The January speaker was Jim Bird, a retired accountant, who gave a very interesting and thought provoking insight into the work of Mercy Ships, and also his experiences on board as a volunteer. The Mercy Ships work has continued since 1978 when the first vessel, an old cruise ship, was purchased and refitted, but few in the audience had any knowledge they even existed. The Mercy Ships, or rather (at present) one ship, is manned at any one time by 450 dedicated volunteers, including surgeons, doctors, dentists and other health industry workers, crewmen, administrative staff and general helpers, who live on board whilst the ship is in port for ten months of the year at some of the poorest countries in the world, mainly in Africa.

When in port, thousands of residents attend a screening process, hoping to be selected to receive medical help and, of course, it is impossible to help all. The current Mercy Ship has six operating theatres and a 90 bed ward, The volunteers also help train local aspiring health workers, teach basic hygiene and take part in construction, agriculture and water development projects. “Mercy Ships” is a registered charity and donations are tax deductable. Learn more on the website www.mercyships.org.au

Footnote: A cheque donation to Mercy Ships was presented to the Speaker.

The February Speaker was Peter Day, who retired recently as Principal Scientist in Clinical Chemistry at the South Eastern Area Laboratory Services (SEALS) pathology, based at the Prince of Wales Hospital. Among other interests he volunteers as a community speaker for the National Heart Foundation and addressed our meeting on “Heart Health”, which was a subject of great interest to our members, judging from their rapt attention during his interesting and very professional yet “layman friendly” presentation. We learnt that Cardiovascular Disease is the leading cause of death in Australia The disease involves the heart or blood vessels, and Peter outlined many factors including (abnormal) obesity, smoking, diet etc which can contribute to the disease, and some commonsense steps (including exercise, sensible diet avoiding excess sugar and salt, non smoking, etc) which help reduce the risks.

www.heartfoundation.org.au
www.diabetesaustralia.com.au
www.kidney.org.au
www.health.nsw.gov.au
www.virtualmedicalcentre.com
www.abs.gov.au

Tuesday July 16^th 10am – Engadine High School – no speaker. A few people are required at 9.30am to move some tables and chairs and at the end of the meeting as the hall will be required for Parent/Teacher Interviews.

“Many of us have had a long and happy association with the school, with our children having attended the school and now with our grandchildren attending the school. We fill up with warmth and pride when we become aware of the many achievements and awards won by the students. To-day is another example of the efforts of the team of dedicated staff in nurturing the talents of to-days students in music, creative arts and hospitality. It certainty is a talent of staff to be able to draw out the intellectual and emotional skills of students to the high level that we have seen here to-day.

Thank you for having us and we look forward to being here again next year.

Please accept our gift towards your costs.”      

Due to the scheduled speaker having been taken to hospital, today we heard David Farquhar addressing the members on “The Remembrance Driveway”.

The Remembrance Driveway was conceived in the early 1950’s when the President of the Garden Clubs of Australia (Margaret Davis) that a National Living Memorial should be established as a Memorial to World War II.

A committee of influential people was put together to investigate establishing a Memorial Highway between Sydney & Canberra. 

Public and Corporate support for the project was high and many local plantings were established along the Hume Highway at Camden, Southern Highlands, Berrima and Goulburn. Others were also established in the ACT. 

In 1954 the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh planted 2 Plane trees at Macquarie Place in Sydney to mark the beginning of the driveway and again in Canberra at the War Memorial to mark the end of the driveway. 

Modest planting in 1954 was followed by 10 sites in 1955, 19 sites 1956, 7 sites 1957 and 6 sites in 1962. A number of smaller plantings were made along the Hume Highway between 1967 and 1979. 

Also at this time there was talk of a new expressway to replace the Hume Highway so the Committee paused any major activities to decide whether to continue the Remembrance Driveway along the old Highway or to move to the new expressway. 

In 1992 500 trees were planted in honour of the Vietnam War and the soldiers that were killed in that campaign. In 1993 with the Army’s help a large plantation was developed at the Narellan Road interchange at Mt Annan. 

In 1993 the Committee decided that the Remembrance Driveway should follow the new expressway, and in 1995 the RDC & RTA initiated phase 1 of the VC REST AREA project, dedicating rest areas to the memory of the 12 posthumously awarded World War II and Vietnam War recipients.

This was widened following the Federal Govt’s injection of funds through the “Australia Remembers” and “Our Heritage” campaigns to cover all deceased VC recipients from World War II and Vietnam wars.  

In 2000 the ACT Govt established the “Hughie Edwards VC Memorial Park” on the northern approaches to Canberra and between 2002 and 2005 established 4 VC Memorials in the Remembrance Park behind the War Memorial in Canberra.

In 2006 the “Sir Roden Cutler VC Memorial Interchange” was established at the intersection of the M7 & M5, dedicated by HE Prof Marie Bashir Gov of NSW, 

In 2010 HE Ms Quentin Bryce dedicated the “Australian Defence Force Memorial Plantation” containing 45000 trees planted over 16km between the Northern and Southern carriageways of the M5/Hume Highway with walls at both ends marking the commencement of the plantation. 

The last memorial dedicated was in 2012 when a VC Rest area was established for “Edward Kenna VC Rest Area” at the rear of the 7/11 commercial centre on the northern carriageway.

At this point in time there are 4 remaining VC recipients who are still alive; Keith Payne, Mark Donaldson, Ben Roberts-Smith, Daniel Keighran. 

The driveway has now achieved the form and status its founders imagined. It is complete as far as it can be, but it is a living memorial.