26 April - Comet Hill Reserve Working Bee, Time 9.30 - 11.00am.
29 April Industry visit - Bendigo Botanic Gardens at White Hills & breakfast at Omari See details below.
29 April - RecLink BBQ, 12.45pm California Gully Oval
7 May Bendigo Rotary Club fundraiser for PNG's midwifery future leaders at Star Cinema. See details below.
5 July - RCoBS Changeover at Camp Getaway
18th September - Save the date! Bendigo Maubisse Friendship Committe's 20th anniversary celebration, See below.
Welcome to Issue 40 (2025-26) of our weekly bulletin. Find out about our upcoming events, our guest speakers, what we covered during the last meeting and more!
Can't make our meeting in person please join us via Zoom:
Opportunities to volunteer -for non-Rotarian friends and volunteers:
* Upcoming BBQs - Contact Kevin - 0428 996 619
Industry Visit - Wednesday April 29
The next industry visit will be to the Bendigo Botanic Gardens (White Hills) on Wednesday April 29th at normal meeting time 7.15am for 7.30am. Activity will include a walking tour of the heritage section of the gardens followed by breakfast around 8.30am at Omari (nearby in Hamelin Street). This is not a strenuous walk by any means however it's a good idea to wear comfortable shoes.
We will meet at the Hamelin Street entrance to the gardens at 7.15 am for 7.30am. The entrance is beside the White Hills Swimming Pool near the Omari restaurant. There is plenty of parking in Hamelin Street and around the corner beside The Garden of the Future. Feel free to invite family members and friends of Rotary.
Meeting Roster
22-April
29-April
6-May
13-May
Speaker
TBC
Tour of Bendigo Botanic Gardens
Club Morning
TBC
Meeting Location
Peppergreen Farm
White Hills
Peppergreen Farm
Peppergreen Farm
Chair
Rob Rosaia
Doug Lougoon
Stan Hendy
Computer
Ted Gretgrix
Toni Carrington
Doug Lougoon
Set-Up 6.45am & pack up
Graeme Lynas
Judy Miatke
Geoff Michell
Welcome, raffle & roaming microphone
Paul Kirkpatrick
Graeme Lynas
Colleen McCarthy
Co-President's report
Co-Presidents Report for 15th April 2026
Our speaker this week was Deanne Fernie from the engineering
department of the City of Greater Bendigo Council. Deanne spoke about the City's program that encourages female engineers to seek employment in their engineering branch. The City is also engaged in offering work experience places for students
doing civil engineering degrees at university.
The board has approved the purchase of firewood for the Winter Nights
program.
They also approved funding for the Rec Link trophies and BBQ program.
The Easter Market was a huge success thanks to Colleen and her market
committee. Thanks, was also expressed for the help from Impact, Blue Light and Eppalock Primary Schools volunteers and the many other helpers on the day
.
Congratulations Phil Britton and the Environment team on the Enviro Club Bronze award achieved at the Horsham multidistrict conference.
There will be a working bee at Comet Hill Reserve on 26 th April and
National tree Day is coming up in July. Further details from Phil
below.
- Cathie & Allie
Guest Speaker - Deanne Fernie
Deanne Fernie, Senior Administrator of Engineering COGB.
Deanne spoke to us outlining the City of Greater Bendigo’s “Young Women in
STEM placement Program”. This is concerned with the very small number of
young women who enter Engineering as their career choice. It enables
students from years 9-12 to have a week-long placement in the real world of
engineering in a range of STEM roles with the Council, hopefully to gain an
insight into the types of work and experiences open to them on attaining their
qualifications.
Deanne gave us some figures and backgrounding on the situation facing young
women wanting to take up Engineering, the unconscious (and conscious) bias
towards men, and the resulting lack of women in this workforce group. As she
commented, we need to address the lack of women as we are losing the
smartest 50% of the population in this area. Only 18% of Civil Engineering
graduates are women. At the COGB, the third largest economy in Victoria, this
figure is almost exactly replicated: as of the 30 engineers, 6 are women.
She also mentioned that many possible applicants are looking at
environmental engineering, biomedical strands, and the largest cohort who
head to Information Technology, drawing possible graduates away from her
area. The hope is that through exposure to the possibilities of Civil Engineering
through this placement program, young students will choose this satisfying and
productive career path in local government.
We thank Deanne for her time, and for passing on her passionate knowledge in
this area.
Chris P.
RecLink BBQ Crew at Work
Thanks to those members that were able help last Wednesday (15/4). Paul H is still looking for a crew for the second BBQ on the 29th April.
The game goes on in the background as club member Rob cooks the after match sausage sizzle. Bendigo V Melton, there were plenty of goals kicked and on field banter before both teams enjoyed some food and drinks over their shared love of the game.
Comet Hill Reserve - Working Bee 26th April.
The Environment Committee are planning a maintenance morning on the 26th April at 9.30 am. The maintenance includes mowing, whipper-snippering and weed spraying. Please bring a mower and/or whipper snipper if possible.
The meeting point is in the car park area beside Lightning Reef Primary School.
For more info contact Phil Britton.
Rotary Youth Sailing Challenge feedback
Bendigo Sandhurst sponsored Marist College student Zavier Evans on the 11 - 14 April 2026 sailing out of Melbourne. Stu Annan has had feedback on his trip from Zavier's mother. She said “He had a fantastic time! Yes, the weather was rough, but they took it in their stride and had to learn quickly. The guys on the boat have told him to sign up to volunteer on future voyages. He did heaps on the boat and even got to run one of the watches and anchorages. He said that was scary but so rewarding. Amazing experience!”
Each week various information come into the Bulletin email, small bits to add into the bulletin that doesn't really go anywhere else but may be good to know. Sometimes it's an announcement, an invitation, an update or advertisement.
Here are this week's tidbits:
Home hosts are needed for the next group of visiting Malaysia Special Education teachers: Thursday 6 August – Saturday 5 September 2026
contacted Lindsay Jolley M: 0416 192 032 or E:lj@joll.net
Save the Date - Bendigo Maubisse Friendship Committee 20th Anniversary - 18th Sept. 2026 at 6.00pm. For more info go to BMFC website see link below.
