LATEST NEWSLETTER

ANARE CLUB Queensland Branch
May 2008

(Next newsletter - Last Week in October2008)




A.N.A.R.E. CLUB Incorporated (Queensland Branch)


Mid Winter Dinner
Queensland Midwinter Dinner, on Friday 13th June 2008, will follow the format of the successful and well attended 2007 Dinner at the "Terraces on Wickham" . Web page address - www.terracesonwickham.com.au

Calling the Years
Calling the Years is a Queensland Midwinter tradition. Once again expeditioners will be called upon to introduce themselves, and their guest, and may then talk for up to 153 seconds. It is not obligatory to do more than state your name & Station. Stories are encouraged Expeditioners standing more than once should keep their total time to 2 minutes 33 seconds. Repeats can be stopped on a "Point of Order" from any Expeditioner. Extensions of time have been granted.

Displaying our History
Do you have something worth showing the group? Bring along photos or other Antarctic Memorabilia for display on the night. Make sure your name is on each item so it goes home with the right people.

Club Raffle
This year in addition to our standard club raffle of articles there will be an auction held for some selected articles of Antarctic Memorabilia. This will include - Original Antarctica Survey Plan
Antarctic Poster - Wide screen mounted on canvas.
Limited Edition Nella Dan Print , Items will be on display during dinner.

Club News
Midwinter Dinner 2007. The arrangements for Midwinter Dinner all flowed well. The function was considered to be a success. The new floor layout was an improvement on previous years and the Round of Members introducing themselves and telling their story, was welcomed by all, and especially the several visitors.

Appreciation was expressed to Dayna Johnson for the preparation of Menus and Port Bottle Labels to the theme "50 Years Davis Station".

Fifty-five attended the Dinner. Mailout was 204 Newsletters. There were four "Return to Sender" letters.

Reunions of 1962 Mawson, 1999 Mawson and 2003 Mawson were especially happy parts of the Dinner. Many of these had travelled from interstate.

Costs were covered and a profit made from the Raffle.

Andrew Hucker reported eighteen attending M/W Dinner in Townsville, 12 Expeditioners and 6 Partners.

Museum and Charlie Gibbs Artifacts, Photos and Mementos. The Club is still holding many items from Charlie's collection and the process of sorting is not completed. These included Antarctic Books and the Presentation Photo from the Australian Government for Charlie's contribution in 1936 Rescue voyage to Bay of Whales. The distribution of the resulting information to Museum or other use is subject to more sorting time. David Bishop has created a digital record of significant material, including newspaper cuttings.

Jon Stephenson Photo Display. The Joint approach to the Queensland Museum by the Club and Royal Geographical Society. The Museum was slow to respond and, after a follow up by David Bishop, we were advised that the Museum was not in a position to commit to any arrangement.
Jon Stephenson has been advised and appreciates that the Club tried to achieve a result.

ADDITIONAL FUNCTION. It was planned that the traditional Christmas Function be held in February 2008, to avoid the busy time before Christmas. This, and the November Newsletter did not occur due to other commitments of the Club Council at the time.

Judy Parrott, Antarctic Traveller and Photographer with an AAD Arts Fellowship, advised the Club of her Photographic Display of "Work in Antarctica" to be shown at various locations in Queensland The details were circulated to the Council. Trevor Luff reported on seeing this Display in Noosa.
Additional Displays in Queensland are listed. Outback Regional Gallery, Winton, March to 19 April 2009 and Bundaberg Arts Centre, 27 January to 7 March 2010.

Attention is drawn to the Letters from Bill Burch, ANARE Berth 2008, on the ANARE Website.

The Websites are commended to all Members for new and old information of interest to Club Members.

The Queensland and the Federal Websites are linked.

From the time of this Newsletter, the Federal Website will have the Membership Database accessible to Members with the capacity to pay subscriptions on line, change and update personal details (and search financial status).

Attention is drawn to the "Dog Display" at Queensland Museum. This deals with Working Dogs. ANARE Huskys and a Dog Sledge are featured and a map of Dog Trips out of Mawson is on display.

Syd Kirkby advises that National Archives will accept Antarctic (ANARE) Records. The Hobart TMAG is somewhat restrictive in artefacts accepted.

The Club continues to arrange for speakers on requests from schools and Clubs. Peter McKenzie has indicated his willingness to be on the list of speakers to visit schools and societies who request Antarctic talks. Glenn Duncan also has been doing this in the Sunshine Coast area. Peter is now at Burrum Heads and Glenn at Cooroy. John Windolf attended to a presentation at Golden Beach.

It was noted that John Rigby had been in contact with a group at Griffith University who have Antarctic (ANARE / AGAD) interests. Information provided to them did not result in any attendance at Midwinter Dinner, although this had been anticipated. It is known that Griffith University has an On Campus gathering on Midwinter Day. Some old information appears on the Website.

The Club Council is addressing a concept that the title "ANARE" be more formally used in the continuing work of the Australian Government Antarctic Division. (AGAD), as it is officially designated at present.
It seems that the AAD and AGAD designations have superseded the historical ANARE description, although at the Stations the identification "61st ANARE", for instance, is used.

It is also of interest that the Federal Government is providing funds for Mawson's Huts Preservation.
The funding is being provided to the "Mawson's Hut's Foundation" and is $1.3 million over four years.
This was announced in Sydney at a Seminar involving people from several bodies involved in Antarctic heritage and was held at The Australian Museum in Sydney.

Expect more detail in Aurora. Also look for an announcement of a "Management Plan" by the Minister, Peter Garrett, in Canberra on 18 June 2008.

A number Queensland Expeditioners have recently signed up as Club Members. Be assured you are most welcome to attend Queensland Midwinter Dinners. If you feel reluctant for any reason, be assured of a warm welcome. If that seems lacking, insist on it, because it will only be because the rest of us are being slack.

Financial Status
Please check your financial status. This is shown on the cover sheet of AURORA. If you have not received AURORA you are considered unfinancial. The Annual Subscription is $35.00. Send your remittance to: -
The Treasurer, ANARE Club, PO Box 2534 Melbourne Vic 3001.


CLUB WEBSITE
For all this information and more check out the club web site, this great site is designed by Robyn Downey, and is maintained by Andrew Brooks. See www.qldanare.org for contact details. Andrew is always on the lookout for new material for the web site and would be happy to post pictures or news worthy events on the web for all to see. Registrations for Midwinter Dinner are posted on the Website as they are received.

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