New South Wales Mid Winter Reports

Mid Winter Dinner 2020

Due to COVID-19 restrictions in place in varying stages for each State, the ANARE Club and their regions are not organising any Mid-Winter gatherings this year. Individual State branches may still hold small gatherings, in line with State imposed restrictions.

Mid Winter Dinner 2019

Mid Winter Dinner 2018

2018 Epping Tracks, Epping Hotel guest speaker Patricia Selkirk – Macquarie Island 70 years of ANARE research.

2018midwinter_AUS4597-Version2
Sydney Midwinter Group Photo

2018midwinterAUS4616-Version2
Dr Patricia Selkirk's presentation on the plant life of Macquarie Island

2018midwinterAUS4619-Version2
Dr Patricia Selkirk's presentation on the plant life of Macquarie Island

2018midwinterAUS4626-Version2
Dr Patricia Selkirk's presentation on the plant life of Macquarie Island

2018midwinter_AUS4601 – Version2
Dinner with guests

2018midwinter_AUS4602-Version2
Dinner with guests

2018midwinter_AUS4604-Version2
Dr Patricia Selkirk's presentation on the plant life of Macquarie Island

Mid Winter Dinner 2017

2017 Flemish Flavours Leura guest speaker Lucinda Coates, Club representative voyage 3 2016/17

Mid Winter Dinner 2016

2016 Victoria and Albert Guest house Mt Victoria guest speaker Murray Doyle – Master Aurora Australis

MWL2016c — Mt Victoria Midwinter Lunch 2016

Mid Winter Dinner 2015

2015 Epping Club Guest speaker Prof Chris Turney UNSW Footsteps of Mawson expedition.

Mid Winter Dinner 2014

2014 Epping Club Guest Speaker: Professor Will Stefan – “Science at high latitudes”.

1496328_orig — Sydney MWD 2013 Photo Courtesy of Happy Medium photos

6208738 — Bill Burch Andrew Denton David Ellyard

2665147 — Damian Macey and Christine Bishop whom after a very intense bidding war on the night reached a magnanimous agreement to donate the book to the Mitchell library. The silent auction has produced some outstanding results over the years but this year's result will be hard to beat. The auction raised a whopping $1400.00 for the club and the Mitchell library and the public will gain access to a rare and unique book.

4413823 — The NSW ANARE Club 2013 Committee with celebrity guest speaker Andrew Denton

Mid Winter Dinner 2013

2013 Epping Club Guest speaker Andrew Denton.

Mid Winter Dinner 2012

2012 Epping Club Commonwealth Bay Centenary voyage – David Ellyard.

7953227 — The Epping Club - Photos by Margaret Whitelaw

6771284 — Clive Jewell having a chat to Colin Christiansen

6900917 — Rohan Whitelaw always happy to give a hand at MWDs

7069895 — Les Miller, Mawson ' 64 & now on the NSW Committee

9447473 — Nisha Harris Guest Speaker from AAD

9532552 — Rebecca Wood from Aurora Expeditions

Mid Winter Dinner 2011

2011 Epping Club Guest speakers, Nisha Harris from the Division, John Hooke AWA

Mid Winter Dinner 2010

2010 Epping Club Guest speaker Dr Tas Van Ommen Guest speaker Glaciologist AAD Report,

2009group — The function Room, Ryde-Eastwood Leagues Club, Saturday 27th June 2009

2009MWD37x — Virginia Mudie, Emma McEwin, Flip Byrnes and Dimity Mitsis.

2009MWD36x — Denise Allen and John Gillies Aurora editor.

Mid Winter Dinner 2009

2009 Ryde-Eastwood Leagues Club Guest speaker Emma McEwan Great Grand Daughter of Sir Douglas Mawson

Mid Winter Dinner 2008

2008 Ryde-Eastwood Leagues Club Guest speaker Alasdair McGregor

Mid Winter Dinner 2007

2007 Haberfield Rowing Club Guest speaker Estelle Lazer Archaeologist Cape Denison 84/85 97/98 00/01 02/03

Mid Winter Dinner 2006

2006 Haberfield Rowing Club. Greg Mortimer OAM Guest speaker

Mid Winter Dinner 2005

2005 Haberfield Rowing Club. Our guest speaker, Dr Michael Burton. Looking up from Down South: Astronomy in Antarctica

Mid Winter Dinner 2004

Who Attended

2004 Cello’s Restaurant, Sydney Paul Willis ABC Guest Speaker Mawson 50 Years

2003image004 — 900EX Falcon Image: © Dassault Falcon Jet

2003image005 — Skidoos for loading on C212-400 Image: (c) EADS/CASA

Mid Winter Dinner 2003

2003 Cello’s Restaurant, Sydney Guest speaker, Skytraders’ Director, Andrew Niemeyer Casey runway operations.

Mid Winter Dinner 2002

2002 Cello’s Restaurant, Sydney Guest speaker Mike Williamson from Collex, waste remediation at Casey.

Mid Winter Dinner 2001

2001 – The North Sydney Club – Lincoln Hall (member of the first Australian team to climb Mt Everest, 1984) illustrated his talk – “Australia and the Spirit of Adventure” – with, amongst other expeditions, the bicentennial Antarctic expedition of 1987-88 to Mt Minto. Awe-inspiring. We were very proud to host the 50th reunion of the Heard Island ’51 lads.

Mid Winter Dinner 2000

2000 – Parramatta Leagues Club – in a convivial atmosphere some of our ANARE Intrepids shared Antarctic anecdotes and reminiscences with the gathering. We heard about S2, Mawson and others. Steve Symonds gave the response to the toast to ANARE, and reported on his recent voyage as the Club Representative. As a backdrop to the evening, and as an adjunct to the 30th reunion of the Casey men of ’60, there was video footage of the Wilkes 1961 ANARE. Special visitor was Rudi Honkala (W60, currently living in Maine, USA).

2000mwd2001a — Rudi Honkala Wilkes 1960 from Bethel, Maine, U.S.A. speaks of the construction of S2 in 1957.

2000mwd2003a — David Eastman photographer 1st ANARE, first ashore Heard Island December 1947.

2000mwd2004a — Peter Blaxland and John Lavett of LST3501 Heard Island, Macquarie Island 1947/48.

2000mwd2005a — Terry Weatherson and Patrick Moonie

Mid Winter Dinner 1999

1999 – Park Royal Hotel Parramatta – Peter Treseder (part of the first Australian team to traverse the Antarctic continent to the South Pole unsupported) displayed Mawson’s famous balaclava. This was en route to the Mawson Antarctic Collection in Adelaide, having travelled to the South Pole with Peter and team on their epic traverse. Another item which had made the trip was a piece of walrus tusk carved by Amundsen’s cook, which had previously made the trip in 1911.

Mid Winter Dinner 1998

1998 – Bowlers Club Sydney – Senator the Honourable Ian Macdonald, Parliamentary Secretary for the Antarctic, awarded the Antarctic Service Medallions to those earlier expeditioners who had not previously been recognised for their contribution to ANARE. The medallion was awarded to 42 expeditioners and families

Mid Winter Dinner 1997

1997 – Bowlers Club Sydney – this very special event was celebrated by choosing a representative from each decade of ANARE Service to speak on the characteristics of their time down south. For the 1940s we had Arthur Scholes; Bill Storer spoke as a member of the founding 1954 Mawson party; 1960s – Neville Smethurst; 1970s – Jim Milne, 1980s – Lynn Williams and 1990s – Christian Gallagher. We also promoted Tim Bowden’s book, The Silence Calling.

Mid Winter Dinner 1996

1996 – Bowlers Club Sydney – The Great Antarctic Trivia Quiz was run by Quizmaster Steve Symonds. We hosted two Mawson reunions – ’66 and ’86. Special guest was Koshi Kizaski (’66 glaciologist), who had travelled from Japan for the occasion.

1995 – Macquarie University Council put on a performance (and it really was) of Cinderella, and sundry supporting acts such as the fabulous Brass Monkeys singing quartet, to various insults from the audience (such as one might find on Midwinter’s Night at any Australian Antarctic station). Geoff Payne pulled our heartstrings as Cinders, Steve Symonds was an overpowering Gertie, Dale Main a scarily-fetching Agatha, Clint Wright was electrifyingly stunning as the fairy godmother and Denise Allen played the drunken Baron to perfection. Tim Bowden MC1966 Mosman Rowing Club

1994 – Macquarie University Union Guest speaker Dave Pottage described the incredible journey of the Mawson huskies to Minnesota. As Dave said, nothing can replace the personal challenge, sharing and camaraderie of running with a dog team.

1993 Macquarie University Union Guest speaker Dr Pat Quilty AAD

1992 Cyprus Hellene Club Guest speaker John Weilly – IMAX film – Antarctica

1991 – Taronga Zoo Tracy Rogers and Cathy Horvat gave wonderful audience-interactive presentations on the elephant and leopard seals at the Zoo. A direct link-up between some of the Antarctic Stations was organised.

1990 The Cyprus Hellene Club Sydney Guest speaker David Iggulden Greenpeace Australia

1989 The North Sydney Club Sydney Guest speaker Tim Bowdem ABC

1988 The North Sydney Club Guest speaker Tony Armstrong Carrington Slipways – building Aurora Australis

1987 The North Sydney Club Guest speaker Philip Law

1986 Refectory University of Sydney

1985 Sydney University Union Guest speakers Bill Blunt and Jonathon Chester Project Blizzard

1984 Holm and Sutherland Rooms University of Sydney Guest speaker Ross Vining Project Blizzard Mawsons Hut

1983 Holm and Sutherland Rooms University of Sydney Guest speaker Martin Betts Information Officer AAD

1982 Mandarin Club Guest speaker Clarrie McCue AAD Director

1981 Lotus Room The Mandarin Club Guest Speaker Dr Peter Gormley AAD

1980 Cyprus Hellene Club

1979 Cyprus Hellene Club

1978 Cyprus Hellene Club

1977 Airforce Association Club

1976 Combined Services Club

1975 Combined Services Club

1974 Airforce Association Club

1973 Tai Yuen Restaurant

1972 NSW Leagues Club

1971 North Sydney RSL Club

1970 North Sydney RSL Club

1969 North Sydney RSL Club

1968 North Sydney RSL Club

1967

1966 Mosman Rowing Club

Return to NSW home page