There is plenty of activity in the pipeline for the second half of the Rotary year. The Rotary Community Group of our 11 nearby Rotary Clubs has met for the second time in 2026, Marianne attended the Grants Seminar on the weekend where Chris Whelan made a presentation on behalf of Applecross Rotary and it will be exciting to see what comes of the Regional Rotary Conference this weekend.
Stay tuned for future news of successful grant applications, collaborative activities with the City of Melville, further positive progress with the mobile dental van, Lift the Lid walking, Epic Day of Service, Cancer Council Daffodil Day flower sales and others to come. Amongst all this it is essential we continue to strengthen the social fabric of Applecross Rotary by supporting sundowners and other innovative ideas to enhance and build personal connections amongst for us all.
Sadly, as we follow from a distance the dreadful, deteriorating situation in the Middle East, we were advised last night by Jaakko Panula that he and his wife, Helena, have had to cancel their trip to Australia as they could not secure flights from Finland to Perth. They had planned a 30 year reunion meeting with a Rotary group in Perth, attendance with a brief presentation from Rotary Club at our Conference and a welcome to our regular meeting next week. A loss for us all.
At our recent Breakfast meeting, we were privileged to host Cyril Ayris, the renowned former chief reporter and feature writer for The West Australian. With a journalism career spanning 25 years, Cyril brought with him a treasure trove of stories, insights, and reflections from an era of reporting that now feels worlds away from today’s digital landscape.
Cyril shared firsthand accounts of covering major breaking news events and offered an inside look at the fast-paced, high-pressure tempo of the traditional newsroom. Hearing the lengths reporters once went to in pursuit of the story of the day was both sobering and captivating. His anecdotes—equal parts entertaining and demanding—highlighted the relentless chase to stay ahead of the next headline.
What stood out most was Cyril’s unmistakable passion. Every story was delivered with the energy of someone who had lived through the urgency, pressure, and excitement of old‑school journalism. This enthusiasm made his presentation thoroughly engaging, and the flurry of questions from members at the conclusion of his talk showed just how deeply his experiences resonated.
A key takeaway from the morning was the dramatic shift in how news is gathered, verified, and published today. Cyril reminded us how profoundly modern media has changed—something many of us had not fully appreciated until hearing his reflections.
His visit offered our members a chance to revisit a nearly forgotten chapter of “media life,” one that still sits within our own lifetimes, when reporters raced the clock to secure a genuine media first.
For those wishing to explore more of his remarkable journey, Cyril’s book Chameleon: Reporter At Large brings together true-life stories, investigative pieces, and historical accounts from his distinguished career.
Sat 9:00. Meet outside the Bilya Court Centre, off Minson Avenue
Peter Weatherley will lead a 45 minute nature walk along the Avon River. Although an English native, Peter is an expert in the local flora and ecology and has led many walks to share his knowledge. There are some 260 bird species identified in the Northam area and Peter can identify most of them. No prize for identifying a white swan!
About 10:00. Maybe have a cuppa along the River at Terra Mare or visit Lucy’s Tearooms (always humming!) on the main street. Visit the Nyoongar Culture and Environmental Knowledge (BKB Centre). This regional tourist attraction offers an interactive educational experience that recognises the rich Aboriginal and environmental presence in this region. The Centre celebrates the culture of the Nyoongar people and highlights their land management practices (about 1 hour).
Afternoon. Free time….
Stroll along the main street. Note the plaques that tell of times and people gone by including the sad and heroic story of Hugo Throssell, the only light horseman and first Western Australian to be awarded the Victoria Cross.
Visit some of the historic buildings. Northam has more historic buildings than Fremantle. A map of Northam is included in your welcome bag.
Northam town hall (Wellington St). Built in 1898 at the peak of the gold rush.
Byfield House (Gordon St). A federation Queen Anne style, lovingly restored, with an impressive tower.
Northam Library. Built in the brutalist style, it is unlike any library in WA.
Please email Gordon at dunbarz@ozemail.com.au or text 0409 884 689 to reserve your place for this event.
Required:
Parking Lowerlands 7:30am - 9:30am x 3 persons
Front Gate and Special Parking - 7:30am - 9:30am x 4 persons
Cooking sausages 10:00am - 1:00pm x 5 persons
Serving 11 to 1:30pm x 4 persons
Helping hand 10am - 1:30pm x 2 persons
In autumn each year South of Perth Yacht Club host “Cruising Butterflies” to take children with life-long health issues onto the Swan River on members boats to enjoy a morning of fun on the water. This is a partnership with
Kiind (a support organization from Perth Children’s Hospital) and sponsors including Applecross and Melville Rotary Clubs.
Kiind invite about 150 children along with their parents, siblings and carers to attend this special day for the children that also gives their families a short respite from the 24-hour a day caring duty.
After the morning on the water there will be a sausage sizzle lunch, live entertainment and special guests and events. The day will wind up early in the afternoon.
Applecross Rotary, as in previous years, have been tasked with the BBQ duties, cooking and serving sausages in a bun (supplied by SoPYC) and to organize car parking, both inside SoPYC and on the Heathcote Lower Land. We have been asked to bring our Rotary branded marquees to hold the registration and welcome desks and to also bring along our Rotary banners.
We will need a team of at least 6-8 for the BBQ (10.00am to 1.00pm), 7- 8 for parking (7.30am to 9.00am) and several for set up and pull down of our infrastructure.
Please note the date and watch out for the roster so that you can volunteer.
The LeisureFit Over 50s Program, running across LeisureFit Melville and LeisureFit Booragoon, is designed to keep our Over 50s community strong, confident, and active. Our focus is on improving strength, mobility, balance, and flexibility to support healthy ageing and everyday movement. We aim to reduce the risk of falls and injury while building confidence and independence. Just as importantly, the program provides a welcoming environment where participants can connect socially, have fun and stay motivated together.
At our recent Breakfast meeting, we were privileged to host Cyril Ayris, the renowned former chief reporter and feature writer for The West Australian. With a journalism career spanning 25 years, Cyril brought with him a treasure trove of stories, insights, and reflections from an era of reporting that now feels worlds away from today’s digital landscape.
