28 Nov - Bendigo Toyota Golf Day. See Liz for details
5th Dec - Lightning Reef have requested a BBQ for an event they are holding. Please reserve the date.
9th Dec - Joint gathering with RC Bendigo: 6pm for 6.30pm - Bendigo Club Strathdale. See below for more details
14th Dec - Christmas Lunch Marong Family Hotel. 12 noon for 12.30pm RSVP Jim Rolfe
24th Feb 2026 - Lawn Bowls evening with RC of Bendigo South.
19th - 23rd March 2026 Barham weekend. Phone 5453 2553 to book a site/cabin and say you are from Rotary.
27th - 29th March 2026 - D9800 Multi District Conference @ Horsham
Welcome to Issue 21 (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
Meeting Roster
26-Nov
3-Dec
10-Dec
17-Dec
Speaker
AGM
Abbey Brown
Carers Victoria
TBC
Meeting Cancelled
Joint meeting Dec 9th instead
Paul Henderson
Public Image documents update
Meeting Location
Peppergreen Farm
Peppergreen Farm
Peppergreen Farm
Chair
Kevin Dobson
Doug Lougoon
Rob Rosaia
Computer
Ted Gretgrix
Toni Carrington
Doug Lougoon
Set-Up 6.45am & pack up
Chris Purton
Kevin Reade
Jim Rolfe
Welcome, raffle & roaming microphone
Jim Rolfe
Madeleine Schoo
Linda Barrow
Co-President's report
Co-Presidents Report for 19 th Nov 2026
For the sporting enthusiasts, we had an interesting talk from Des Tobin about his
book “It’s in the Genes”. See report below.
Following on from last week, a committee has been formed to look at perceived
complexities in how our Club functions and ways we can reduce that. Thankyou to
Paul K, Paul H, Liz C, Stan H and Doug L for agreeing to be on that committee.
A reminder that next week is our AGM
Kevin reported on the very successful Swap Meet BBQ on the weekend. The new
site worked very well for us with access to the hall behind the tent. There was some
left-over food on the Sunday that was donated to the Karen community.
Thank you to all the members and other volunteers who helped – Cycling Without
Age members, Lily & Aleanas from BlueLight, Sam from Headspace and Maurice &
Claire from RC Swan Hill Sunrise. Your help is very much appreciated.
Liz reported on some upcoming community events
– cooking for the Toyota golf day at Belvoir Park on Friday 28 th
- cooking a BBQ lunch for Lightning Reef PS on Friday 5 th December
- Food Share over the Christmas/New Year break. Our days are Mon 22 nd Dec and
Monday 29 th December. There are spots in both the morning and afternoon.
Please contact Liz if you can help at any of these events.
On Friday 21 st , the City of Greater Bendigo presented the Bendigo Youth Awards.
Our Club has provided the prizes in each of the 12 categories. Stew and his team
attended to present the prizes (see article below).
Co-Presidents Cathie & Allie
Guest Speaker
Our guest this week, Des Tobin, comes from a very well- known family of
Funeral directors where he was the Managing Director for many years. As he
describes himself, he has been a failed student, a springboard diver, a
discontented apprentice panel beater, a junior pole vaulter, a VFL footballer, a
YCW extension worker and a successful business executive in the funeral
industry.
Des’s focus is now on his writing career which began in 2003. He has produced
5 biographies of famous Australians, where his aim is to place the person
within the history of the times, the latest being “It’s in the Genes: Australian
Football Families” a study of some of the many families who have produced
multiple generations of VFL, AFL, and AFLW players.
The list is extensive and includes the Whittens, Abletts, Tucks, Fletchers,
Spargos, Daicoses, Silvagnis,and Phillips. It also takes in the Tiwi Island
magicians- Riolis and Longs.
He also focused on the Bendigo connection- the Cordner family, who provided
4 generations of elite players to the Melbourne Football club racking up 376
games of first grade football, all as amateurs, the practice in those days. Not to
mention the sister who played in the first Women’s cricket match in Victoria,
soon to be honoured with a statue in 2026, and the daughter who is now
playing in the AFLW, proudly wearing the #21 of her grandfather.
Des was sure that genes are not a proof of ability, but show a possibility of it. It
still requires work, and can be for some a poisoned chalice, generating
comparison and patronising comment, because of the sense of having to live
up to the talent you have been born with.
An interesting address, from a man who appears to have lived many different
careers, and is still enjoying life.
You can purchase the book at destobin.com.au (see link below) with a 10% discount by using the code DTT10.
The City of Greater Bendigo and YO Bendigo put on an excellent evening (Nov 21st) to celebrate and award the youth of Bendigo. The nominees across two ages groups (12 to 17 and 18 to 25) and 6 categories were provided by schools ,organisations and services.
Stew gave a short speech that represented the sentiments of our Rotary Club's commitment and pride to be sponsoring the awards ceremony.
In attendance were the new Mayor of Bendigo Cr Thomas Prince and deputy mayor Cr Karen Corr, CEO Andrew Cooney, the YO team including Levity, Leon, Jo, Jess and Chelsea all respected yet community minded people RCOBS are very happy to have close association with.
The evening held in a beautiful room of the Capitol Theatre reflected the influence, importance of and richness the youth council and award recipients bring to our city.
Representing RCOBS were Stew, Toni, Ray, and Colleen and they were very proud to be there.
For more information about the Youth Awards click on the link below
The Guest Speaker at the combined meeting with RC Bendigo on Dec 9th will be George Petrou speaking about his new book The Art of Humanity.
The book outlines the outstanding contribution which some little known Australians have made to their communities. Included are some beautiful photographs which George himself has taken.
From the ground up,
Global ROOTS club builds its own experience
An interesting article on a Rotary Club with a difference, worth a read. Click on the button below to find out more. Thanks to John C for the info.
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:
Shamick's Castlemaine Rotary Truck Show is on again - 29 - 30 November 2025.
They are expecting up to 300 trucks entered for judging, so if chrome is your thing, you'll be in heaven! Sponsor CMV Truck & Bus is bringing a Volvo FM Electric prime mover to the show and will be offering test drives, so an excellent opportunity to see the future of the transport industry up close and personal. Lots of entertainment and refreshments — we really target it as an affordable family day out.
Cluster club meetings
Bendigo
Tuesday 12.30pm for 1.00pm, an evening meeting on the 4th week - 6pm for 6.30pm start.
The Bendigo Club, 22 Park St. Strathdale
Bendigo South
Thursday 6.00pm for 6.30pm
Boatshed Function Room, Lakeview Hotel, Bendigo
Eaglehawk
Wednesday 6.15pm for 6.30pm
Mechanics Institute, California Gully
Kangaroo Flat
Monday 6.00pm for 6.30pm
Rotary Gateway Park, Kangaroo Flat
Inner Wheel Bendigo
2nd Tuesday, 11.15am – lunch after meeting
Mechanics Institute, School Street, California Gully
