scheme was the largest. Ships were growing in size and the Sutherland dock at Cockatoo Island could not accommodate them. In 1938 the nearest large dock was the Royal Naval Base at Singapore – two weeks sailing away.

After investigating 16 sites around Australia, Garden Island was selected. The construction required the reclamation of 30 acres of land which resulted in Garden Island being joined to the mainland at Pott’s Point. The dock is 358 m long and can de divided into two sections. An enormous amount of infrastructure was needed to support the operation of the dock and work on the ships. A bomb proof standby Power Station and Pumping Plant were built as well as large cranes including the large 250 ton hammerhead crane. The labour force peaked at 4,125 in 1943. The dock was completed in 1945 just in time to repair the battle damaged Pacific fleets.

Come along and learn how a dock operates and how the dock was built during the war where equipment was very limited.

Guests are always welcome.

09 November - Mentoring Men

Ian Westmoreland

Mentoring Men is a registered Australian charity providing free long-term one-to-one life mentoring programs for men Australia wide. They focus on a proactive approach, engaging with Australian men who need help before they spiral into crisis. They welcome all men to engage with their mentoring programs and strive to be as diverse as the communities they serve and work within. Currently the Mentors collectively speak over 57 languages.

Ian worked for 40 years in the Australian and New Zealand utilities industries in various IT roles, mostly as an IT development and support manager. On 10 September 2013, he experienced a life-changing moment that ultimately led to his decision to retire from paid work in May 2014 and commence a volunteer mentoring career with the Raise Foundation, Kidshope and COACH mentoring programs. Following a personal challenge in 2018 Ian developed the Mentoring Men program which was officially launched in November 2018.

This talk will answer

What is Mentoring Men
How Does it Work
What does the future hold

Guests are always welcome.

02 November - Why Does Carbon Dioxide Cause Global Warming

Don Napper

As the UN Climate Change Conference is being held in Glasgow as we meet, have you ever wondered why mere trace amounts of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide can capture solar energy and cause long-term climate change whereas the much more prevalent atmospheric molecules, nitrogen and oxygen that we breathe, cannot.

We are all familiar with molecules capturing energy from radiation waves in a microwave oven, but greenhouse gases operate in an entirely different manner and Don will be discuss this.

Emeritus Professor Don Napper was educated at Sydney and Cambridge Universities in molecular chemistry. He retired from Sydney University in 2003 as the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Sciences & Technology), where he is now Professor Emeritus.

Guests are always welcome.

19 October 2021 - Joseph Conrad's Eastern Voyages

Ian Burnet

Ian Burnet has spent thirty years, living, working and travelling in Indonesia and is fascinated by the diverse history and culture of the archipelago. This is reflected in his books Spice Islands, followed by East Indies, then Archipelago - A Journey Across Indonesia, then Where Australia Collides with Asia, then The Tasman Map and now his latest book Joseph Conrad’s Eastern Voyages.

The life of Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski reads like an adventure story, an adventure story that could be written by somebody like Joseph Conrad. The young Conrad dreamed of a life at sea, he eventually became a British merchant seaman and he spent fifteen years sailing on the classic three-masted, square-rigged sailing ships before they were ultimately replaced by steamships. During this period, he worked his way up from apprentice to third mate, to second mate, to first mate and finally the captain of one of these beautiful ships.

Conrad loved the ‘mysterious East’ and his first books – Almayers Folly, An Outcast of the Islands, Lord Jim and The Rescue were all set in Borneo and based on the people and places he encountered in his own voyages as first mate on a trading vessel based out of Singapore. In this new book, Ian has taken the liberty to place the parts of these first novels into their proper narrative sequence and focus on the back-story of his characters, which will make it easier to discover Conrad’s genius.

Ian will first talk about Conrad's voyages to Australia and then his voyages from Singapore to Borneo and his first books.

12 October - The Case for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) in Australia

Tony Irwin

All Australia’s coal-fired power stations will be shutdown before 2050 and SMRs would be ideal to repower these sites, using existing infrastructure and the staff can be retrained saving jobs and the local economy. Tony will give examples of suitable SMRs and answer the questions “are they safe” and “what about the waste”.

Tony Irwin is a Chartered Engineer, Chair of Engineers Australia Sydney Division Nuclear Engineering Panel and Technical Director of SMR Nuclear Technology Pty Ltd. Tony worked for British Energy (formerly the Central Electricity Generating Board) in the UK for more than thirty years commissioning and operating 8 nuclear power reactors.

In 1999 he moved permanently to Australia and joined the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) where he managed fuel strategies and provided advice on nuclear issues. He was subsequently appointed as Reactor Manager for the commissioning and operation of ANSTO’s new OPAL research reactor. Tony is now a Consultant.

Tony is the principal lecturer for the ANU Master of Nuclear Science Course Reactor and Fuel Cycle modules and visiting lecturer at USYD.

Guests are always welcome.

05 October - Regaining Your Health after Lockdown

Taylor Harrison

This talk will give practical tips and information on ways to get your bodies moving, prevent injuries and regain fitness following four months of lockdown. In particular, the talk will focus on strengthening and improving balance. The exercises and tips will be simple and easy to perform and won't require any special equipment.

Taylor Harrison is the founder and director of Active Seniors Health Centre which he started in 2006. These centres have helped thousands of Seniors remain active. Taylor has written 4 books on the topic as well as producing online videos which have been watched over 1 million times.

Guests are always welcome.

28 September - Royal Far West - Tara Tan

Tara will provide

a brief overview of what Royal Far West does
A brief history of Royal Far West
An overview of Royal Far West programs
an update on what they are doing around bushfire recovery and other projects.

Tara first got a taste for fundraising over 10 years ago after side-stepping from an unfulfilling corporate job into a marketing role with Pareto Fundraising. Since then, she has developed and delivered fundraising and marketing programs for Habitat for Humanity Australia, Heart Research Australia and Royal Far West. Tara’s skills, experience and passion for fundraising translates into a deep understanding of what’s required to achieve sustainable growth and create meaningful impact for causes, their beneficiaries and donors.

Guests are always welcome.

21 September - Ethics

Graeme Robinson

As you know, Rotary has its Four Way Test:

Is it the Truth
Is it FAIR to all concerned
Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS
Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned

Graeme Robinson will present on “Ethics”, a topic of much relevance in the current environment.

Graeme will examine

Ethics beginnings as a concept, and
how the many definitions of ethics have been influenced by
- different religions,
- constitutions of countries, and
- ethical theorists
whether the Rotary test addresses the challenges of life in 2021.
- Is the Four Way Test still relevant? Does there need to be a Fifth Test or do any of the existing Four Tests need to be changed?

Graeme is a consulting engineer, dispute resolver, arbitrator, mediator, and adjudicator. He has 40 years’ experience in designing and developing major infrastructure and mineral resource projects. He develops projects and determines disputes in Australia, Asia, central and West Africa, the Middle East, and the Pacific rim.

Guests are always welcome.

07 September - Lets Talk about Suicide

Jennifer Gripton-Corbet & Ceiny Maybury

Jen & Ceiny will discuss

Suicide has a devastating impact on families, friends and whole communities.
Behind every suicide statistic there is a human life.
Statistics and data
Suicide is complex - emotional and physical reactions, how to maintain well-being, when and where to seek help.

Jennifer Gripton-Corbett is a counsellor with a Master's in Counselling & Psychotherapy and has a Bachelor of Science (RN). She is the Clinical Services Coordinator and a counsellor at Lifeline Harbour to Hawkesbury(H2H) and also works in in private practice with individuals, couples and families who may be struggling with mental health issues.

Ceiny Maybury is a therapist and educator. She has fulfilled the roles of Lifeline Centre Supervisor, Training Coordinator, Suicide Bereavement Support Group Facilitator and Crisis Support Workplace Trainer. Ceiny is a passionate advocate for members of the public experiencing mental health issues, domestic violence and suicidal ideation. She holds a Bachelor of Counselling, Master of Counselling TAE and Dip Ed.

31 August - Australian Music Industry - 1960s', 1970s', 1980s' & beyond

Jim Towers & Mario Millo

Mario Millo - guitarist, singer, song writer, movie and television composer.

Jim Towers - band booking agent, venue entertainment agent and promoter.

They will be speaking to us about the 'Australian Music Industry - 1960s', 70s', 80s' and beyond'

Guests are always welcome.

24 August - Street Side Medics

Daniel Nour

Dr. Daniel Nour has a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from James Cook University. Early in his career, he realised his passion to address the needs of underprivileged and vulnerable members of the community. This led to his ambition to start a mobile medical clinic which uniquely addresses the multiple health disparities experienced by the homeless and alleviates the many burdens present in accessing healthcare. With the support of mentors, colleagues, and countless others who assisted, Street Side Medics was created.

The service operates from mobile medical vans which ensures that it is able to reach the homeless community across multiple locations. Each doctor in the van is an RACGP accredited GP and the vans are fitted with the necessary equipment to provide primary healthcare services, to the standard of a normal general practice.

Daniel will describe the journey to create “Street Side Medics” and how the service operates.

Guests are always welcome.

17 August - Parkinson's & Shake It Up

Clyde Campbell

Clyde Campbell is the founder of Shake It Up Australia Foundation and has an entrepreneurial spirit and a vision for the future. Clyde decided not to sit back and wait for the rest of the world to find a cure for Parkinson’s but to join the action. In 2011 he launched Shake It Up Australia Foundation with one mission – to increase awareness and funding in Australia targeted at finding better treatments and ultimately a cure for Parkinson’s.

Clyde also wanted to ensure that 100% of all donations received went to Parkinson’s research. This commitment is made possible by Clyde and his brother Greg funding all the administration and overhead costs of the foundation. Since 2011 the foundation has co-funded over $15 Million into Parkinson’s Research in Australia and are now the leading non-government funder of Parkinson’s research across multiple institutes.

On 26 January 2021, Clyde was appointed as a Member (AM) of the Order of Australia (General Division) in the Australia Day Honours List, in recognition of his significant service to community health, particularly to people living with Parkinson’s disease.

He will talk about his diagnosis and how he came to start the foundation and establish a partnership with The Michael J. Fox Foundation and our research agenda and progress.

Guests are always welcome.

10 August 2021 - Joseph Banks

Ian Burnet

This talk about Joseph Banks follows his voyage on the Endeavour. This was the defining point in his life. But what happened to his vast collection of botanical specimens after his return to England?

03 August 2021 - Teddy Sheean

Noel Phelan

During a confrontation with thirteen Japanese aircraft on 1 December 1942, HMAS Armidale was struck by two torpedoes and a bomb, and began to sink; the order to abandon ship was given. After helping to free a life-raft, Sheean was wounded by two bullets. He made his way to the aft Oerlikon 20 mm cannon and began to fire on the Japanese aircraft to protect those in the water. Sheean managed to shoot down one of the Japanese bombers, but he was killed when Armidale sank. Many of the survivors credited their lives to Sheean, and he was posthumously mentioned in despatches.

In 2020, Sheean was awarded a Victoria Cross. This was the first VC awarded to a Royal Australian Navy crew member.

Come along and hear this story of courage.

Guests are always welcome.

20 July 2021 - District Governor Visit

Lindsay May

At this meeting our Club will present our current program and causes that we plan to support in 2021/22.

The agenda will include

Finances including fundraising
Rotary Foundation
Club service including the Speaker program
Public relations including Web site and Facebook
Community
Youth

Lindsay will present the district's plans for the year.

Guests are always welcome.

13 July - 1942 Japanese Submarine Attack

Ray Rees

On 29 May 1942, five Japanese submarines gathered outside Sydney Harbour. The war was about to come to Sydney. Three midget submarines were launched but only one managed to fire its weapons, one of which sunk the ferry HMAS Kuttabul, an accommodation vessel moored at Garden Island. Twenty-one sailors lost their lives.

This talk will explain what happened, how it happened and will briefly consider the aftermath.

The talk will be given by Commander Ray Rees, RAN Retired. After spending over thirty years in the navy, joining as an apprentice, Ray retired as a Commander Engineer and has continued his interest in marine matters by volunteering with the Sydney Heritage Fleet restoring and crewing in a range of heritage vessels.

Guests are always welcome.

06 July 2021

Changeover meeting via zoom

7:15 AM

Location - your home

29 June 2021 - Dementia Cafe

Denise Ward

One of the Crows Nest Centre’s latest projects is the establishment of Your Rotary D-Caf, a dementia café for people living with dementia and their carers. This is a partnership project with the Rotary Clubs of Crows Nest, North Sydney, North Sydney Sunrise and Northbridge. Denise Ward, Executive Officer of the Crows Nest Centre, will talk to us about normal ageing versus symptoms of dementia, the incidence of dementia in Australia and overseas, behind the scenes planning with Rotary for the Dementia Café and the importance of this initiative for our local community.

15 June 2021 - Member Talk

Andrew Harvey

As a relatively new member of our club, he will give us insight into his journey through life.

01 June 2021 - Paediatric Medical Traumatic Stress

Alexandra de Young

What is Paediatric Medical Traumatic Stress (PMTS) and what we can do about it? PMTS is a consequence of contact with health care by children and their families. The traumatic stress emerges from the events surrounding the reasons for admission as well as the experiences of the child and their family during the admission. This can include procedures that are painful for the child and distressing for the parent. In this talk, Alex will describe the nature of medical traumatic stress including the prevalence, course and risk factors. She will also describe the work that her team has been undertaking over the past 10 years to identify, prevent and reduce the impact of medical traumatic stress for very young injured/ill children (aged 1-5 years) and their families.

Dr Alexandra De Young is a clinical psychologist and research fellow at the University of Queensland and the Queensland Centre for Perinatal and Infant Mental Health. She is internationally recognised as a leading expert in the diagnosis, assessment, prevention and early intervention for PTSD following medical trauma during early childhood. De Young has also been involved in the development of resources for the award winning Birdie’s Tree resources that support the mental health and wellbeing of young children and families affected by disruptive events (i.e., natural disasters, COVID- 19). She is currently leading the COVID-19 Unmasked global collaboration with 9 countries to understand the mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on young children and families.

25 May 2021 Urbanist and Futurist

William Chan

From designing Olympic stadiums, metro transit systems to entire city masterplans, HY William Chan is an urbanist and futurist innovating for social inclusion and climate resilience in our urban communities. A dual Convocation and University Medallist (University of Sydney), William is a World Economic Forum Global Shaper and headline TEDx speaker.

William's innovative practice showcases the future of cities: co-living housing to solve homelessness in Sydney, smart infrastructure to address food security in Milan, and the circular economy in refugee camps to upcycle plastic waste into 3D-printed construction elements in Athens. In 2019, he was the only architect recognised by Forbes magazine on their '30 Under 30' list globally.

William is named in the top 20 on the Qantas Centenary '100 Inspiring Australians' list, top 25 most influential people in the social sector by Pro Bono Australia, and GreenBiz top 30 young global sustainability leaders by the World Business Council for Sustainable Business. An avid volunteer surf lifesaver, recent UNICEF Ambassador and Rotary Foundation Global Scholar, William was inducted into the Australian of the Year Awards Honour Roll in 2020.

William will talk about his Rotary Foundation Global Grant experience in Europe (2015-17) and how that has led to civic leadership opportunities in Sydney.

18 May 2021

Your Eyes & what happens after 50

Chris Hodge

Dr Chris Hodge will talk to us about ‘our eyes over 50 years of age’ - what challenges to expect and their treatments. Over 90% of all eye conditions that can lead to mild to moderate eye impairment, are treatable due to the increase in technology and improved health care. Almost 75% of all eye diseases occur after 50 years of age, so it is important for us to get regular eye checks. Chris will talk about Presbyopia, Diabetes, Glaucoma, Cataracts, and Macular degeneration.

Chris has had a particularly distinguished career as an orthoptist. He excelled as a clinician, being part of the team that introduced laser vision correction to Sydney and has continued that journey to the very elegant procedure it is today. In his current role as the research coordinator at Vision Eye Institute, he is responsible for running clinical trials and developing research projects. Many of these projects have resulted in innovations that helped to shape modern ophthalmology. He gained his PhD at the University of Sydney. He is also a lecturer at the University of Sydney, School of Medicine and the University of Technology."

11 May 2021

Sydney Wildlife Rescue

Bev Young

Sydney Wildlife Rescue is operated only by dedicated volunteers - about 400 of them. Discover how you can help and maybe even join us. Our core 'business' is rescuing and caring for wildlife, but we welcome help from the public in many support areas - transport, food supplies, rescue line call centre, preparation of online training courses, graphic designers for our education and publicity material - even serving up sausages at Bunnings BBQs for fundraising! This talk will discuss the material in the recently published little 'glovebox booklet' which gives you all the information and contacts you'll need for helping injured wildlife here in Sydney or out on the road in country NSW.

Bev has been a wildlife rescuer and carer for 23 years, and a member of Sydney Wildlife since its inception in 1997. Most of this time she has been retired, following a 40year career as a speech pathologist with people with disabilities – but always an animal lover too. She has also researched for, and presented papers at four national wildlife rehabilitation conferences. Currently and for the past 3 years, she is also the first responder for Sydney Wildlife on their webmail – a job that through the recent fire emergency has meant an average of 5 hours a day communicating with media and people, many overseas, who want to help in a practical sense. She was honoured to receive the Order of Australia medal in 2007 for her pioneering work in early intervention (disabled children) and for her work in wildlife care.

04 May 2021 - How are Vaccines made & how do they work

Don Napper

There are currently some seven or eight vaccines of various types being used worldwide for mass vaccinations and many more being developed. This talk will provide a focus on the different ways in which the vaccines are prepared and how, for example, the virus-vector AstraZeneca vaccine differs from the mRNA Pfizer vaccine. It will also discuss how the different vaccines work.

27 April 2021 - The Age of Discovery

Ray Walsh

Join us on a Voyage of Discovery through the age of discovery. Learn how Europe discovered the wider world and the wider world discovered the Europeans.

Our voyage begins with a look at the Spice Islands. Where are they? What spices were grown there? Why did the Europeans value spices?

What motivated the 15th Century Portuguese to discover a way to visit India and, most importantly, the ability to safely return home? How did they learn to sail thousands of kilometers over open ocean on successful multi-year voyages? What were their advances in ship construction, navigation, cartography, and food storage? How did they pay for their exploration?

Who were the famous explorers? What were they looking for? What did they find?

Ray Walsh discovered computers whilst studying for an English degree in 1980. He then spent 35+ years in the IT industry involved in all facets of the technology including software engineering, networking, and data centres. Since retirement in 2017, Ray has volunteered on the Maritime Museum’s floating fleet and recently taken up boating. His research interests include: Maritime Explorers, the Silk Road, and Ancient China.

13 April 2021 - Duyfken

Ian Burnet

In 1606, a small ship called the Duyfken sailed into history when, during a journey of exploration, it became the first European ship to make a recorded landing on Australian shores.

The Duyfken replica vessel has now joined the permanent exhibition of ships at the National Maritime Museum. Ian Burnet will talk about the history of the original Duyfken, the construction of the replica ship, and the various voyages of re-enactment that it has undertaken.

06 April 2021 - COVID Update

Trent Zimmerman MP

Trent will review the present situation regarding the Covid-19 pandemic and what we may expect over the next 12 months.

His talk will cover

Border openings and closures
International Tourism
Education (with international students being severely reduced in numbers)
The number of incoming passengers and quarantining
Job Seeker usage in the North Sydney electorate
the release of Covid-19 vaccines
- 50 million doses are planned
- most Australians being vaccinated by October
- Vaccination will be issued free-of-charge

Trent Zimmerman is the Member for North Sydney in the Australian Parliament. Trent is the Chair of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport. He is also the member of the House Standing Committee on the Environment and Energy, the Joint Standing Committee on Public Accounts and the House Privileges Committee. He is Convenor of the Coalition Friends of Tourism, Co-Convenor of several bi-partisan Parliamentary Friendship Groups including Amnesty International, the SBS, Rare Diseases and the Australian Catholic University.

30 March 2021 - The Albert Hotel

Kate Branch

Originally built in 1886 as a stately home named Telopea, The Albert has been reborn as a luxurious boutique hotel. It is situated (behind the Crystal Carwash) next to Boronia House which was owned by the same extended family that owned Telopea. Over the years the Telopea building had fallen into disrepair and was last used as a radiology and medical centre. Many of the original features of the house have been restored and a modern wing has been added.

Kate Branch, Public Relations Manager for the hotel will talk about

the history of the building and its redevelopment.
the challenges of opening a new hotel during the COVID-19 pandemic.
and show some interesting old photos of the original building and its occupants.

Kate is a life-long photographer, public relations manager and travel lover who currently resides in Sydney with her husband and two children. She holds two University degrees, a Bachelor (BFA) of Fine Art, for which she majored in Photography, and a Master (MA) of Art Therapy (Fine Art and Psychodynamics). Alongside her academic background, Kate credits travel for being her ultimate teacher in aiding her appreciation and understanding of art, photography, and life.

23 March 2021 - Vaccines

Prof Tony Basten

With the roll out of vaccines at the end of February 2021, Professor Basten who is from the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, will talk about the pandemic, and vaccines, their purpose and outcome as known at this time.

Tony is a clinician/scientist with a career spanning over 40 years, initially at Sydney University and RPA hospital and now at the Garvan Institute. During this time, he has made a substantial contribution to our understanding of how the immune system is regulated in health and disease.

In 1980 he was the inaugural winner of the Glaxo Smith Kline medal for research excellence, while between 1987 and 1989 he served as the Commonwealth’s chief advisor on the medical aspects of HIV/AIDS.

He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science and has recently co-edited its Q&A on Immunisation for the public. He has been a Rotarian for 29 years as a member of the Rotary Club of Chatswood (now ChatswoodRoseville) where he has served in a number of roles including the Presidency.

09 March 2021 - A Bookshop in Wartime

Jenny Horsfield

Verity Hewitt’s fabled bookshop was the only such shop in Canberra during the Second World War. Governor General Lord Gowrie called it ‘the nicest little bookshop in Australia’. It became a meeting place for diplomats, service men and women, artists and writers, public servants and the Canberra community, which was changing from a country town to a capital city under the pressures of war.

Jenny Horsfield will talk about this renowned bookshop.

23 February 2021 - RYDA (Road Safety Youth Driver Awareness)

John Elliot

Road Safety Education Limited (RSE) is a not for profit organisation committed to providing evidence-based road safety education that supports the development of a road safety culture across the generations.

At the heart of the programs lies RYDA (Rotary Youth Driver Awareness) – a school partnership which supports teachers on the journey as they provide their students with the tools and understanding they need to see themselves as active, responsible road citizens. RYDA features a highly engaging and memorable one-day workshop which front-loads students’ understanding of road safety and gives them the tools, habits and motivation to take action and stay safe on our roads a both drivers and passengers throughout their lives.

John Elliott joined the small RSE head office team in September 2020 as the National Program Manager. This followed a long career teaching, marketing and management in higher education and tourism sectors. In this role he is responsible for the roll-out of the RYDA program with schools throughout Australia.

He will talk about RYDA

Its history
The content of the program and who it is targeted at
The current status including adoption in the Norths Sydney LGA
Opportunities for involvement

16 February 2021 - Special Children’s Services Centre

John Zhang

Special Children Services Centre Inc. (SCSC) is an incorporated association chartered in 2008 for provision of support services to intellectually disabled children from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds and their families. Intellectually disabled children from CALD backgrounds typically received less support from mainstream services mostly because their carers spoke little or no English and are unsure of where they can go for support. Many of their cultures tend to fear the stigma associated with having an intellectually disabled child. This often results in their families not wanting to ask for assistance.

SCSC was founded to bridge this gap by creating a safe haven for the families, offering support to them, organising therapy classes and helping them to get mainstream assistance including from the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

The organisation is run by volunteers, and the management committee consists entirely of volunteers, who come from many different professions. John Zhang joined SCSC first as a volunteer and was later elected to the management committee and has been the president since 2018.

This talk will be about the journey of the SCSC, what is it like for the children and their families from CALD backgrounds, and insights into the kinds of support that SCSC provide to these families.

09 February 2021 - Brigitte Cox

Food Safety

Brigitte Cox is a Director, Scientific Committee Chair of the Food Safety Information Council and an Honorary Fellow in Agriculture and Food at CSIRO. For 14 years she was a Food Technology Liaison Officer at the North Ryde Laboratory of the food division of CSIRO and before that an academic at UNSW and TAFE.

The Scientific Committee of the Food Safety Information Council contains members from academia, CSIRO, and State and Federal departments involved in food safety. Our role is to vet the material produced by the Council and ensure that the information is scientifically valid and up to date. The major activity of the Council is to organise events and materials for National Food Safety Awareness Week.

Brigitte will speak about how to keep your food safe and avoid food poisoning from bacteria and viruses. She will also touch on the effect of COVID and food. Finally, she will introduce the audience to the Food Safety Information Council where they can find a lot more information on food safety.

For latest information on food safely access the Food Safety Information Council website

02 February 2021 - Sister Mary Leah

Seafarers & the Pandemic

It is estimated that around 100,000 seafarers finish their contracts and fly home every month in normal times. This is not currently happening, and they are stuck on the ships for who knows how long.

Known as the “angel of Sydney’s waterfront” Sister Mary Leahy has spent the past 20 years helping those who earn a living on the seas. She said she has never seen conditions so desperate. She is working around the clock to help the thousands of exhausted sea farers caught up in the centre of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Day-and-night, the softly spoken sister with a cheeky sense of humour is known to appear with everything from clean clothes, practical advice, spiritual guidance or just a listening ear for somebody doing it tough.

Sister Mary will talk about her experiences supporting seafarers, with a special focus on the pandemic of 2020.

19 January 2021 - The 2017 Fastnet Race

Speaker - Lindsay May

Lindsay May's 48th trip to Hobart was thwarted by Covid 19.

He was due to navigate the famous Kialoa II that took line honours back in 1971.

Lindsay’s first race on K2 was in August 2017 in the famed Fastnet Race from Cowes on the Isle of Wight, out to Fastnet Rock off the tip of Ireland and back to Plymouth in the UK. Kialoa II was bought by brothers Paddy & Keith Broughton in Portugal in 2016 and barely made the voyage back to Hamble UK to be fully refurbished. The mainly Australian crew spent the week prior to the race finishing the rebuild and set out on Lindsay's second Fastnet, his first was 1983 as part of the Australian Admiral's Cup team.

15 December 2020 - Crows Nest Centre Update

Speaker - Denise Ward

The Crows Nest Centre is recognised as a premier provider of quality community services and as a place at the heart of a vibrant connected community. The Crows Nest Centre exists to provide & facilitate quality community programs & services that connect the community, to sustain community wellbeing and reduce social isolation.

The centre provides inclusive, responsive and accessible programs and services which contribute to and sustain community wellbeing, reduce social isolation and enhance the quality of life for people in the local community, focused primarily on the North Sydney Area.

Denise Ward (Executive officer of the Crows Nest Centre) will give us an update on the work of the Centre, which we have supported and helped fund over recent years.

24 November 2020 - North Shore Trams

Speaker - Ron Besdansky

There was a time when trams were a common sight on the north shore.

Remember when you could travel anywhere on the tram network for just one shilling?

How did the network operate? How did the trams intertwine with the trains? And what led to the demise of this much loved form of public transport?

17 November 2020 - Fake News

Speaker - Uma Patel

People often blame disinformation and fake news on the companies that allow it to be shared and the governments that refuse to outlaw it. However, as Uma has seen in her work, if everyday people give their eyeballs, clicks and money to trustworthy sources then the power of fake news would evaporate.

Uma Patel is a management consultant who works for FT Strategies (which is part of the financial times). She specialises in news companies. She previously worked as an ABC federal political reporter and Sky News New Zealand correspondent.

Uma will speak about the role everyday people can play in stopping fake news.

10 November 2020 - Women Sailors

Noel Phelan

Many women have now completed successful circumnavigations of the world, competed and won in the classic yacht races and won gold at the Olympics and Para Olympics. Kay Cottee was the first woman to sail around the world, nonstop and single handed in 1987/88. Jessica Watson repeated the voyage in 2009/10.

These women faced many challenges including being rolled over, pitch poled, dismasted, knocked down, washed overboard and the loss of the keel or rudder. Both Kay and Jessica were knocked down several times with the mast and sails on the water surface; Kay was also washed overboard.

Age has not been a barrier. Jeanne Socrates completed two world circumnavigations at age 70 and 77. Laura Dekker at age 14 attempted the same only to be stopped by the Dutch authorities, but went on to do the voyage at 16.

Come along and hear the stories of many women sailors both Australian and other countries. Several have been inducted into the Australian Sailing Hall of Fame.

3 November 2020 - A Vision for North Sydney

Jeremy Dawkins

Back in 2000, Jeremy Bingham offered a frank assessment of the North Sydney city centre: ‘It has no heart. It has no central point. It has no civic spaces. It has no style. It’s a mish-mash.’

Eighteen years later, the newly formed Committee for North Sydney described the city centre as little more than ‘an office park with through traffic’.

Never give up! The Committee for North Sydney is upbeat about the future of the North Sydney city centre. It recently released its strategic vision for North Sydney, called Five Big Ideas for the Future City Centre.

The Convenor of the Committee for North Sydney, Jeremy Dawkins, will speak about the role of the Committee, the imaginative ideas in the strategy, and how the Committee’s vision could be implemented.

The 24 members of the Committee for North Sydney — eminent academics and professional practitioners in the fields of architecture, urban design and urban planning, and local experts and community leaders, all North Sydney residents — set out to facilitate public and expert contributions to the progressive improvement of North Sydney, through policy debate, public conversations and urban planning and design. The Committee is supported by an independent, member-governed incorporated Association that anyone can join.

Jeremy Dawkins is a leading Australian urban planner who has combined hands-on planning practice with policy making, university teaching and research. He managed the revival of Fremantle at the time of the America’s Cup, and set up the NSW Government’s strategic management of Sydney Harbour at the time of the Sydney Olympic Games. He established and directed the Master of Planning program at UTS, and was executive Chairman of the Western Australian Planning Commission. He is Vice President of the International Society of City and Regional Planners.

see https://committeefornorthsydney.org.au/ for more info

20 October 2020 - Club Forum

The agenda will include

Finances
Rotary Foundation
Club service including the Speaker program
Fundraising
Public relations including Web site and Facebook
Community
Youth
Any other general business

Guests are always welcome.

27 October 2020 - North Sydney Council Insights

Ian Mutton

Ian was elected to North Sydney Council in 2017 and he will provide insight into his experiences starting from the election campaign.

Once elected, he realised that popularism is a powerful decision driver – he will comment on how this played out when dealing with

Revenue falling short of the cost of the services being demanded.
The divisiveness that comes from 4 years of community consultations in the context of deciding the future for the Olympic Pool.
Ever increasing pressure from the State Government to increase population density and the pushback from the community.
Pressure to repurpose public open space.
The limited utility of a property portfolio accumulated over the years.

Ian Mutton is a North Sydney councillor. He has been heavily engaged with the protection of community assets. He is a driver behind:

The Sydney Harbour Highline project
Making Wendy’s Secret Garden permanent
Protecting Luna Park and securing its future

Ian is also the practice director of a Sydney based law firm specialising in contract related matters and competition and product liability laws.

13 October 2020 - Healing Your Life

Marshall Dunn

Marshall Dunn is a Spiritual Healer & Guide, Meditation Teacher and Author of the book Letters to Mitch: The Healing Power of Grief, Love & Truth and host of Marshall Dunn’s Soul Hour Podcast. After the suicide of his elder brother in 2002, Marshall underwent a spiritual awakening, which opened a door for his Greater Destiny to reveal itself. Now with over 15 years of meditation & healing experience and a Master's Degree in Psychology, Spirituality & Mind-Body Practice from Columbia University, Marshall has delivered his grounded, healing wisdom to the likes of Universal Music Group (UMG), Barclays, Acast, Slyp, WeWork, L&A Social, along with reputable private schools in Sydney such as Loreto Kirribilli and Chevalier College.

Accessing The Intelligence, Wisdom & Peace Of The Heart

In this talk, Marshall Dunn invites people to drop into the essence of what it means to be a Human Being, through a connection with one's heart. Drawing upon science, spirituality and direct experience, Marshall will explore why now more than ever, the most powerful way to peace in our world, starts deep within us.

Learn:

Why the Heart "knows" and how to access it's intelligence to handle challenge with more grace and ease.
The power of coherence when the head and heart are working in alignment.
Why your Heart has the ability to heal and release core wounds, limitations, entanglements and attachments - and how you can start healing your life now.

06 October 2020 - Children's books

Speaker - Karen Hendriks

Karen Hendriks is a children’s author who lives on the South Coast of New South Wales. Her debut picture books “Go Away, Foxy Foxy” and “Feathers” were released this year. Karen is a Books in Homes ambassador and a trained literacy specialist with a teaching background. She is also a moderator for Creative Kids Tales, an online site for children’s writers and illustrators.

Karen will talk about her life journey:

Starting with university where she was unable to get into the Children’s Writing elective but in Language Learning was required to write a short story. She will also talk about The Book Gangmangang that she was involved with.
Teaching and picture books and becoming a Reading Recovery Teacher and what she learnt about children and reading - also about socio economically disadvantaged students.
Her illness which was the call to action to finally pursue her dream and start writing. Overcoming fear and self doubt and pushing through to pursue writing.
Her writing journey and the stories behind “Go Away, Foxy Foxy” and “Feathers”. These are very different and have different inspirations.

29 September 2020 - Finders Distillery

Speaker - Kyle Ford

This little distillery is housed in an industrial unit in St Leonards, on Sydney's North Shore. It is at this location that every bottle of Finders Distillery product is produced.

They use a 300L copper pot still and create each batch individually. They run all of their ingredients in a single distillation, using an exact quantity of each ingredient to produce the perfect taste. They dilute the spirit to drinking strength using water that has been through a multi-stage filtration system. They then bottle, seal, label and package all products by hand, under the same roof.

22 Sept 2020 - Water Management in NSW

Speaker - Clay Preshaw

In 1998, Sydney faced an unprecedented water crisis due to a suspected contamination by cryptosporidium and giardia. This led to the formation of the Sydney Catchment Authority, which took over Sydney’s catchment and dams from Sydney Water.

The Sydney Catchment Authority is now part of WaterNSW, which manages and operates 42 water dams across NSW. WaterNSW is responsible for supplying water to two-thirds of the NSW population and continues to face a variety of significant challenges, including drought, climate change and population growth.

Clay Preshaw works as the Head of Catchment Protection at WaterNSW, and leads a group that is responsible for protecting the source of Sydney’s water supply. He will explore a broad range of water management issues in NSW, including the 1998 Sydney Water Crisis, the ‘multi-barrier approach’ to water supply, the recent drought response, and future water infrastructure projects.

Clay is a town planner and lawyer and has previously worked in various environmental planning roles within NSW and overseas.

15 September 2020 - The Digital Evolution & Seniors

Speaker Julian Wee

In a world where a human generation is now averaging over 30 years, and at the same time, the digital world generation is shortening to 4 years, what are some of the implications, especially in relation to the senior population? Julian Wee from Seniors.Rocks will share his findings, and propose a model to address some of the potential and incumbent challenges.”

Julian is the founder and managing partner of Seniors.Rocks, a social enterprise focused on the digital (online) well-being of the seniors population. Previously, Julian held a number of leadership roles in Australia and global regions. His last industry role was as Group CIO for IBM’s Growth Market Unit. After more than 3 decades in the IT industry and facing a choice of where to call home, the time was ripe to redirect his energy onto his passion for better social outcomes. In particular his experiences with the seniors population. Julian has also served on a number of industry boards in Australia and abroad. Including Deakin University (VIC), and The Smith Family.

08 September 2020 - Human & Hope

Sally Hetherington

Sally Hetherington lived in Cambodia from 2011 - 2017. Seeing the unintended consequences of voluntourism, she teamed up with Human and Hope Association (HHA), a nightly English school at the time, to develop it into a reputable community centre. Working as Operations Manager, Sally was responsible for implementing new programs addressing social issues, fundraising, logistics, mentoring and training the staff and ensuring the organisation's long-term future. Sally overcame countless obstacles, but the biggest lesson she learnt was that for sustainable change to happen, locals needed to be leading organisations.

As a result of Sally's empowering approach to development, she successfully made herself redundant, leaving HHA to be entirely run by local staff. Sally is the CEO of Human and Hope Association Inc, a registered charity in Australia that raises funds for Human and Hope Association to continue their poverty-alleviating programs. Her manifesto, 'It's Not About Me' was published by Elephant House Press in 2019. Sally received an Order of Australia Medal at age 33.

Sally will talk about sustainable development, her journey as a young female building up a not-for-profit organisation, innovation and taking risk, and the unintended consequences of voluntourism.

To support her charity.

Click on Support a Family with Food Production ($128) - tax deductible
Click on Purchase our handmade products (from $5.99)
Click on Purchase my book ($27.99)

01 September 2020 - Real Estate in COVID world

David Gallin & Ben Markos

David & Ben will talk about

The current market including sales and how these compare to previous years. Is it a buyers’ market or sellers’ market and why?
COVID19 and the effects it has had on residential and commercial property
What lies ahead in the lead up to 2021

Living locally, Ben has insight into the Lower North Shore lifestyle and has made lifelong connections during his time at SCECGS Redlands. Ben is highly motivated and thrives in an ever-changing environment. He is focused on providing clients with a comprehensive and successful real estate experience.

David is a director of the company and focuses on Kirribilli, Lavender Bay and McMahons Point with over 15 years of experience in the industry. With a thorough knowledge of the many burrows that constitute the lower north shore.

11 August 2020 - History of Pilot Boats

Noel Phelan

In the early 1800's pilots were rowed out from Watsons Bay to ships in a whaleboat with a crew of 4. Not only was this difficult and dangerous it was fiercely competitive. The signal station on South Head let the pilots know when a ship was approaching. In 1833 pilotage became compulsory for ships over 25 tons. The wreck of the SS Dunbar where there was only one survivor out of the 122 people on board and the following enquiry led to changes.

Three Captain Cook pilot boats served for over 60 years. These were large vessels of 500 tons and a length of 160 feet. They carried whaleboats that were rowed to the ships. The pilots boarded the ships by rope ladders.

Later versions of pilot boats were much smaller and came alongside ships to transfer pilots. The pilot boats today are purpose built and made in the UK - the St Brendan's class. They are capable of 26 knots and 55 feet in length with two 600 BHP engines. They are equipped with the latest in safety gear and navigational aids to operate in difficult conditions.

28 July 2020 - Allergies & anaphylaxix in Australia

Trent Zimmerman

The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport has completed an inquiry into allergies and anaphylaxis in Australia. The Chair of the Committee, Trent Zimmerman MP, said that allergies were seeing a rapid rise in Australia affecting more than four million Australians.

Some people experience a life-threatening allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis. Over the last 20 years, hospital admissions for anaphylaxis has increased five-fold and has a major impact for so many families, schools, and childcare centres.

While the cause of the increase in allergies remains uncertain, what is clear is that this is a phenomenon found primarily in wealthier western nations like Australia.

Severe allergies can be life threatening and this will be an important opportunity for the Parliament to shine a light on how we can better support those at risk.

Trent will talk about

Why allergies are rising.
Whats the current advice to help minimise allergies
What state and federal governments can do better to help allergy sufferers.

1 July 2020 - JP's in NSW

Garry Wood

Since retiring from a long sales and management career with IBM Australia, Garry Wood has been working with several not for profit organisations and keeping busy with property renovations. Garry was appointed a NSW Justice of the Peace in 2015 and is the President, Sydney Branch of the NSW Justices Association responsible for the 10 JP service desks across the City of Sydney state electorate. The NSW Justices Association represents over 3500 volunteer JP’s across NSW and maintains over 130 service locations. In addition, Garry is an active member of Marine Rescue NSW based at Middle Harbour.

Garry will talk about

the history of JP’s in Australia
the role of JP’s in NSW
what is required to be a JP
how they are appointed and
where to find a JP in your area

30 June 2020 - Sydney Metro

Neil Dix

Sydney Metro is Australia’s biggest public transport project. Much has happened in the last year, with services started in May 2019 in the city’s North West, and the completion of tunnelling for the new metro railway between Chatswood and Marrickville.

This talk will provide an update on the Sydney Metro progress showing the latest highlights in the North Sydney area, including

work at the Victoria Cross Station sites and
Blues Point, and
giving a wider overview of the whole project.

Neil Dix –Communications Manager, Tunnel and Station Excavation, Sydney Metro Neil has managed communications and community activities on a range of infrastructure projects including the Northern Beaches B-Line, Kempsey Bypass and National Broadband Network rollout.

28 April 2020 - Dysphagia

Speaker - Dijana Dragicevich

What is Dysphagia? Dysphagia is derived from the Greek words phagia (to eat) and dys (with difficulty). It is difficulty getting food from mouth to stomach. Like breathing, swallowing is essential to everyday life. Humans swallow at between 500-700 times a day, around three times an hour during sleep, once per minute while awake and even more during meals. Around one million Australians have a swallowing difficulty. Swallowing problems can occur at any stage of life. However, the knowledge of dysphagia and its implications remain largely unknown for most Australians.

Dijana’s talk will answer the following questions:

What is Dsyphagia
What causes of Dysphagia
What is the anatomy of swallowing
What is a Normal Swallow
What is an Abnormal Swallow
What can go wrong?
What are the Consequences of Dysphagia
What is her research

14 April 2020 - Nusa Tenggaar (Timor) update

Speaker - Stephanie Heighes

North Sydney Sunrise Rotary Club sponsored the Nusa Tenggara Music and Dance Festival in West Timor. The presentation will cover

a Brief history of the NTA (Nusa Tenggara Association)
an update on the music festival
an update on what NTA is doing in response to covid19 in Flores and West Timor - educational awareness raising campaigns have been run with the local government and the ministry of health to educate people on covid19 in communities and schools. In schools the plan is to start a specific hygiene component with handwash-stations and general awareness raising
Questions and Answers

04 February 2020 - NBN Rollout

Speaker - Geeth Geeganage

NBN Co was established in 2009 to design, build and operate Australia’s wholesale broadband access network. Underpinned by a purpose to connect Australia and bridge the digital divide, nbn’s key objective is to ensure all Australians have access to fast broadband as soon as possible, at affordable prices, and at least cost.

To achieve this objective, nbn has been structured as a wholesale-only, open-access broadband network. nbn provides services on its local access network on equivalent terms to retail phone and internet providers, to provision for end-user needs. This is intended to level the playing field in Australian telecommunications, creating real and vibrant competition within the industry and providing choice for consumers.

This presentation will include:

What is the nbn™?
How does it impact your fixed line phone and internet connections?
What do you need to do to get connected?
How to avoid scam calls related to nbn

Geeth Geeganage currently represents nbn as a community ambassador. In his role, he is responsible for having conversations with a wide variety of community groups so as to help them better understand the nuances of nbn roll out.

15 January 2019 - 2018 Sydney to Hobart

Speaker - Lyndsay May

Lindsay May competed in his 46^th consecutive Sydney Hobart Yacht Race last December. A record for consecutive races. He navigated the classic 73 foot yawl Kialoa II (the line honours winner in 1971)

The 2018 edition was a straight forward Hobart with nor easterly breezes down the NSW and Tassie coast but at the bottom of Tasmania some of the yachts including Kialoa were battered with 60 knot gusts.

Lindsay will give an overview of the race illustrated by spectacular photographs from some of yachting’s best photographers.

Get Involved

Speakers

22 April 2025 - Rotary Regionalisation

Speaker - Jade Catherall

29 April 2025 - Club Forum

06 May 2025 - Faroe Islands

Speaker - Alfonso Calero

13 May 2025 - Power of Perserverance

Speaker - Paul Upham

20 May 2025 - HMAS Waterhen

Speaker - Commander Lucy Frauenfelder

27 May 2025 - Ukraine Update

Speaker - Jerry Duma

03 June 2025 - Voluntary Assisted Dying

Speaker - Penny Hackett

10 June 2025 - TBA

Speaker - TBA

17 June 2025 - TBA

Speaker - TBA

24 June 2025 - Club Forum

01 July 2025 - Changeover Dinner

Speaker - Trent Zimmerman / Ken Preshaw

08 July 2025 - ROMAC

Speaker - Anita Robinson

05 August 2025 - Club Forum

Previous Speakers

15 April 2025 - Cyber Security & AI

Speaker - Nasim Islam

8 April 2025 - Tasmania

Speaker - Richard Vahtrick

25 March 2025 - The Fathering Project

Speaker - Josh Wiggins

11 March 2025 - Looming Energy Crisis

Speaker - Alan Lawrensen

04 March 2025 - Demographics of the North Sydney Community

Speaker - Eric Poulos

25 February 2025 - Domestic Violence

Speaker - Mandy Ellis

04 February 2025 - RYLA experiences

Speaker - Mingyuan ZHANG (Micardo)

28 January 2025 - Chinese New Year Dinner

Location - Fortuna Court

21 January 2025 - How & When to use Bonds

Speaker - Harrison Moore

14 January 2025 - Sydney to Hobart review

Speaker - Lindsay May

10 December 2024 - Geraldine Doogue in conversation with Wendy Whiteley

Location - Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron (RSYS)

26 November 2024 - Rotary in Kathmandu

Speaker - Yoga Raj Pokhrel

03 December 2024 - Torres Strait

Speaker - Ian Burnet

19 November 2024 - Warringah Freeway Upgrade

Speaker - Steven Clark

29 October 2024 - 2MBS

Speaker - Simon Moore

22 October 2024 - Gin

Speaker - Kyle Ford

15 October 2024 - Harbour Tunnel Update

Speaker - Management Team

24 September 2024 - Healthy Brain Aging

Speaker - Katya Numbers

17 September 2024 - Mary's House

Speaker - Janine Wood

10 September 2024 - Journey to Antarctica

Speaker - Jenny May

03 September 2024 - Hearing Technology

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