Welcome to the Maffra Rotary Club
Maffra Rotary Club plays an important part in our community, supporting many local organisations. We are part of a network of 46,000 Rotary Clubs that are found across the world.
 
We organise the annual Rotary Club of Maffra Mardi Gras, the oldest street event in Wellington Shire. The Club is also the organising body for the local community market, Rotary Club of Maffra Community market, held on the 1st Sunday of each month, except for January. Come visit! The market is on The Island Reserve, McMahon Drive, Maffra, behind Woolworths. We also run a popular Sausage Sizzle at the front of Woolworths on the 3rd Saturday of each month, so come along for a sausage and chat with a friendly Rotarian!  Other local projects include supporting Maffra Secondary College with various programs, the Maffra Municipal Band and Maffra Community House.
 
Rotary has many interesting projects that extend past our local community. Rotary youth programs such as International Youth Exchange, Model United Nations Assembly, National Youth Science Forum have always been close to our club. The Rotary Foundation allows us to get involved with many other Rotary projects under seven areas of focus. What we can do as Rotarians is incredible and personally satisfying!
About our Club
Maffra Rotary Club was Chartered on 29th May 1947. The sponsoring Club was the Rotary Club of Sale, with Charter President Ken Davies, Secretary Norman Webster and Treasurer Frank O'Dea. Mark Saddington is our current President.
 
Maffra is approximately 20 minutes north/northwest of Sale in the Macalister Irrigation District. Dairying, cropping, vegetable growing, retail and tourism are important businesses to our district. We are approximately 1 hour from the 90-mile beach, 1 & 1/2 hours from the snowfields and less than 30 minutes from the high country for 4-wheel driving.
 
If you are visiting the area, come to one of our dinner meetings at Duart  Homestead from 6 pm on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month. Any 5th Thursdays are a social occasion held at an outside venue.
Please book in for dinner with Duart Homestead  before 1 pm on Thursday; Ph 03 51471985;  Email   duart@maffra.net.au or rotaryclubmaffra@gmail.com
 
Visitors Welcome! If you would like to Attend a meeting, please contact us HERE
20 Reasons to join Rotary
  1. Friendship: In an increasingly complex world, Rotary provides one of the most basic human needs: the need for friendship and fellowship. It is one of two reasons why Rotary began in 1905.
  2. Business Development: The second original reason for Rotary's beginning is business development. Everyone needs to network. Rotary consists of a cross section of every business community. Its members come from all walks of life. Rotarians help each other and collectively help others.
  3. Personal Growth and Development: Membership in Rotary continues one's growth and education in human relations and personal development.
  4. Leadership Development: Rotary is an organization of leaders and successful people. Serving in Rotary positions is like a college education. Leadership: - learning how to motivate, influence and lead leaders.
  5. Citizenship in the Community: Membership in a Rotary club makes one a better community citizen. The average Rotary club consists of the most active citizens of any community.
  6. Continuing Education: Each week at Rotary there is a program designed to keep one informed about what is going on in the community, nation, and world. Each meeting provides an opportunity to listen to different speakers and a variety of timely topics.
  7. Fun: Rotary is fun, a lot of fun. Each meeting is fun. The club projects are fun. Social activities are fun. Serving others is fun.
  8. Public Speaking Skills: Many individuals who joined Rotary were afraid to speak in public. Rotary develops confidence and skill in public communication and the opportunity to practice and perfect these skills.
  9. Citizenship in the World: Every Rotarian wears a pin that says "Rotary International." There are few places on the globe that do not have a Rotary club. Every Rotarian is welcome - even encouraged - to attend any of the 33,000 clubs in over 200 nations and geographical regions. This means instant friends in both one's own community and in the world community.
  10. Assistance when Traveling: Because there are Rotary clubs everywhere, many a Rotarian in need of a doctor, lawyer, hotel, dentist, advice, etc., while traveling has found assistance through Rotary.
  11. Entertainment: Every Rotary club and district has parties and activities that provide diversion in one's business life. Rotary holds conferences, conventions, assemblies, and institutes that provide entertainment in addition to Rotary information, education, and service.
  12. The Development of Social Skills: Every week and at various events and functions, Rotary develops one's personality, social skills and people skills. Rotary is for people who like people.
  13. Family Programs: Rotary provides one of the world's largest youth exchange programs; high school and college clubs for future Rotarians; opportunities for spouse involvement; and a host of activities designed to help family members in growth and the development of family values.
  14. Vocational Skills: Every Rotarian is expected to take part in the growth and development of his or her own profession or vocation; to serve on committees and to teach youth about one's job or vocation. Rotary helps to make one a better doctor, lawyer, teacher, etc.
  15. The Development of Ethics: Rotarians practice the 4-Way Test that governs one's ethical standards. Rotarians are expected to be ethical in business and person relationships.
  16. Cultural Awareness: Around the world, practically every religion, country, culture, race, creed, political persuasion, language, color, and ethnic identity is found in Rotary. It is a cross section of the world's most prominent citizens from every background. Rotarians become aware of their cultures and learn to love and work with people everywhere. They become better citizens of their countries in the process.
  17. Prestige: Rotary members are prominent people: leaders of business, the professions, art, government, sports, military, religion, and all disciplines. Rotary is the oldest and most prestigious service club in the world. Its ranks include executives, managers, professionals - people who make decisions and influence policy.
  18. Nice People: Rotarians above all are nice people - the nicest people on the face of the earth. They are important people who follow the policy of "it is nice to be important but it is more important to be nice."
  19. The Absence of an” Official Creed": Rotary has no secret handshake, no secret policy, no official creed, no secret meetings or rituals. It is an open society of men and women who simply believe in helping others.
  20. The Opportunity to Serve: Rotary is a service club. Its product is serving. Rotarians provide community service to both local and international communities. This is perhaps the best reason for becoming a Rotarian: the chance to do something for somebody else and to sense the self-fulfillment that comes in the process and return of that satisfaction to one's own life. It is richly rewarding.
Contact Ted Mitchell about joining Rotary HERE
SHINE ON AWARDS
Posted by Claire Cochrane on May 08, 2023
The Shine on Award is an annual Australia-wide Rotary award recognising exceptional service to others by people with special needs/ disabilities. The Rotary Club of Maffra decided to nominate Andrew Bedggood for this award, as he is a prominent member of our society who does an enormous amount of work to help other disabled people.
Despite significant damage to both legs following an accident, resulting in an amputation of his left leg, Andrew gives selflessly to other people, helping them to find the best ways to live with their disabilities. He formed the Sale to Sea Kayak challenge in order to give disabled people hope and belief through achievable goals.
 
The Club was able to obtain letters of support from several people in the community who had worked with and been helped by Andrew. One of these was James Griffiths, who came to a club meeting and talked about his blindness, getting members to walk around the room with a stick and their eyes shut, giving us a small insight into the difficulties he, and other blind people, face.
 
 
Three Rotarians went with Andrew and his wife to the Shine on Awards Ceremony in Melbourne, where Andrew was awarded the Shine On Recognition Trophy 2021 for Victoria, a wonderful result! Following this, the Rotary Club of Maffra’s Facebook page, and the local Maffra community page, had the most comments ever, as Andrew is well known and loved by many people.
This helped us in our goal to highlight the fact that disabled people are still able to give back to the community and function as normally as possible within the community.
AUSTRALIA DAY
Posted by Claire Cochrane on May 08, 2023
 
The Rotary Club of Maffra hosts the Australia Day Celebrations in Maffra each year. A BBQ is provided, thanks to funding from Wellington Shire Council, and local Australia Day awards are presented, in partnership with the local newspaper, the Gippsland Times. The Maffra Municipal Band provides musical entertainment and the National Anthem, and local guide or scout groups perform the flag raising ceremony.
Having a partnership with the Gippsland Times allows us to advertise for nominations for the awards, and we frequently have articles about the club’s activities printed in the newspaper. The partnership with the Wellington Shire is also beneficial, allowing us to apply for grants and to have local councillors coming along to give talks at events, including Australia Day.
 
The Rotary Club of Maffra and Gippsland Times Awards have three categories, the Quiet Achiever award, for an individual or couple, the Community Group Award, and the Junior Quiet Achiever Award. They are presented to people who are working in the community for the good of the community, and help to give them some recognition for their work.
Members of the wider community come along on the day to find out who has been chosen for the awards, to listen to the band, and to breakfast on the free egg and bacon rolls.
Australia Day in Maffra is a real community event, which brings Rotary into focus in the community in a very positive way.
 
 
SAUSAGE SIZZLE
Since the start of the pandemic there had been no Saturday morning Sausage Sizzles outside Woolworths in Maffra. After an enquiry towards the end of 2022 by a Rotary member, Woolworths agreed that we could once again borrow their BBQ and set up in their car park. We have since moved to the front of the building in the main street.
The BBQ was instantly successful, with some businesses putting in orders for 12 sausages or more at a time for their morning tea.
 
 
Rotary is not all about Sausage Sizzle but they are valuable for three main purposes. Feeding hungry workers and shoppers, not to mention their dogs! Raising money for Rotary projects. Getting Rotarians and the Rotary brand seen out in the community. We all wear Rotary shirts and/or aprons and we have club brochures to hand out. Most importantly our members are there for a chat about Rotary and what it stands for.
People often give donations to support our Club's community work while buying a sausage. Our Rotarians feel valued by the public and that makes being a Rotarian worthwhile.
 
TED PLANTING TREES
Posted by Claire Cochrane on May 08, 2023

Rotarian Ted Mitchell is dedicated to ensuring that the Rotary Club of Maffra takes on board Rotary’s seventh Area of Focus, the Environment. He was recently invited by the local Landcare group to take part in a tree-planting project, having worked with them before on a nest box project for our nearby Redgum Reserve.

Planting trees is not only a necessary action to take to help our environment, but was also a collaborative exercise between the Rotary Club of Maffra and Landcare. About 150 trees were planted on the day along the Maffra – Tinamba Rail Trail.

The Club is planning to continue to build our relationship with Landcare.  Together with other community groups, Landcare is working to revitalise the Maffra Wetlands. Ted has started a project to build a new Bird Hide for the Wetlands, as the Alistair Fielding Bird Hide has fallen into disrepair.

We look forward to continuing our engagement in environmental projects in a practical manner as well as increasing awareness of the beauties of the natural environment.

 

Club meeting Information
Welcome to our Club!

Service Above Self

We meet In Person
Thursdays at 6:00 PM
Duart Homestead
20 McLean Street
Maffra, VIC 3860
Australia
1st and 3rd Thursday at 6pm
District Site
Venue Map
Upcoming Events
Rotary Club of Maffra
Maffra Mardi Gras
Apologies and Guest Attendances
For catering purposes, please ensure that you notify Duart Homestead of all apologies and guest attendances prior to 1 pm on the day of the meeting or event.   Ring 03-5147-1985 or email - duart@maffra.net.au or by written entry in the Meeting Apology Book.
 
 
Rotary Links
 
Rotary magazines 2023 Photo Awards

In Rotary magazine’s 2023 Photo Awards, we see the world courtesy of this year’s finalists.

A song of their own

The Imagine Impact Tour brings Gaby Moreno to her home country of Guatemala to inspire children to dream big.

Rotary International Convention concludes with a message of hope

As the gathering in Melbourne comes to an end, Rotary looks forward toward Singapore and a focus on mental health.

Rotary projects around the globe June 2023

Learn how Rotary clubs are taking action in Canada, Grenada, Korea, Australia and Ireland.

Peace and climate change take center stage in Melbourne

Nobel Peace Prize laureate, child climate change activist, and Rotary Peace Fellows explore the intersection of environmental protection and peace

Rotary awards US$2 million grant to fight cervical cancer in Egypt

Grant announced at Rotary's Convention in Melbourne will fund large-scale program to reduce case numbers, raise awareness, and improve women’s access to medical care.

Rotary awards US$2 million to prevent cervical cancer in Egypt

Rotary awards US$2 million to prevent cervical cancer in EgyptMore than 30,000 girls to be vaccinated against HPV, 10,000 women will be screened for cervical cancer in greater

Excitement builds for Melbourne

The 2023 Rotary International convention will offer endless inspiration for the year to come.