100th Anniversary

Rotary Club of Bendigo - 2025-2026

100th Anniversary Year

A letter from the

President of Rotary International

Francesco Arezzo.

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Civic Reception

Rotary Club of Bendigo commenced celebrations with a Civic Reception hosted by the City of Greater Bendigo in the Bendigo Town Hall, on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. That date being 100 years to the day that the then Mayor of Bendigo, Cr. E. M. Vains hosted a meeting on that same site to measure the interest amongst community members in creating a Rotary Club in Bendigo in 1925.

Gala Dinner

Saturday, August 23 at the All Seasons Resort, 171/183 McIvor Road, Strathdale - featuring:

Janet Ross Fahy & The Absolute Big Band.

A great night was had by over 150 people who dressed to impress and danced the night away to the Big Band. A three course dinner, a complimentary drink on arrival and the12 piece Big Band made the night unforgettable. Plenty of old friends caught up on the night and many stories were shared amongst them. Mayor Andrea Metcalf drew the raffle which saw a watercolour painting by Terry Jarvis won by Marlene Hyett and then Terry Jarvis won the second prize of a gift box of three wines donated by Wes Vine of Mandurang Valley Winery.

CHECK OUT SOME PICS ON OUR GALLERY PAGE

Time Capsule

On Monday, October 20, we dug up the time capsule buried by President Larrie Winzar during out 75th Anniversary in 2000. Had a bit of trouble finding it as no one could accurately recall where it was buried but we knew it was at the Granite Plinth acknowledging Past President Ken Hesse in the Conservatory Gardens.

So the City of Greater Bendigo gardening team had to go looking for it and they got nothing with their metal detectors, as it was made by a plumber (enter PP John Gallagher) and was therefore PVC Piping with a PVC cap securely glued

on either end. After a bit of digging, they found it.

CHECK OUT THE IMAGES ON OUR GALLERY PAGE.

Past Presidents' Re-union

To close out our special Anniversary Year of 2025-26 we held a Past Presidents' Re-union on Sunday, May 31. As we have been around for over 100 years, and sponsored six other Rotary Clubs in that time, we invited Past Presidents from all those Clubs, as part of our Rotary family, to gather at the Bendigo Club for a re-union. 33 Past Presidents from the six Clubs gathered on the day and much reflection and story telling was shared by all. Many made a special trip to Bendigo for the event and enjoyed the opportunity to catch up with old friends.

Major Project

The Club also has set its sights on a Major Project to mark the occasion and we are about to pour the concrete base of a new games room at the youth camp at Axedale - Camp Getaway. This camp was originally created by the Rotary Club of Bendigo 1948. It is now managed Rotary District 9800.

The club has a goal to open the new games room in the next few months with an evening meeting held at the camp.

WATCH THIS SPACE AS MORE INFORMATION AND BOOKINGS ARE RELEASED.