(Established July 2023 from the merger of Rotary Clubs Manningham and Templestowe and has since welcomed former members from the Rotary Club of Doncaster.)
Co-Presidents 2025-26 Esther Murray (L) Anthony Callinan (R)
Dear Members and Friends,
Happy New Year to all our readers.
Welcome to 2026. We hope everyone found time to spend time with loved ones and have at least a little time off over the holiday season. Our program for this year will continue in the same format with 2 dinner meetings on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays at the Manningham Hotel, a less formal ‘working’ meeting on the 2nd Wednesday at the Templestowe Bowls Club and a social gatthering on the 4th Wednesday. Thanks to Brian Tyedin, John Bennie, Graham Kane and Andrew An for making this all happen.
We heard from our new member, Kevin Hall on Wednesday. He told us about his fabulous corporate career that took him to Paris, the French Alps, the Taj Mahal and the delights of Burma (Myanmar), China, Korea, Japan and the Philippines. Of course, he is not new to Rotary, with a membership of over 20 years in Donvale, Warrandyte-Donvale and now Manningham City Clubs.
We have a busy progam coming up and we welcome new members (and friends) who want to assist with our Interact and Earlyact Clubs, the Schools ANZAC Day commemoration, School Speech Competitions, the Annual Golf Day, LAARFS, All Abilities Good Vibrations Disco, our Rummage Shop in Jackson Court, regular Bunnings sausage sizzles and more. The money we raise supports local organisations such as Doncare, Carenet and Ajani, cancer research, literacy in the Philippines, Rotary charities and many other programs here and overseas.
Next week we will hear from Leon Moore about his great work with Laughing All Abilities Really Friendly Singers (LAARFS) and from Luke about the very popular All Abilities Good Vibrations Disco. Our meeting is at the Templestowe Bowls Club.
Have a great week in Rotary (and enjoy a sausage at Bunnings Doncaster this Saturday).
Rotary Disco Volunteers at the Disco. L-R Luke Bastian, Vicki Bee, Barry Halpern (back), Stella Yee, John Bennie, Sohrab Bhopti, Brian Tyedin.
All Abilities Good Vibrations Disco: A Smashing Success!
Our first All Abilities disco of 2026 proved that nothing stops a good party! Despite the roadworks around Doncaster, roughly 60 dancers joined us at Tende Beck Scout Hall on 31 January for a night of music and fun. We are so grateful to the Rotary volunteers who helped make the night run smoothly. See you at the next one!
Welcome to the 2026 District Conference in Hobart, Tasmania!
I am thrilled to invite you to join us from 13-15 March 2026, for an extraordinary event that promises to be both enriching and enjoyable. This year, we are excited to announce that the conference will be a collaborative effort with District 9830, representing Tasmania. Together, we aim to create an unforgettable experience filled with learning, networking, and cultural immersion. Hobart, with its rich history and vibrant atmosphere, provides the perfect backdrop for our conference activities.
On Friday, attendees can indulge in a variety of unique experiences, including storytelling at MACq 01, welcome drinks at the iconic Henry Jones, delightful lunch options paired with gin tasting, and exclusive whiskey tasting at the renowned Lark Distillery. For those who enjoy outdoor activities, we will also host golf and bowling events, ensuring there’s something for everyone.
– Monique Smith, D9815 Conference Chair
For more information and early bird bookings click on the image above. Club contacts are Tony Monley and Brian Tyedin.
The 2025 Rotary South Pacific Conference has just successfully concluded with PDG Tony Monley OAM and PP Kathy Monley OAM playing major roles. Pat Armstrong also managed to attend despite a busy schedule.
Not resting on his laurels, Tony Monley is the chair of the 2026 Conference to be held here in Melbourne. He will be asking for support from club members.
The future-focussed theme of “People, Planet, Peace” captures Rotary’s enduring commitment to positive change. It speaks to our role as global citizens—dedicated to protecting the environment, fostering peace, and strengthening communities.
In an uncertain world, Rotary offers stability, vision, and action. This theme aligns with our seven areas of focus, especially the environment, peace building, and community development. It challenges us to think holistically and act with purpose.
As Rotarians, we are not just responding to today’s needs—we are shaping tomorrow’s possibilities.
Our regular newsletter editor, Janis Mcfarland is recovering from a health issue and is unable to continue in that role.
The newsletter is our most important channel to communicate with members and our friends in the broader community. We need an organised person with a few hours to spare each week who is confident using a computer to help with this.
The role of the editor is to compile the newsletter. We use a template on the ClubRunner platform so most of the work is copy and paste and adding photos to stories. The editor should be a confident writer and attentive to detail; however, we don’t expect perfection!
Our acting editor, Anthony, can provide training and ongoing support. The editor may occasionally write stories but we mostly rely on other members to provide stories and photos.
