A History of Rotaract in Western Australia

On 16 June 1968, the Rotaract Club of Brisbane West became the first Rotaract club in Australia to be chartered, just three months after the official launch of the Rotaract programme. This was followed by an amazing explosion of action which led to the formation of over 200 Rotaract clubs in Australia within 3 years, but of that number, just one was in Western Australia.

1971 – The First Club in WA

There appeared to be few Rotary Clubs in District 245 (Western Australia) fired with the same enthusiasm that existed in the eastern states, at least. Then in March 1971, those attending the 20th Annual Conference heard a stirring claim from Ron Pate, the Personal Representative of the Rotary International President, that, "Rotaract is the most amazing and contagious youth organization in the world. It is going like a rocket in every District in Australia. Give young people a chance and you won't see which way they are going."

That claim was not strictly correct, for in Western Australia the rocket had hardly been sighted. The chartered club in Nedlands and the provisional club in Gosnells were the only Rotaract clubs formed in Western Australia at that point in time.

A year before Ron Pate's challenge, District Governor Les Wearne formed the first Rotaract District Committee in April 1970. The Chairman was Les Vincent, who held that position through to 1971/72. The first year of the committee saw increased action, but an addition of only one club – Gosnells. However, in the committee’s second year, with Ron Pate's message still in their minds, a further 5 clubs were chartered, plus 3 provisional clubs were operating and 9 others were in various formative stages.

1972 – WA is split into 2 Districts

District division on 1 July 1972 brought changes and shared responsibility: two districts, two committees, and two chairmen – PP John Pizey and PP Geoff Barkla, both of whom had served as committee members the previous year. Each started with 3 established clubs: John Pizey in District 245 with the Rotaract Clubs of Nedlands, Scarborough, and Floreat, while Geoff Barkla moved to District 246 with the Rotaract Clubs of Bunbury South, Gosnells, and Ascot.

The first Rotaract (combined districts) Conference was held on October 1972 in Dalkeith Hall, and was hosted by the most senior Rotaract club – Nedlands. The Conference was attended by 150 Rotaractors and friends, and both District Rotaract Committee Chairmen.

One of the most exciting Youth Group Programmes was the introduction of the Japanese-Australian Interact/Rotaract Exchange. In 1972 a group of Japanese Rotaractors and Interactors, together with teachers and Rotarians, visited Perth for a 10 day stay. From those visits the Exchange Programme developed, promoted initially by PDG Riichi of District 357 and strongly supported by PDG Arthur Dall and PDG John Pizey in District 245. This programme has continued annually, with the original 10 day period often extended to 3 weeks, and the range of applicants widened to include children of Rotarians, and from 1980, Rotaractors from District 946. [The District numbers changed from 245 and 246 to 945 and 946 respectively in the 1976/77 Rotary year].

1978 – The first DRR Training Seminar

The progress and potential of Rotaract led to an Australian recommendation that Rotary International encourage Rotary Districts to provide training programmes for Rotaractors who accept responsibility of service as District Rotaract Representatives. Rotary International approved, and the first training course was held in May 1978, with the Rotary Club of Concord, New South Wales, the host club. All 19 Australian Districts and one from New Zealand were represented. Val O'Neill, who represented District 945, enthused, "The experience was unforgettable, the knowledge gained immeasurable, and the friends made irreplaceable."

Organising committee secretary PDG Frank McDonald said, "Of the 30 participants, 9 were young ladies who acquitted themselves exceptionally well and proved conclusively that Rotaract is indeed an organization for young adults in the community. The purpose of the programme was to provide basic training and background material detailing the areas of responsibility of the Rotaract Representative. It is to be hoped that this, the world's first training programme for Rotaract Representatives, will be the forerunner of many such seminars organized to assist the Rotaract programme."

1979 – National Conference in WA

A major organisational operation was required in January 1979 when 280 Rotaractors from the eastern states of Australia joined local West Australian members at the University of Western Australia for the first Australian Rotaract Conference. Conference Coordinator Lyall Jones visited scores of Rotaract Clubs interstate to promote Western Australia and the Conference. The Conference served a dual purpose of bringing Australian Rotaractors together and helping celebrate Western Australia's 150^th Anniversary. The Premier of WA, Sir Charles Court, delivered a dignified and inspirational opening address, and an accrued profit of $4,000 was made from the Conference.

About the same time, DG Bill Mahony felt that there was a need in District 946 to promote and revitalize Rotaract, and to determine the problems and solutions needed to improve communications within clubs and districts and between Rotary and Rotaract. Several well-attended forums Forums were held in 1979 and 1980, and agreement was reached on the need for greater publicity and the introduction of challenging programmes.

1981 – PASTA

The discussions led to the decision to hold a programme for the training of Rotaract club leaders. The first assembly was held in 1981, named "PASTA" (Presidents and Secretaries Training Assembly). This "live-in" assembly was held at the Ascot Inn during the weekend of April 25^th and 26^th. Hosted by members of the Rotaract Club of Ascot, approximately 50 representatives from most of the 16 clubs profited from a series of informative and challenging talks. Full credit for this innovative programme goes to the 946 Rotaract District Committee, particularly Chairman Warren Boucaut.

WA Lags Behind

Rotaract in Western Australia in 1980 appeared to be well-established, yet in terms of club numbers as a percentage of Rotary Clubs, WA trailed well behind every other Australian state.

1982 & 1983 – Publicity for District 946

1982 saw a District-wide publicity effort, designed to attract the notice of the major press and all Rotarians, through a large fund-raising project. This was the Wheelchair Push from Perth to the Albany East Conference. Fourteen Rotaractors pushed a wheelchair the whole 550 km in a bid to raise $5000 for the Rocky Bay Village Crippled Children’s Society.

1982 also saw an exchange between District 946 and District 504 in British Columbia, Canada. The four-week programme was launched in March 1982 when host leaders PP George & Jean Sharp from the Rotary Club of Gosnells led a group of 12 Rotaractors and 7 children of Rotarians to Vancouver, returning via Los Angeles for a trip to Disneyland. The team from District 504 reciprocated with a visit to Western Australia in October.

In 1983, a Bike Hike of a similar nature to the Wheelchair Push was held. Two teams of riders, including fifteen Rotaractors and a blind man, rode 900km from Esperance to the Belmont Conference. They aimed to raise $10,000 for the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association of WA. By this stage there were 35 Rotaract clubs and 95 Rotary clubs in Western Australia.

Both Districts made more or less the same progress. In 1972/73 both Districts had 7 – 8 Rotaract clubs, and by March 1984 they each had 15 – 23 clubs.

1985 – WA acquires a 3^rd District

On 1 July 1985, a third Rotary District was formed in Western Australia – District 947. This new District was formed from portions of both the original Districts 945 and 946.

No new Rotaract clubs were chartered after this time, except to re-charter old clubs that had folded. The one exception was the Rotaract Club of Heirrison, which was chartered in January 1997 when RI President Luis Giuy visited Perth to promote "New Generations". Unfortunately, the new Rotaract club did not live to see the end of the year.

Continual apathy from most Rotarians in Western Australia combined with a changing lifestyle that saw work hours increase drastically made for a steady decline in the number of Rotaract clubs. By the year 2000, Rotaract had completely disappeared from District 9460. [The additional '0' was added to Districts in 1991/92].

WA Rotaract in the Nineties

January 2002 saw just 5 Rotaract clubs left in the entire state of Western Australia, with a total membership of 30 Rotaractors. The Rotaract Clubs of Thornlie and Ascot subsequently folded, leaving District 9470 with just one Rotaract Club in March 2002 and a total District membership of 15 Rotaractors. District 9450 had a combined strength of 11 Rotaractors from the Rotaract Clubs of Perth and Subiaco. In March 2002, a new Rotaract club in Kalamunda, "Darling Range", started operating as a provisional club. The Perth club folded in the middle of the year, and towards the end of the year a new club at the University of Western Australia also started formation.

2003 saw some important milestones in WA Rotaract History. The two remaining Rotaract Clubs, South Perth and Subiaco, both with approximately 7 members each, celebrated their 30th anniversaries. The new UWA club, with 16 active members, also received its charter, on May 16th. District 9470 became the first district in WA to take the plunge and purchase its own domain name.

A few half-hearted efforts to get other Rotaract clubs off the ground didn't meet with much success. Darling Range finally chartered on 19 June 2005, after 3 years of operation as a provisional club, with a membership of just 7! Sadly, it's membership steadily declined, and the club ceased operating before the calendar year was over. Towards the end of 2005, a provisional club started operating again in Kalgoorlie, and is hoped to charter with 12 members in April 2006.

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Compiled by DRR Simone Collins, Rotaract Club of South Perth