Rotary celebrates 100 years in Australia and New Zealand on April 21st, 2021, the 100th anniversary of the first Rotary meeting Down Under, when the Rotary Club of Melbourne met for the first time. Commissioners Jim Davidson and James Ralston had arrived in Melbourne from Canada aboard the SS 'Ventura', where they met with noted Australian Sir John Monash and other business leaders to establish the Rotary Club of Melbourne. Rotary launched with the original motto: "He profits most who serves best".
From a beginning in Chicago USA in February 1905, through a vision of Paul Harris (1868-1947), Rotary began to grow in the USA ,Canada ,Uk and Irelend, (https://www.rotary.org/en/looking-back-wwi) . Even during World War I, Rotary in Britain increased from 9 to 22 clubs, with other early clubs in Cuba in 1916, Philippines in 1919 and India in 1920.
In 1921, Rotary International ( then called the International Association of Rotary Clubs) decided to expand Rotary into Australia and New Zealand by sending two Canadian Commissioners Jim Davidson and James Layton Ralston, to establish clubs in Sydney ,Melbourne, Auckland and Wellington.
Jim Davidson James Ralston
" Davidson and Ralston arrived in Sydney on 22nd March, 1921 on board the Ventura and, as someone has so aptly put it, …found it closed! It was “Show Week” – the ten days during which the country goes to the city for the Royal Agricultural and Horticultural Society’s Easter Show. “Show Week” incorporates the Easter Holidays (Good Friday, Easter Eve, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday) and to that extended week-end was added “Show Day” ( Reference “SERVICE ABOVE SELF” IN THE AN.TIPODES Rotary in Australia and New Zealand 1921-2014 by H Paul Henningham) .
Finding Sydney on holidays, the Commissioners then proceeded to Melbourne. There they met with noted Australian Sir John Monash and other business leaders to establish the Rotary Club of Melbourne on 21st April 1921. Thus, The Rotary Club of Melbourne can rightly claim to be the first formed in Australia.
Click here to see the Trove newspapers reference about their arrival in Sydney on 22nd March 1921.
On returning to Sydney, they were instrumental in establishing the Rotary Club of Sydney on 1st May 1921. Wellington and Auckland followed on the 7th and 13th June respectively.
Since that time, Rotary in Australia has grown to some 21 Districts , 1100 clubs and 30,000 plus members. It has moved with the times and adapted through wars and the difficult economic circumstances. Rotary in Australia is rightly proud to be celebrating its Centenary in 2021.
Prior to 1985, Rotary world wide was a male only organisation . In moving with the times, women have taken up many important roles in Rotary with positions of District Governor and Club Presidents being filled by women active in Club organisations. Recently Jennifer Jones of Canada has been nominated as the International President for the 2022/2023 Rotary Year. Our congratulations are extended to Jennifer.
Click on the following link for information about Jennifer Jones.
Further the current Presidents of Australia’s oldest clubs, Melbourne and Sydney, are women. Congratulations Marion Macleod (Melbourne) and Fatima Ali (Sydney).
The Rotary Club of Glenferrie is partnering with the Rotary clubs of Camberwell, Canterbury and Hawthorn in a number of local projects aimed at marking this historic event and celebrating the achievements of 100 years of community service, and launch Rotary into its second 100 year Doing Good in the World.
Plagiarised mercilessly from an article published by the Rotary Club of Engadine