Not Applicable. The bulletin editor on duty sincerely apologises for the inability to publish this bulletin on time due to experiencing an illness. He was unable to send proactive communication to anyone else due to the same reason. Please refer to the 20th February 2024 edition for details under this section.
Janette Etherington: Interplast - repairing bodies and rebuilding lives
Interplast sends teams of volunteer plastic and reconstructive surgeons, anaesthetists, nurses and allied health professionals to provide life-changing surgery and medical training in seventeen developing nations in the Asia-Pacific region. Work is undertaken in partnership with local organisations, including hospitals and universities.
Rotary co-founded Interplast in 1983. Rotary Clubs and Rotarians across Australia and New Zealand remain invaluable partners in Interplast’s mission to "repair bodies and rebuild lives".
Janette Etherington is the Interplast Rotarian Engagement Coordinator. She describes her role as her "dream job". She has an absolute passion for the work that Interplast does, and the difference it makes to so many people’s lives.
Janette has been a Rotarian for nearly 10 years. She is a member and Past President of the Rotary Club of Nunawading, in District 9810. In Janette's previous work lives she has held a number of senior management positions in retail, bookselling and the apprenticeship sector, working in both the commercial and not-for-profit worlds.
There were 28 members in attendance, and one visitor. Neville John introduced his guest, Anastasia Ah Tong
President Michelle advised members of the recent death of former Barry Tassall
Several members made comments led by Frank O’Brien. Frank noted that Barry:
Was a Charter member of what was originally the Port Phillip Club
Was a senior banker and stockbroker, including in New York City
Should be remembered as an active Rotarian who worked in many areas, and a fitting memory was as the ‘gentleman of the club’
Maintained excellent meeting and event attendance when this was a formal component of being a member
Was married with three children and was affected by dementia in his later years which led to care
Yanpu and Doug also made positive reflective comments on the excellent fellowship and support that Barry provided
MEMBERS BIRTHDAYS AND MILESTONES (January and February 2024)
Members’ Birthdays
January 2024
Lady PASTIDIO
Rohan WILLIAMS
Stella AVRAMOPOULOS
Cecily NEIL
Sonia DHILLON
Ben LEE
Kevin LOVE
Steve TURNER
Alison CHAN
February 2024
Neville John
David LAURIE
Darren PARK
Steve HALLIS
Partner Birthdays
January 2024
Kuei Akol, partner of Ariik ARIIK
Pippa Thornton, partner of Roger THORNTON
Sally MOON, partner of David JONES
Suzette Taylor, partner of Neville TAYLOR
February 2024
Athina Driver, partner of Allan DRIVER
Charity Chen, partner of Luke ALLEN
Heather Rolls, partner of Russell ROLLS
Neville John, partner of Rebecca JOHN
Jasmeet Sekhon, partner of Sonia DHILLON
Maria Fragomeni, partner of Ignacio INCHAUSTI
Wedding Anniversaries
January 2024
Allan DRIVER and Athina Driver together 42 years
Frank O'BRIEN and Pauline O'Brien together 54 years
Luke ALLEN and Charity Chen together 6 years
Roy GARRETT and Annie (deceased July 2019) 56 years
John ILOTT and Raylee ILOTT together 49 years
February 2024
Doug ROBERTSON, and Pamela Robertson, together 55 years
Herb GREENWOOD, and Leonie Greenwood, together 57 years
Bruce HERON, and Nasima Heron, together 41 years
Neville TAYLOR, and Suzette Taylor, together 32 years
Michelle CRAWFORD, and Alan Crawford, together 12 years
Daniel LIM, and Angela Ma, together 4 years
Russell ROLLS, and Heather Rolls, together 56 years
Roger THORNTON, and Pippa Thornton, together 53 years
Rotary membership anniversaries
January 2024
Annet BROUWER - REITH, 7 years
Peter DURAS AM, 51 years
Paul FOWLER, 14 years
David JONES, 33 years
Ignacio INCHAUSTI, 4 years
Bruce McBAIN, 31 years
February 2024
Grace DAVIDSON, 1 year
Roy GARRETT, 18 years
Jo GARRETTY, 1 year
Allan DRIVER, 28 years
GUEST SPEAKER: KEVIN LOVE - WESTERNPORT VALUES AND CHALLENGES
(Note that the presentation was Kevin’s personal views and not the position of any organisation that he is involved with)
Bio:
Kevin is a long-term member and has been involved with natural resource management since the late 1980s and ia an acknowledged national leader in natural resource management and coastal policy. He currently operates a consultancy specialising in project management, policy advice and governance. He is the current Chair of the Phillip Island Nature Parks Board
For over 20 years Kevin worked in the Victorian Departments of Agriculture and Premier and Cabinet, including in regional Victoria, as a Deputy Secretary and as an advisor to Premiers Kennett and Bracks on natural resources and infrastructure matters
Summary of presentation:
Kevin provided a powerpoint presentation which is available on request
Kevin acknowledged the Bunurong people of the Western Port area, noting that the Bunorong were custodians of the area when it was a river valley and long before the sea rose and created the bay it is today. He said: ‘War – mar -in, the area we know as Western Port, is the traditional lands of the Bunurong people. They are the custodians of the cultural heritage of the lands and waters and I acknowledge their ongoing connection’
Western Port has an internationally significant wetland, is next to a nationally significant port and a growing part of Melbourne.
History
80,000 to 20,000 years ago sea levels were 100m lower than today and the bay was dry land. It began to fill about 10,000 years ago and reached its current level about 6,000 years ago
The Yallock-Bulluck and other clans of the Bunurong occupied these lands. Significant dispossession had occurred by 1839.
George Bass visited in 1798 and attempts at British settlement were made in the 1820’s, long before Melbourne was settled
Western Port is so named because it was the westernmost port Bass had mapped on his journey from Sydney
Draining of the Koo – Wee Rup swamp in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s led to large inflows of sediment and loss of seagrass. This has caused major environmental disruption
A prison was established on French Island in 1916 and industrial development of Crib Point and Hastings / Long Island Point occurred in the 1960’s and 70’s. Premier Bolte called the area the ‘Ruhr of the south’. Key developments include: John Lysaght and Bluescope Steel at Hastings; an Esso gas plant; it as also earmarked for a large wind farm which was recently rejected by the Commonwealth Minister, under its powers under the Ramsar Convention
The Ramsar Convention (named after the city in Iran where it was signed) was enacted in 1982 to protect the habitat for birds, especially migratory birds
Other agreements are in force including the East Asian Australian Flyway which protects birds which make an annual migratory trip between Western Port and Siberia
By the late 1970’s the importance of understanding and better managing the environment was recognised. Bird counting has been done continuously since 1973 and the area was designated an internationally significant wetland in the early 1980’s.
How Western Port bay works
There are two entrances to the bay to the west and east of Phillip Island. The western entrance is much wider so the tidal movement is predominately in a clockwise direction around French Island. There is a 2m tidal range so a lot of water comes into and out of the bay each day
The turnover of water is the major reason why the water is so clean, despite the poor quality of some of the estuaries feeding into the bay. It also leads to a lot of resuspension of sediment that has come into the bay. The sediment, which commenced with the draining of the Koo-Wee Rup swamp, settles around the eastern end and remains the key challenge in overall management of bay
The bay sits in a catchment of 370,000 ha. It has a total area of 68,000 ha, including 27,000 ha of sand and mudflats, half of which supports seagrass meadows
The mudflats, sea grass, mangrove and salt marsh habitats support a range of species but are particularly important for birds and fish, and fish breeding
Pressures
Climate change puts pressure on the system mainly through sea level rise, storm surges and change in fish stock
Sediments smother seagrass and produces additional turbidity; the sediment amount is now stabilising with tree planting in the hills, erosion work, new mangrove plantings
Toxicants can impact on sea life – eg insecticides from urban and rural sources; and PFAS
Diffuse sources are the key problem in the absence of major infrastructure development
There have been number of infrastructure projects proposed with various levels of impact – ranging in scale up to 20 times previous developments
Seagrass loss in 60s and 70s is slowly being arrested with new growth
Counting birds annually since 1973- the red necked stint and eastern curlew are the key migratory species- numbers are down slated because of industrial devt in China; the indigenous dominant bird is the black swan
Summary of pressures: climate change impacts, agricultural run off (for example from large increase in aspapagus production), rural and urban pollution (for ex termite treatment chemical run off), sediment (from agricultural sources is the dominant cause, the erosion run off), sea level rise impacts seagrass areas, industrial and urban development and growth keeps progressively coming and needs effective management.
Melbourne Water have stepped up to improve our understanding of the bay and its processes – building on the benchmark Shapiro study of 1975; counting birds since 1973; Melb. Water scientific reports in 2018, 2019, 2023
The Ramsar Management Plan identifies the key elements required: water quality improvement (sediment & toxicants), climate change adaptation (erosion, rising sea level), protecting flora and fauna
While there are several entities with management responsibility, the key players are Melbourne Water, the EPA and the planning system.
Questions and reflection
There was time for two questions which focused on the effectiveness of the current state of management of the Bay which Kevin responded on successes in stabilising sediment run-off and increased seagrass growth and emphasised the ongoing challenges he covered in his words.
Western Port is often taken for granted by Melbournians however its importance as an internationally significant wetland and its sensitivity was highlighted by Kevin’s presentation. Hopefully this will lead to greater respect and interest from members.
MEMBER ANNOUNCEMENTS
Peter Duras: Thanked members and friends for the recent successful Collingwood and Port Melb sausage sizzles which cleared over $3,000; Advised that the emergency need for underwear by Youth Project is being addressed by donations and purchase from the money alloc ated by the Club
Kerrie Hicks: Reminded members that the Rotary Emergency Services awards for 2024 will be made soon and asked members to think of persons to nominate. She will provide written nomination advice shortly
Elias Lebbos: Reminded members that the Melbourne International Garden Show and the Grand Prix would be held shortly and that these are significant events for Travellers Aid. He requested members to be ready for his call for volunteers
Fleur Maidment was inducted by President Michelle, in the Vocational Area of Environmental Scientist. Her partner Daniel was in attendance. Kevin Love witll be her mentor and she will join the International Service team
Fleur is re-joining Rotary after a long hiatis from Ballarat Young Achievers
In her induction presentation, Fleur recounted a Rotary humanitarian trip to Myanmar which experienced a mortar attack by the Myanmar military to destroy the farms of Karen minority villagers in what is the longest running civil war in the world. Fleur reflected that these are the sorts of challenges for Rotary to manage in the modern world and that she, like others, have the vocational skills needed to make a difference.
As President of Rotary Melbourne, I am pleased to inform you that most recent former Australian Ambassador to the USA, The Hon Arthur Sinodinos AO, will be delivering the prestigious 2024 Angus Mitchell Oration. Given global flashpoints in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Asia and the expertise of our speaker, the oration will be highly informative and topical.
In attendance will be leading members of our business, diplomatic, charitable and Rotary community. The previous oration was delivered last year by former Prime Minister The Hon John Howard OM AC. The event was sold out well in advance.
Please save the date in your calendar as we expect this event will also sell out quickly. We expect booking to open on 24 January via our website.
I look forward to seeing you at the Angus Mitchell Oration.
Due to a strong demand for household goods by the support agencies who are working with the Rotary Inner Melbourne Emergency Relief Network (RIMERN), there is an immediate need for small electrical appliances e.g. toasters, kettles, microwaves, irons, fans, heaters and televisions to restock the warehouse.
If your family or friends have one or more of these items that you are able to donate, please contact Rohan Williams at rdwrcm@gmail.com to arrange for collection.
Thank you to Tom Callander, Peter & Sue Duras and Elias Lebbos who have recently donated items to RIMERN and Alan Seale and Roger Thornton who are currently making small furniture items.
