Rotary 100 Down Under
Rotary in Australia and NZ celebrated the First 100 years of Service in 2021. In 1921, four Rotary clubs were created, the Rotary clubs of Melbourne, Auckland, Wellington and Sydney. From there, Rotary and Rotaract clubs were created everywhere across Australia and NZ. In the past 100 years, Rotary in Australia and New Zealand has grown to more than 1,400 clubs throughout Australia, New Zealand and Oceania, and over 36,000 clubs worldwide.
In 2021 clubs throughout Australia and New Zealand united to celebrate 100 years of Doing Good in the World, and launch Rotary into the next 100 years of service. Projects of lasting benefit to the community were completed as part of those celebrations.
The Rotary Club of Glenferrie led a consortium of Rotary clubs in the City of Boroondara comprising the Rotary clubs of Camberwell, Canterbury, Glenferrie and Hawthorn to build a special interactive playground feature at Yarra Bank Reserve, Hawthorn as part of commemorations of Rotary's 100 years Down Under. The playground is close to the site of the of the original ferry which crossed the Yarra at this point, connecting Richmond with the Parish of Boroondara. The site has considerable significance for the local indigenous people. The consortium partnered with The City of Boroondara in the construction of a new all-abilities playground at the site. Rotary contributed a unique interactive play sculpture that captures the spirit of place and celebrates 100 years of service in partnership with the local community. Planning commenced in late 2019 with construction completed in late 2021, well in time for the Rotary 100 Down Under celebrations.
The reserve is beautifully located on the banks of the Yarra River and is an ideal family picnic and play site. Through the City of Boroondara, residents were surveyed on their preferences for the park, the sorts of features it includes and their expectations of the new landscaping. The Rotary interactive sculpture is spectacular and unique to this park, making it a destination site. Community engagement at the reserve will be actively promoted through Rotary organised events, engaging with schools, parent groups and other community organisations through links with the Council.
The historic significance of the park offers another dimension, engaging with local historical societies in promoting the city’s history. The project will leave a lasting legacy in the local community, fittingly commemorating 100 years of Rotary service.
The Rotary contribution was supported with a generous District Local Grant from The Rotary Foundation, a Four Star Charity as rated by Charity Navigator. The Rotary Foundation funds community projects throughout the world, now totalling more than US$4 billion in grants. The major global grant is the Rotary inspired program to wipe Polio from the face of the Earth.
A short video explaining the motivation, objectives and outcomes for the club's project to mark the 2021 Centenary of Rotary in Australia
The opening of the playground at Yarra Bank Reserve Hawthorn on November 21st was a fitting climax to more than two years of planning and implementation work for the multi-club team coordinating the project. Initiated and led by the Rotary Club of Glenferrie, in partnership with the City of Boroondara, together with the Rotary clubs of Camberwell, Hawthorn and Canterbury, the project celebrated the 100th anniversary in 2021 of the establishment of Rotary in Australia. The clubs were joined for the opening celebration by the Rotary clubs of North Balwyn and Balwyn, and Melbourne Water.
Bathed in sparkling sunshine, the historic and beautiful park at Yarra Bank Reserve was opened at a Family Fun Day on November 21st, bringing to fruition a project that will long be remembered as a signature achievement for the club and for Rotary in Boroondara.
From left to right, declaring the playground officially open, District Governor Dale Hoy, Past President RC Camberwell Murray Anderson, Mayor of Boroondara Garry Thompson, and President of the Rotary Club of Glenferrie, Dr Mark Ellis AM
The new playground at Yarra Bank Reserve in Hawthorn was officially opened at a special Family Fun Day on Sunday November 21st, accompanied by glorious sunshine, magic, music and mayhem, and the delightful laughter of children and families at play. A crowd of some hundreds of Rotarians and residents gathered to celebrate the theme of working and playing together in what was a resounding success for the club and our consortium partners. Well done Rotary! Thank you Rotarians! More to come.
|
With the lifting of restrictions coming out of Lockdown, we can confirm the Family Fun Day/Gala Opening of the R100 Yarra Bank Playground will be going ahead on Sunday 21 November, commencing 12 midday. Make sure you mark the date in your diary, there will be a range of entertainment, food and coffee available, so bring your kids and grandkids along.
Our club, assisted by a $9,000 grant from The Rotary Foundation, has made a significant financial contribution towards this playground, and our Rotary 100 Playground Committee has worked hard over two years to bring the project to fruition, so please show your support by attending this fun afternoon.
There will also be volunteers needed, firstly to letterbox a specific area with resident notification flyers (a Council requirement) the week before the event, and on the day we need volunteers to act as COVID Marshalls and the like. Keep an eye out for calls for volunteers and save the date for all the fun of the Fair at Yarra Bank Reserve, November 21st.
The Victorian Government requires that people over the age of 16 entering the Reserve check in using the Victoria Services app and, unless possessing a valid exemption, wear a properly fitted mask and provide proof that they are fully vaccinated against Covid-19. Thank you for doing your part to keep us safe
The Yarra Bank Reserve, site for the interactive play sculpture being presented to the community on September 12th as a gift from Rotary, is a beautiful park with an ancient history. The traditional land of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people, who hunted and fished along the Yarra banks, the reserve contains an ancient scar tree. A scar tree or scarred tree, also known as a canoe tree and shield tree, is a tree which has had bark removed by Aboriginal Australians for the creation of bark canoes, shelters, weapons such as shields, tools, traps, containers or other artefacts.
Visitors to the park on September 12th for the Opening Ceremony and Family Fun day will be able to view the scar tree, and reflect on and pay respect to the families who lived, worked and played along these banks in a distant past.
The theme for the new playground project was stated quite casually, early in the planning cycle, by Benjamin Gilbert of Agency of Sculpture, creators of the Rotary interactive play sculpture. Benjamin said: "The play sculpture is meant to demonstrate that when people work together they can create something magnificent". The plaque will be unveiled by the Mayor of Boroondara at the Family Fun Day on Sunday September 12th.
(The plaque here still bears the original date, August 8th. The event has been re-scheduled to September 12th, but the plaque may remain the same for good luck!)
There'll be music and laughter, face painting and a magician, a hoopist extraordinaire and much much more at Yarra Bank Reserve Sunday November 21st 2021 12 noon to 3pm. So bring the family and enjoy a Sunday afternoon at play. Official opening at 1pm by the Mayor of Boroondara, Cr. Garry Thompson, and Rotary District 9800 Governor Dale Hoy.
The opening of the playground at Yarra Bank Reserve Hawthorn on November 21st was a fitting climax to more than two years of planning and implementation work for the multi-club team coordinating the project. Initiated and led by the Rotary Club of Glenferrie, in partnership with the City of Boroondara, together with the Rotary clubs of Camberwell, Hawthorn and Canterbury, the project celebrated the 100th anniversary in 2021 of the establishment of Rotary in Australia. The clubs were joined for the opening celebration by the Rotary clubs of North Balwyn and Balwyn, and Melbourne Water.
Bathed in sparkling sunshine, the historic and beautiful park at Yarra Bank Reserve was opened at a Family Fun Day on November 21st, bringing to fruition a project that will long be remembered as a signature achievement for the club and for Rotary in Boroondara.
From left to right, declaring the playground officially open, District Governor Dale Hoy, Past President RC Camberwell Murray Anderson, Mayor of Boroondara Garry Thompson, and President of the Rotary Club of Glenferrie, Dr Mark Ellis AM
The theme for the new playground project was stated quite casually, early in the planning cycle, by Benjamin Gilbert of Agency of Sculpture, creators of the Rotary interactive play sculpture. Benjamin said: "The play sculpture is meant to demonstrate that when people work together they can create something magnificent". The plaque will be unveiled by the Mayor of Boroondara at the Family Fun Day on Sunday September 12th.
(The plaque here still bears the original date, August 8th. The event has been re-scheduled to September 12th, but the plaque may remain the same for good luck!)