Last weekend a small contingent of Hawthorn Rotarians travelled up the Calder to charming Bendigo to attend what could be District 9800's penultimate conference. 

By contrast, our RC Glenferrie colleagues were there in force. Two Victorian districts have recently cancelled their events due to low registrations. A sign of the times for Rotary? 

Four hundred District 9800 Rotarians enjoyed two days of engagement, enlightenment, and entertainment across Bendigo's venues, with the very impressive 950-seat Ulumbarra Theatre serving as the primary hub, and the grand opening held at Bendigo Town Hall, which displays the opulence of the city's golden years. 

Gatherings at the Rifle Brigade Hotel with our Glenferrie friends and the Gala Dinner provided opportunities for some fun and conviviality.

Speakers ranged from Costa Georgiades, (left, with Jane and Kevin Rose) the vibrant Gardening Australia presenter who made us laugh and think with his unique brand of wacky antics, infectious enthusiasm for life and homespun wisdom, to Tony Pearce, who undertook the arduous Tony's Trek (1506 km in 50 days) to raise awareness for emergency workers' mental health. Mark Balla, dubbed the “Toilet Warrior”, shared his initiatives to improve sanitation in Indian schools, while Murray Verso updated us on polio eradication efforts. The good news is that we’re closing in on the goal. 

Wheelchair-bound Bev Watson, a polio survivor, radiated warmth and resilience despite her life-long challenges. Lucienne Heyworth spoke of her Peace Fellowship studies at Uppsala and her work in restoring schooling for children following wars and disasters, and Melanie Raymond OAM told us of the challenges involved in assisting the disturbingly large number of homeless people in Melbourne. Ben Harrington shared his life journey as a gay man, advocating for equity and inclusivity, and finally, Jeremy Forbes highlighted the hidden mental health issues among tradies.

Attendees were treated to musical interludes from very talented local youth performers with some opera, pop, and musical theatre renditions, including the Victorian Youth Band who played a commissioned piece for Rotary. 

While most of us spent our time relaxing, being entertained and informed, Dorothy Gilmour spent her time at the Rotary SAFE Families booth in the Rotary Showcase along with an array of other exhibitors.

Reflecting on the conference, I personally found it to be worthwhile, taking away useful knowledge, valuable insights, pleasant memories and an extra dose of motivation.

For those who haven't experienced a District Conference, possibly your last chance will be held at Morphettville Racecourse in Adelaide next year, with details forthcoming in July 2024. It promises to be a great event.

In his closing remarks, District Governor Ron Payne stressed the value of such gatherings for networking, sharing insights, drawing motivation, and advancing Rotary objectives.