Here is a selection of them.

Rear Admiral Steve Hughes 

Our guest speaker for our November Meeting was Rear Admiral Steve Hughes from the Australian Navy. (Who at present is stationed in the ACT and flew down from Canberra to Melbourne then drove to Traralgon to address our meeting.)

The Rear Admiral's career began at 18 when he joined the navy in 1986 and he has spent the past 36 years in progressive positions over his time in the Navy. He follows in his father's footsteps as he was also a Rear Admiral.

He lived and was educated in Canberra, High School, Uni Defence Academy studying engineering, he graduated in 1990 with a degree. He decided to transfer to Seaman Officer (who drives ships instead of repairing them) in 1991 got his Bridge Watch Certificate.

In his sea career he captained new programmes with destroyers, off shore patrol boats. In 2015 became Commodore. 2019-2020 Commander Surface Defence and Subs. These days it is mainly computers (data), US satellites, electronics, digital and advance systems, combat systems.

All his time has been running the Capability Development projects for the Navy.

Helimed One - Geoff Pollard

Guest speaker Geoff Pollard gave an informative speech about Helimed One Rescue Helicopter based at Latrobe Valley Airport.

Geoff gave an insight into the beginnings of the Air Rescue service in 1980 by the then National Safety Council. The original Rescue Helicopter was replaced in 1985 by a Bell 412 Classic which was christened Helimed One.

The service was available 24 hours a day and crewed by NSC personnel. In 1986 Helimed One was transferred to West Sale. It flew from the Latrobe Valley Airport during the day and from West Sale in the evening.

In 1989 Air Ambulance Victoria took over the operation of the aircraft. Helimed One has a crew of 3 – pilot, crewman and a paramedic. Helimed One is fitted with state of the art equipment, enabling the crew to provide life-saving treatment. Helimed has an Auxiliary which works tirelessly fundraising to ensure that all 6 Air Ambulance Rescue helicopters in Victoria have the equipment they need.

 Federal Member for Gippsland Darren Chester

Our guest speaker for July was Federal Member for Gippsland Darren Chester. Darren is a local boy from Sale and has held various Federal positions as an MP, Minister for Transport in the Turnbull government and Minister for Veteran Affairs under the Morrison government. He has been in Politics for 14 years. There are 151 MPs in parliament only 1/3 are from regional areas. Darren has five staff to assist him, he covers Morwell to the border. He sees local problems and tries to fix them and obtain funding to invest in our region, which is essential for the continuation to improve the region in the future. Darren has a passion to encourage young people in the region to be resilient in the bad times and seek opportunities in the future.

It is obvious he is very passionate about Gippsland and its community and is determined to do his very best for us and is visibly seen out and about as our local member.

The making of the Eureka Flag

At our meeting in October, at which 82 members and 2 guests attended, the speaker was Gayle Cayzer. She gave us an interesting talk on some of her ancestors.

Her GG Grandparents on her father’s maternal side, Samuel Edward Withers and Anastasia Eustace both arrived in Australia at the British government’s expense. Samuel’s crime was fraud and he arrived in Tasmania after two years in Norfolk Island. Anastasia’s crime was theft for which she received a sentence of seven years, they married in 1849 both of their previous marriages seemed to be overlooked.

After gaining their ticket of leave they came to the Victorian Goldfields going to Bendigo, Ballarat and back to Bendigo. While at Ballarat Anastasia a dressmaker was involved with two other women in the sewing of the Eureka Flag. While at Bendigo Samuel operated a hotel and was involved in gold mining.

Their next move was to Moyston near Ararat where they continued mining and set up an orchard and a fruit shop in Horsham as the family increased.

Their Youngest son Albert Arthur Withers, Gayle’s G Grandfather and founder of Pioneer Bus Lines, went on the leave his name in the history of Tourism in Victoria, but that is another story.

GUEST  SPEAKER.   Colin Smith - Lapidary

Our Mystery Guest speaker was one of our own Members – Colin Smith, who gave us a behind the badge talk. It covered a very short insight into his life history in Gippsland, and covered topics such as, education, working life, and hobbies, it was his Lapidary hobby that he concentrated on.

 The Talk covered his time with his Lapidary Club, and then he went onto explain some of the finer points of areas and processes to do with lapidary, bringing ordinary to beautiful, this included lots of hands-on samples and a very close up look at the beautiful colors portrayed in the polished stones, showing the end results and processes that eventually ends up a finished product. Even to the point, with some of his work finished as pieces of Jewelry, pendants, rings and ear-rings in different mediums of materials, for example opals, agates, faceted stones or cabochon cut stones.

We were also shown some man-made materials such as opals and semi-precious gems.

A conclusion to his talk Colin then gave a small talk on gold and its properties and classifications (Karat markings and percentages).

The Talk, show and tell was well received, many thanks to Colin for bringing a fascinating subject alive to us which the majority of members would really have been unaware of.

A pen was presented to Colin from Liz Morton on behalf of the Club in appreciation.

 Manager of the Traralgon Greyhound Club - Olivia Alcock

Our guest speaker for May was Olivia Alcock, Manager of the Traralgon Greyhound Club complex. Olivia and her husband Craig were accompanied by two female retired greyhounds, Lacy and Gucci. Olivia gave us a brief history of the Club which opened in 1941 and in 1973 moved to Glenview Park, the new track has been open for three years. There are five full time, five part time, plus casual employees.

People come from all over to race, there are 12 races, 8 dogs and reserves racing over a period of 4 hours, 2.38 -6.11. The dogs spend 1 /12 hours in the kennels where they sleep until the race.

The dogs wear a race rug which has GPS. which gives stats, racing speed etc.

Greyhounds are called 60km couch potatoes as this is a speed they can achieve. They have to be a specific weight and their diet comprises of fresh beef, kangaroo, fish and kibble which has a good source of fat to keep them in good condition.

From a very young age they are socialised and put into the boxes and get used to travelling in cars. They are usually 18-20 months old before being trained for races.

Dogs generally sleep 22 hours per day and have short daily walks and prefer eating or playing. Greyhound blend into family life and are excellent companions.