Our meetings consist of a short business meeting with reports from committee members which usually provide information on planned activities. Following this we have a morning tea where members get to catch-up with friends and have a natter.  A guest speaker then presents on a topic of interest or achievement. Guest speakers are an important part of our meetings and on many occasions, the quality of the presentations has been exceptional.

Past guest speakers’ presentations together with photos are briefly described in our Bulletins.  Planned guest speakers for the next month or two are also included in our Bulletin.

Recent and forthcoming Guest Speakers:

 

April 2026

Anne Chappelle - The fascinating history behind the historic ANZAC Cottage in Mt Hawthorn.

Anne gave a very interesting talk with well-illustrated slides giving a good idea of the background to and stages of the construction of the cottage that her grandfather lived in and which she visited, has been fascinated by and studied for many years. Anne has won several awards for her writing on the history of the Cottage, as well as undertaking many presentations on this topic at conferences and historical groups. 

 

May 2026

Sandra Finnerty – Niagara Therapy 

Sandra Finnerty talked about the drug-free Niagara Therapy, an Australian owned registered medical company that has been helping retirees with many age-related health issues for over 77 years. Sandra’s interesting and interactive talk discussed how the Circulation and Lymphatic systems work, how they are affected by the ageing process, the critical importance of sleep and some useful tips for reducing the risk of dementia.  

 

July 2026  

Richard Offen, historian, author and broadcaster.
Richard is a freelance historian, heritage consultant, author and broadcaster and Chair of the board of the Swan Bells Foundation. Richard spoke to us about “They said it couldn’t be done”, an interesting trip back into West Australian history and the refusal of the early pioneers to listen to the naysayers who “said it couldn’t be done”.

 

 

 

 

August 2026

 Nigel Ridgway - Nigel Celebrates 60 years as a ‘Ten Pound Pom.’

Nigel entertained us with anecdotes from his first few months in Australia as a 'Ten Pound Pom'. Nigel ended his talk with an amusing song, showing his musical talents.

 

 

 

September 2026

Peter Kennedy, well known as the retired commentator for the ABC.

Peter speaks enthusiastically on the Premiers he has known during his long period as a political reporter. He has spoken to us before and provides insight and background into some of the political events in Western Australia.