Events

Murray was the End Polio Now Coordinator for Zone 8 (Australia, New Zealand & South Pacific countries) from 2022 until June 2025. He has been, and still is, a Member of the Polio Eradication Advocacy Task Force for Australia since 2022.

Murray was the lead facilitator to train End Polio Coordinators from around the world at the Global Philanthropy Seminar held at Rotary headquarters in Evanston, USA, in April 2025.

He joined the Rotary Club of Williamstown, Victoria in 1981 and has served the club in many capacities, including two terms as club president (1986-1987 and 2008-2009).

He is a Past Governor of District 9800 (2014-2015) in Melbourne and Central Victoria, and he is a past chair of the District 9800 Rotary Foundation Committee (2019-2022). He is also the District’s Council on Legislation Representative (2020-2026) and represented the district at the COLs held in Chicago in 2022 and in April 2025.

He has served as an Assistant Regional Rotary Foundation Coordinator (2015-2018) and as an RI President’s Representative at district conferences in New Zealand and Western Australia. He was a member of the Host Organising Committee for the RI Convention held in Melbourne in May 2023.

Murray and his wife, Irene, are both retired general medical practitioners. As the Medical Officer of Health for the City of Williamstown, Murray oversaw the municipality’s immunisation programs. His zone role combines his interest in infectious diseases and his passion for Rotary.

Murray is a Major Donor to the Rotary Foundation and is a member of the Foundation’s Bequest Society and District 9800’s Paul Harris and PolioPlus Societies. He is a recipient of the Rotary Foundation’s Citation for Meritorious Service.

In the early 2020s consultants and others forecast a glowing future for the Green Hydrogen Industry. Since then we have witnessed a parade of project cancellations and much less business media chatter. What is surprising is this should not have been a surprise.

Alan is a retired Chemical Engineer with nearly 50 years’ experience in the petrochemical, chemical and water industries.  He served as General Manager Technology for Orica, Chair of City West Water and as an Adjunct Professor at Monash University.

He was a Rotarian for 39 years, a Past President of Rotary Central Melbourne and is now a member of Melbourne Probus. Alan and Robyn have been married for just over 60 years, have three adult children and seven grandchildren.

This presentation will include insights on long-term strength training and its role in overall health along with answers to key questions on maintaining activity, preventing chronic disease, and reducing injury risk. Darcy will also give guidance on getting started on a strength training journey.

Darcy McCann is an Exercise Scientist with over two years of professional experience at Kieser South Melbourne. Prior to this role, he worked as a Strength and Conditioning Coach at Western Melbourne Propulsion Swim Club, where he had the opportunity to coach elite athletes, including two-time Olympian Tamsin Cook.

He holds a Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science from Deakin University. Before completing his degree in Australia, he studied Exercise Science at the University of Charleston, West Virginia, where he was also a member of the men’s NCAA basketball team.

He is a strong advocate for health, performance, and longevity across the lifespan, and he firmly believes that resistance training is essential for every adult to maintain strength, function, and long-term wellbeing.

Packing for medical equipment to go to Cambodia. 

Vocational Committee members Warwick Cavill and Patricia Wilson will speak about how they are working together to improve employment outcomes for people with intellectual disability and autism through the Community Employment Partnership (CEP). Emily Raymond secured a job through the connections of a Rotarian at Box Hill Central Rotary club. She will share her story about the difficulties of finding a job through traditional means and how working has made a positive impact on her life.

This is not a project of charity but of community action. Employment is not only important economically and financially, but it builds our competence, skills, confidence and social connections. It a huge part of our lives and contributes significantly to our sense of belonging and self-esteem.

Ask yourself – what would your life be like without meaningful employment?

We want to meet business needs and assist them to find skilled staff to fill tasks that are not getting done or are being done by others who are not entry level workers. Diverse workplaces improve business morale, workplace culture and can broaden a business’s customer base.

Bryce will introduce Australian Rotarians Against Malaria: why it exists, how it works, the challenges it faces, some success stories, and how Rotary Central Melbourne can help.

Bryce McNair is the Southern Region Chair of Australian Rotarians Against Malaria. He has a background in law, economics and accounting and spent eight years as a ministerial adviser in Melbourne, Darwin and Canberra. Bryce ran a laboratory and two industry associations and was a management consultant before becoming a teacher. He is a member of the Rotary Club of Albury Wodonga Sunrise.

Matthew's presentation will explore how Primary Schools engage vulnerable children in their learning, both from an academic and social-emotional perspective.

Matthew Shawcross is a dedicated educational leader, currently serving as a Primary School Principal at both Sacred Heart, Fitzroy and St Joseph's, Collingwood. He is known for his commitment to fostering inclusive, student-centred learning environments.

With a strong background in primary education, he has developed a reputation for nurturing both academic excellence and personal growth in young learners. Matthew’s leadership style emphasises collaboration, innovation, and a deep respect for the unique needs of each student, ensuring that every child is supported to reach his or her full potential.

Throughout his career, Matthew has worked closely with teachers, families, and the wider school community to build a culture of trust, engagement, and continuous improvement. He is passionate about empowering educators through professional development and encouraging the use of contemporary teaching practices. Under his guidance, schools have thrived as vibrant communities where curiosity is encouraged, values are lived, and students are prepared with the skills and confidence needed for lifelong learning.

There are many components to ensuring elections are fair, transparent and accurate. Liz will talk about election integrity, how it is measured and how we stack up.

Liz Williams worked in election administration for the majority of her career including 15 years as Deputy Electoral Commissioner at the Victorian Electoral Commission, overseeing state and local council elections and redivisions in Victoria. Her work has also allowed her to engage across a range of local, national and international settings including parliamentary committees, industry and academia.

Since her retirement from the VEC, Liz has been appointed to a number of independent expert panels to review and recommend improvements to Victoria’s political finance laws (Chair) and local government electoral structures.

Liz believes that Victoria demonstrates good practice in election delivery but the integrity and independence of our electoral bodies and the way elections are funded are ongoing priorities.

Bad Days happen. At work. At home. Sometimes before 10am. And when they do, having a plan can make all the difference.

Dr Gayle Smerdon is the author of The Bad Day Playbook, a guide to navigating tough days with clarity, humour and practical actions.

Gayle is a workplace learning specialist, speaker and author who helps people make work less exhausting and more meaningful.

For more than two decades, she has worked across universities, government and not-for-profits, helping leaders and teams navigate change, build capability, and create healthy cultures. She studies how organisations function (and malfunction), exploring the interplay of systems, culture and behaviour. Her favourite question is simple: “Is this important and are we helping?”

Gayle lives in Melbourne and is the contented slave to her feline overlord, Mr Spooks.