The Rotary Club of Healesville was commenced due to the initiative of the Rotary club of Alexandra who became our sponsor club. Potential members were canvassed and a provisional Rotary Club of Healesville was chartered on the 30th June 1977. The club was established with Ion Whykes as Charter President and Arthur Daws as secretary, with 28 members. Thirty two years later, three of the original members are still with the club today - Ion Whykes, Terrence Hill and Colin Johanson.

What is Rotary ?

Rotary is an international Organisation of Service Clubs with approximately 1.2 million members in 34,000 Clubs around the world. The key feature of Rotary Clubs is that membership is spread across a wide variety of professions, with no more than 2 members from each career or profession. Membership is by invitation. Most Rotary Clubs meet weekly for a dinner meeting, but some have breakfast or lunch meetings. Each Club is organised around the following areas of service:

  • Club Service The day to day organisation and operation of the Club.
  • Community Service Providing assistance to the local community.
  • New Generations or Youth Service - programs and encouragement for local youth.
  • Vocational Service Promoting employment and the dignity of work.
  • International Service Providing assistance to communities outside of Australia.

Rotary Club of Healesville .

The Club was chartered in mid-1977 and now has 49 members. It meets each Thursday evening at Sanctuary house. Since its inception, the Rotary Club of Healesville has generated more than $1,000,000 that has been used to support its service projects. Some of the major achievements and ongoing projects of the club include:

Community Service

  • Building a Community Indoor Swimming Pool plus ongoing contributions for maintenance.
  • Sponsorship of the Healesville High School Gymnasium.
  • Construction of the Board Walk, toilet and picnic facilities at the Don Road reserve.
  • Organising a Relay for Life to raise money for cancer research for 2 successive years.
  • Conducting monthly social afternoons for elderly local residents.
  • Provision of a Day Care Ambulance.
  • Provision and replacement of the Rotary Community Bus (ongoing).
  • Shifting a building from the Healesville High School to the Primary School.
  • Relocating the old Badger Creek Primary School building.
  • Financial support for Healesville Inter-Church Community Care Incorporated (ongoing).
  • Assistance to needy individuals.
  • Refurbishment and expansion of Picnic area in the Railway Tourism Precinct.
  • Establishment of 3 Probus Clubs in Healesville.
  • Participation in the 3777 Planning Group (ongoing).
  • Financial support for disaster relief within Australia e.g. Bushfire relief.
  • Refurbishment of the Healesville Living and Learning Centre (ongoing).

Youth Service

  • Conduct of at least one Debutante Ball per year since 1980 (ongoing).
  • Sponsorship of 25 International Youth Exchange Students to overseas countries (ongoing).
  • Hosting 25 International Youth Exchange Students from overseas countries (ongoing).
  • Annual Citizenship Award to a Healesville High School student (ongoing).
  • Sponsorship of students to courses and camps, e.g. Siemens Science Summer School,
  • Lord Somers Camp for primary students, Rotary Youth Leadership Award, etc (ongoing).
  • Improvements to the local BMX track (ongoing).
  • Establishment of mechanical workshop and training for young people (ongoing).

Vocational Service

  • Annual production of the Healesville Community Directory (ongoing).
  • Presentation of annual Pride of Workmanship Awards (ongoing).
  • Annual Ron Goding Excellence Award to outstanding local business/organisation (ongoing).
  • Sponsorship of Rotary Group Study Exchange members (ongoing).
  • Conduct of Art Shows to encourage local artists (ongoing).

International Service

  • Funding for Polio Plus, a Rotary International Project to eliminate world Polio. (ongoing).
  • Donations to International disaster relief e.g. paying for “Shelter Boxes” to provide temporary accommodation for families following earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, etc overseas (ongoing).
  • Direct assistance “in kind” (such as school books, medical supplies, etc) to communities in Papua and New Guinea (ongoing).
  • Funding for purchase of cows in poor villages ( Kampala ) in Uganda (ongoing).
  • Financial support for the Women's Foundation of Nepal – To supply medical treatment; food and education ; accommodation and counselling (ongoing).