Stories

A Final Farewell

Two days ago, on the 28th March 2024, our club had its final event recognising all our members, their partners and some special people who have generously and consistently given their time to our causes and events. All were honoured with a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow recognition pin.

This was a bittersweet but memorable way to draw the curtain on our 95-year history.

A final message from President Toni Field:

On the 31st December 2023, The Rotary Club of North Sydney ceased to be. There are many reasons for this decision taken over a year of discussion and debate. Although this seems to have been a drastic decision, the opposite is true. A club can only survive and carry out the community expectations if there is a vigorous membership and unfortunately, membership has been declining over the past years. With an aging but loyal membership it has been difficult to service our community as Rotary demands. As a luncheon meeting, many young persons are not able to attend, and evening meetings did not suit our older members. Joining surrounding clubs was not viable either. So, a difficult decision needed to be made. Now that the decision is made, we can look back on a fabulous 95 years and revel in all the wonderful fundraising activities and most important the fellowship that attracted so many to our club.

The remaining 14 members will continue this fellowship with occasional lunches, and we will share the past and its achievements.

Thank you to all who have supported the club over many years... North Sydney Council, Norths Club Cammeray, state and federal MPs and the general community who have given their time and funds so that we could finance many projects locally and overseas.

The Crows Nest Markets... a jewel in our crown will continue under the Rotary Club of North Sydney Sunrise and you may see some of us there assisting still!

So, the 95-year-old Rotary Club of North Sydney sends best wishes to all our friends and au revoir.

Toni Field OAM

Past President 2023

Tree of Joy 2023

Rotary Club of North Sydney invites you to our final 'Tree of Joy' event!

Together with our partner venues and charities, we are more determined than ever to spread joy this Christmas.

To find out how you can get involved this year

CLICK THE PICTURE BELOW

Or see some photos of us below collecting toys to be sorted and given to our selected charities!

Christmas Lunch at The Alcott 2023

This year, our Christmas Lunch had all the warmth, fellowship and fun of the upcoming festive season. Current and past members came together over a lovely meal at The Alcott in Lane Cove; a nice and relaxed venue change from recent Christmases. A special Christmas gift - a USB drive containing photos from the all the club's projects and events over the years - was given to all who were present. This gift is an enduring reminder of all the club's achievements and fellowship over its 95-year life. A very memorable, Merry Christmas for our members!

More photos below!

BBQ at Greenway Apartments 2023

Once again, Rotary Club of North Sydney put on a scrumptious Christmas BBQ for the residents of Greenway Apartments at Milsons Point. This time in partnership with the North Sydney Sunrise club.

End Polio Train Ride

Dear members and friends,

The past month has been a busy time for Rotary. October was Polio month and Sam, Jiji and I met the Ride for Polio Train at North Sydney and literally jumped on carriage 4!

Malama Maui Project 2023-2024

Supporting and rebuilding Maui

(Matthew Thayer/The Maui News via AP)

On August 8th, winds from Hurricane (turned Typhoon) Dora whipped up ferocious wildfires which tore through the Hawaiian island of Maui. These wildfires were the deadliest in US history in over a century. They are estimated to have caused US$6 billion in damage destroying nearly 3000 structures including homes, businesses, and sacred Native Hawaiian sites, and bringing down critical infrastructure. There were no warnings for the thousands of people who fled for their lives being chased by fires moving a mile per minute (~100km/h).

Rotary North Sydney Citizenship Certificate 2023

Message from President Toni:

I attended the Year 12 Graduation at Monte Sant' Angelo Mercy College school where the ROTARY CLUB OF NORTH SYDNEY Citizenship Certificate was presented to Katilan Ko for excelling in Community Service.

Well done Katilan!

Celebrating 95 years of Rotary Club of North Sydney

A message from our President:

Our Club turns 95!

Changeover 2023 - Steering the ship once more

On 6th July 2023, President Geoff handed the baton over to PP Toni Field as our club faces some serious considerations about its future. Although there are challenges ahead, we continue to do projects within the community and around the world as we always have done. At the Changeover, we celebrated what we have achieved and savoured our Rotary friendships with partners and long-time friends of the club.

Pig on a Spit Report

Once again, the Lee family have excelled, in particular Sam & Jiji, hosting a wonderful International fundraising event on the Fern Valley Ranch at Somersby on Saturday 11 February. In very warm to hot conditions the visitors enjoyed the farm's attractions, the property looking lush and green from the recent rains.

President Geoff's Australia Day Dinner

Message from President Geoff:

Last Thursday night was the President’s Australia Day Dinner at Milsons Point. I was in charge of weather and food which I got right but not the fireworks. Turns out the fireworks were all fired off on the eastern side of the bridge this year. Sorry Kai. I’ll be speaking to whoever was left in charge of crackers about next year. I think everyone had a wonderful night and generally commented that we should do it more often.

Pig-On-A-Spit for PNG

Come join the fun on February 11th! Details inside.

The PNG Desk Project 2022-2023

One project, Three groups - Improving lives in Papua New Guinea

Last year, during our (COVID-19) ‘Jabs for PNG’ project, our International Service Team learnt much about the issues people in Papua New Guinea face. For this 2022-2023 Rotary year, we decided to explore and identify other community needs where we could further our support.

BBQ at Greenway Apartments 2022

In November 2022, Chris Ireland, a professional photographer, came to share his passion project with our club. Chris aims to publish a book of photos and stories of the people living in the Greenway social housing block in Milsons Point. Through sales of his book, he hoped to raise funds for the Greenway community and enhance their well-being. Read more to see how we spread Christmas cheer for the folks at Greenway.

Tree of Joy

As Christmas approaches each year, our Rotary members begin preparations for our annual Tree of Joy event. This special event gives everyone in the community a chance to share the gift of Christmas with those who wouldn’t otherwise get to experience it.

Tree of Joy 2022

Rotary Club of North Sydney invites you to our annual 'Tree of Joy' event!

Together with our partner venues and charities, we are more determined than ever to spread the joy of Christmas.

CLICK THE PICTURE

to find out how you can get involved this year!

Crows Nest Market

Come join the fun! The Rotary Market At Crows Nest is held on the third Saturday of each month from 9:00am till 4:00pm and has up to 50 stalls including arts, crafts, giftware, toys, jewellery, homewares, jams & condiments and more.

Organised by Rotary Club of North Sydney

Where to find the Crows Nest Market:

Crows Nest Community Centre
2 Ernest Place, Crows Nest

NSW 2065 Australia

For Crows Nest Market stall bookings:

Click here to download our booking form.

Salvos Red Shield Appeal 2021

This year, our Club (along with Rotary Crows Nest & Rotary North Sydney Sunrise) was happily involved again in the Salvo's Red Shield Doorknock Appeal for the North Sydney area. The day ran like clockwork & we raised >$33,300!!

100 Years of Rotary Celebration

It’s a special time! THIS YEAR Rotary in Australia and NZ celebrates it's first 100 YEARS OF SERVICE!

Chinese Banquet Luncheon - Contact-less Hand Wash Stations for Nepal

St Patrick's Day Luncheon

Our St Patrick's Day lunch last month was a great success! We thoroughly enjoyed singing Irish songs, eating pie & peas, drinking Guinness, sharing an Irish blessing or two, making shamrocks*, all while raising valuable funds for the Black Dog Institute, in the fight against teenage suicide.

Supporting Nepal's COVID-19 Response 2020-2021

Helping a Country Fight a Pandemic

Since 2020, Nepal has been in the grips of the COVID-19 pandemic. The virus is spreading at an alarming speed throughout the country.

Photo by Sulav Shrestha/Xinhua

Changeover 2020 - A New Year Brings New Leadership

Message from President Toni Field:

Our ChangeOver luncheon was well attended on the 23rd of July. Thank you to everyone for your support. It was, even under the circumstances a very enjoyable time...

Video Update from BeyondWater

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, our project partners Sharon and Peter Crean from BeyondWater were not able to return to Kenya to put the finishing touches on the project and complete the hygiene education to the school community. This is an update they provided while in lockdown.

Towards the end of the video, owner of the Kirantos Sunshine Primary School, Daniel Nabaala Kiranto, thanks us as he shows water gushing from the taps of the catchment system we built for them - a heartwarming visual.

For details about the project, please see our Water Catchment for Kids in Kenya Project page.

Balloons, Hippos & a Banquet fit for a King!

Last Saturday, Rotary Club of North Sydney International Team put on a luncheon at King Dynasty Restaurant Chatswood for our Water Catchment for Kids in Kenya Project. Almost 80 people, including Trent Zimmerman MP Member for North Sydney, fellow Rotarians, friends and family, came to support us and filled the room with a wonderful atmosphere.

From the moment people walked in the door, many already spotted the array of colourful African artisanal handicrafts in our Market Corner. This also set off our Fern Valley Ranch marmalade and honey sales well before the luncheon kicked off!

Chinese Banquet Luncheon - Water for Kids in Kenya

Water Catchment System Kenya 2019-2020

Water for Kids

With dry seasons in Kenya lasting 8 months

a year water can be a big problem.

At Kirantos Sunshine Primary School in

Olorien, Kenya, the nearest water source is

a dirty pond 2km away.

The pond is shared by animals.

Crows Nest Markets this Saturday!

🌺🌻SPRING HAS SPRUNG AGAIN!!!🌻🌺
🌴Set to be a beautiful day tomorrow🌴

Rotary North Sydney's "CROWS NEST MARKETS" is on TOMORROW at Ernest Place, Crows Nest 8am-3pmish!!

🐷 🐮🐴 ALL Rotary PROFITS GO DIRECTLY TO OUR FARMERS 🐑🐔🐮

*Have a relaxing lunch, coffee or gelato!
*Browse stalls for antiques, jewellery, books, bric-a-brac & heaps more!
*Free 2 hrs in 3 nearby parking stations.

Nominate your favourite North Shore business

If you know a local North Shore business that you think deserves recognition, why not nominate them for a Local Business Award?

Sponsored by the Rotary Club of North Sydney, together with Service NSW and BxNetworking for Business, this prestigious award will showcase their business and its strengths, promote their range of products and services, and increase their exposure in the local community while celebrating their excellence and quality.

Nominate your favourite local business on the North Shore here!

Voting closes 10th September 2019

Gala Presentation Evening 6th November 2019

Pride of Workmanship Awards

The “Pride of Workmanship” concept was instigated in Australia by our very own Rotary District in 1975. It was designed to encourage more pride by Australians in their vocations. Owing to its theme: "Do it once, do it well, build a better Australia", and its dedicated presentation ceremony, Pride of Workmanship Awards Nights have strengthened the connection between Rotary clubs and local business communities across the country, and around the world.

In 2019, our Rotary Club of North Sydney held a combined Awards Night with the Rotary Club of Crows Nest, Lane Cove, and North Sydney Sunrise at the Northbridge Golf Club. Throughout the night we witnessed the recognition of ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

Invitation to Pride of Workmanship Awards 2019

Join us for our Pride of Workmanship Awards Night where we award those in our Business Community worthy of the recognition: "Do it once - do it well"!

Nominees of the Pride of Workmanship program are presented with a trophy in recognition of their achievements.

This event will be held at:

Venue: Northbridge Golf Club

Date: 17th June 2019

Time: 7pm for a 7:30pm start.

Welcoming our new member Toni!

We recently had the pleasure of inducting Toni Field into our Club. Being the better half of Rotarian David Field, she has been a friend of Rotary and connected with our Club for many years and now has more time to devote to "Service Above Self" in her own right. A warm welcome to Toni!

RotarACT North Sydney's First Meeting!

The Rotary Club of North Sydney is proud to support the new: Rotaract Club of North Sydney

Come along to the first meeting for future leaders 18-35yo and see where RotarACT can take you!

: North Sydney Rotaract

Event on

: North Sydney Rotaract First Meeting Event

Rotaract: Call to Young Leaders

If you're 18 to 30 years old...

If you've been looking for a place to volunteer your time...

If you're interested in developing your professional skills

While making an impact on the world's greatest challenges...

This is for YOU.

Rotaract is a global organisation that empowers students and young professionals to create positive change in their local communities and around the world.

Come and meet with people just like you who want to make a difference.

End Child Slavery Fundraiser Luncheon

We hope those of you who came to our Chinese Banquet Luncheon for End Child Slavery had a great time! Many of you have told us that the food at the King Dynasty Restaurant that day was excellent and we would have to agree!

Thanks to all the generous people who came, who donated, who supported us in the raffle, the auction or in our Market Corner shop! Because of you, our luncheon was able to raise over $7,000 for Destiny Rescue!!! That’s 4 more child rescues! This brings our total raised to date to over $12,000 which is equivalent to 8 rescues!!

Thanks for a great day everyone! Here are some photos from the day:

Our Club 90th Birthday Celebrations!

Join us as we celebrate our 90th birthday. With our special guest speaker, Alan Jones AO, this is sure to be a memorable day!

Chinese Banquet Luncheon for End Child Slavery

The Rotary Club of North Sydney invites you to a pre-Father's Day Chinese Banquet Luncheon to help End Child Slavery!

SBS Dateline recently featured a story on how Destiny Rescue works in Southeast Asia to rescue children from a life of slavery and exploitation. (Watch: "How to Catch a Pimp"). Every $1500 we raise gives them the necessary funds to rescue a child and continue this important work.

See the brochure below for our luncheon details and come along! OR better still get a group of family and friends and celebrate together!
We can do something to give a child the freedom of a new destiny; hope you can help!

Salvation Army Red Shield Appeal

Each year, in significant and important ways, the Rotary Club of North Sydney has supported the Salvation Army Red Shield Doorknocking Appeal in the North Sydney Area.

The Appeal is co-ordinated by the Rotary Club of North Sydney in partnership with the Rotary Club of Crows Nest and North Sydney Sunrise. We have especially valued the active participation of ACU in the partnership.

An observer remark: “A big activity like this is amazingly orderly, the Club has been well prepared. The enthusiasm of the collectors from the local schools and Club volunteers make the day enjoyable and successful.”

Sailability Middle Harbour Competes 2018

Over the recent Easter Weekend two sailors from Sailability Middle Harbour competed in the Hansa Class 303 National Championships held at the Kogarah Bay Sailing Club - the first time we have competed in such an event. With only minimal preparation, and the encouragement and coaching from Middle Harbour Sailing Manager David Stalley, Tash Garrity and Chester Bendall surprised the critics with Tash coming second in the two person division and Chester a credible 20th in the solo division.

Science and Engineering Challenge 2018

The Science and Engineering Challenge is a youth program created and run by the University of Newcastle in partnership with communities, Rotary clubs, universities and sponsors. It is designed to inspire Year 10 students to choose a future in science and engineering when considering their subjects for their final two years of high school. This year the challenge was held on 19– 23 March, 2018 at Sydney Olympic Park .

North Sydney Rotarians Geoff, Tony and Philip volunteered their time at this national event and were assigned to supervise teams in the ‘Catapult Challenge’! After constructing their swing-arm catapult out of dowel, students gained points for length and accuracy of the flight of their projectile.

Tree of Joy "Thank You" Luncheon 2018

Our Club hosted representatives from the organizations which so generously participated in the ‘Tree of Joy’ activities leading up to last Christmas. Nearly 3000 gifts were collected. These donated gifts were distributed to: Wesley Mission, Salvation Army, Children’s Hospital, Exodus Foundation and the Wayside Chapel. All of whom were extremely grateful for the generosity of the public and the work done by our club.


A thank you to Alison O’Connor, Marketing & Community Engagement Officer from NORTHS		A thank you to Kim Archer and Tanya Dawson from Covermore Insurance


A thank you to Jane Booth Digital Marketing Manager with aLi Group		PP Jenny Thomas, Chief Rotarian for ‘Tree of Joy". Awarding President Elect Ross Waugh with a Certificate of Appreciation.

Christmas Lunch at Norths 2017

A very enjoyable Christmas Lunch Meeting was held at Norths for our last meeting in the calendar year. It was great to see the many friends who joined us for this special occasion. Excellent fellowship was enjoyed and Norths served generous portions of the special Christmas fare we had organized.

Senior's Christmas Party 2017

Seniors Christmas Party 2016

This year we held our Senior's Christmas Party again for more than 150 seniors. Our guests are picked up by members of our club or by bus and brought to The Crows Nest Community Centre where they have a wonderful lunch cooked by the staff of Billy Blue.

Seniors Christmas Party

Every year we hold our Senior's Christmas Party for more than 150 seniors. Our guests are picked up by members of our club or by bus and brought to The Crows Nest Community Centre where they have a wonderful lunch cooked by the staff of Billy Blue.

Qinghai Women's Health Project 2013-2014

Helping Women of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Pride of Workmanship Awards 2017

Each year Rotary Club of North Sydney holds its Pride of Workmanship Awards. The Awards acknowledge the achievements of Local Businesses and Employees exhibiting outstanding service and are based on the candidate's work ethic, attitude, performance, responsibility and commitment to their position in their enterprise.

This year, a very pleasant Awards evening was had at Northbridge Golf Club on Thursday 16th November when our club joined forces with Crows Nest Rotary Club and Rotary Club of North Sydney Sunrise. Two Nominees from each club meant that there were a total of 6 awardees being presented which made for a splendid evening.

Farewell Tammy 2017

This week we farewelled our Club Secretary Tammy Chu. Tammy and her husband Ron, are moving back to Boston as Ron finishes up his work here.

PP Denis warmly presented Tammy with an Aboriginal art piece - a parting gift from our members, and Samantha and Jiji also presented her with a Rotary cap - a small memento from the International Service team.

End Child Slavery Project 2017-2019

Supporting Destiny Rescue's International Efforts

In our world today, it is sad to know that there are an estimated 40 million people living in slavery. An even sadder fact is that a quarter of these are children.

Destiny Rescue is an organisation that is standing out as a beacon of hope to the millions of children who are trafficked or trapped in sexual exploitation. Their rescues often involve gaining trust with the enslaved children and partnering with anti-trafficking police to gather intelligence and facilitate raids of brothels.

But these rescues are just the beginning of a series of activities this organisation is committed to. Destiny Rescue’s efforts also extend to rehabilitating rescued children and empowering them, or their families, to create a new destiny for themselves.

This last two Rotary years 2017-2019, in support of Destiny Rescue’s courageous, relentless and commendable efforts, our International Service team have created a project to raise funds dedicated to child rescues. Every $1500 raised means a child rescued from a life of slavery.

Changeover 2017-2018

Our President’s Message

Dear fellow Rotarians, firstly thank you for the confidence and trust in me to serve you as your president for the coming year.

By all appearances we had a very successful club changeover at the Northbridge Golf Club and I trust that those who attended had an enjoyable evening.

The occasion was made special by the attendance of our new District Governor Peter Ward as well as that of Past District Governor Bruce Allen. The Mayor of North Sydney Jilly Gibson, a great friend of the club, was also a guest and so was the new MP for North Shore, Felicity Wilson. A special mention must go to our Master of Ceremony Tom Sweeney who was a class act and added much to the enjoyment of the evening.

Computer Education Project 2016-2017

Our Computer Education project strived to enhance educational opportunities for international communities in need with a special emphasis on girls. Rotarians Tammy Chu and Anna Barletta have completed the implementation and training in Dili, Timor-Leste.

Youth Services

North Sydney Rotary has dedicated itself during this year to several successful Youth Service Projects in assisting young, aspiring Australians to achieve remarkable experiences.

Benevolent Fund

The Benevolent Fund is the vehicle through which the Club financially supports many projects in Australia and overseas, requesting assistance. These include local social welfare, community activities and indigenous education. Overseas projects such as education and health are also supported.

Donations by the general community, corporations and individuals alike are most welcome.

You may wish to make a donation to a specific cause the Club is supporting, or make a general donation where the trustees will allocate your donation to a current project..

Donations may be made directly to the Benevolent Fund of the Rotary Club of North Sydney, PO Box 674, North Sydney 2059 or by means of a Direct Bank Transfer.

When you make a donation by bank transfer, please include your name in the reference section so we can identify your donation. Please also email a confirmation of your donation to the Chair of the Fund to jt@zeta.org.au with the name of the cause you are supporting (if any).

The account details are:

Account Name: RC of NS Benevolent Fund

BSB: 182 222

Account Number: 117520486

Donations to the Benevolent Fund are tax deductible.

Fantastic Day at the Farm for Timor Leste

It was an enjoyable day with perfect weather for over 40 people at the Fern Valley Ranch farm. Friends and families participated in cattle feeding, orange picking, hiking to a scenic waterfall, and a BBQ lunch throughout the day. Funds were raised in support of providing computer education to the Learning Centre for Youth (Sentru Formosan ba Juventude no Communidade) in Dili, Timor-Leste.

Rotarians having a blast with the cows: Jenny, Ross and Silvio

Triple Care Farm

Rotarians Jenny Thomas, Ross Waugh, Kevin Thomas, Denis & Jan Booth attended the ground breaking ceremony of a new detox facility to be constructed at Triple Care Farm, Robertson NSW. The Rotary Club of North Sydney has had a long association with the Sir David Martin Foundation through Lady Susie Martin (an Honorary member of our Rotary Club). Triple Care Farm is an award winning residential rehabilitation program run by Mission Australia for young people aged 16-24 years.

The formal ceremony included Federal & State politicians and representatives of Sir David Martin Foundation and Mission Australia.

Day at the Farm for Timor Leste

Come enjoy a Day at the Farm and help raise funds to deliver Computer Education to the Learning Centre for Youth (Sentru Formasaun ba Juventude no Communidade) in Dili, Timor-Leste.

Computer Education 2016-2017

In June 2016, our Rotary Club of North Sydney, in cooperation with World Computer Exchange (WCE), selected Computer Education as their International Project for 2016-2017 Rotary year. This project strived to enhance educational opportunities for communities in need with a special emphasis on girls.

Seniors Christmas in July 2016

Changeover 2016-2017

On June 30, President Denis Booth held a Changeover Luncheon to welcome our incoming President Jeremy Brennan. President Denis awarded Silvio Gmur a Paul Harris Fellow Award for his work in Youth Service and Ken Pratt received his 3rd Paul Harris Fellow Sapphire Pin Award for his invaluable contribution to the club. Jenny Thomas also received a well deserved gift of thanks from President Denis.

The changeover was attended by Trent Zimmerman the Federal Member for North Sydney who, on behalf of the club, also presented Denis with a Paul Harris Fellow Sapphire Pin Award for his great efforts as president for 2015-2016.

PP Denis Booth and incoming President Jeremy Brennan

Photos from Peking Duck Luncheon for Nepal

A succulent meal for a benevolent cause! If you missed our Peking Duck Luncheon, here's some photos from the day. Almost 60 people came to break Peking Duck pancake together and raise money for an earthquake stricken Nepal. Prizes from Luis Garcia signed soccer balls to silver candelabras were won, Nepalese beanies were bought and all in all we raised over $3600. Thanks to all who came! This money has been put to good use by the Rotary Club of Dhulikhel towards the reconstruction of Nepal.

Peking Duck Luncheon for Nepal Reconstruction

Come give your taste buds an adventure and help rebuild Nepal at the same time! Nepal was devastated by two earthquakes in 2015 and much support is still needed to help rebuild their lives. See the brochure below for details and come along OR better still get a group of family and friends together!

The mental devastation will stay with the Nepalese people for a very long time but at least we can do something to mend the physical one; hope you can help!

Tree of Joy - Christmas 2015

The concept of the Tree of Joy has been part of the Club for a number of years and we give thanks to our Past President Jenny for being the driving force that keeps it going. The objectives are to provide Christmas gifts to those people who might not otherwise receive one.

About Us

The Rotary Club of North Sydney is one of the foundation clubs in Australia. It was chartered on 16 August 1928 and was then only the third Rotary Club to be chartered in the waratah state. But just because we're an old club doesn't mean we're not active! That's why we're also the longest standing club in our District (9685), which embraces the northern suburbs of Sydney.

There's a lot going on at our club including local projects and activities that serve to improve life in local communities, as well as international projects that expand Rotary's humanitarian reach around the globe. We also embrace the business community with vocational service activities, and support and stimulate youth in our communities to achieve their life potentials. Check out our Club Projects to see what causes we've been involved in.

Our members come together the first Thursday of every month for lunch at the North Sydney Leagues Club located just up Miller Street from the North Sydney CBD. All visitors are welcome to join our meetings and, in particular, those that are interested in learning more about Rotary and experiencing an hour in the life of a Rotarian. Come and see what we're all about!

What is Rotary?

These videos provide a great introduction to Rotary and what we're all about!

Benefits of Joining Rotary

Rotary membership provides you with the opportunity to:

Our History

The Rotary Club of North Sydney was chartered on 16 August, 1928 as Club No. 2952 with 18 members. It was the 19th Club to be formed in Australia as part of District 65, which then covered the whole continent. The Charter itself was presented to the Club by The Rotary Club of Sydney at a dinner dance at Neutral Bay on 10 October, 1928.

Our anniversary on 16 August, 2018 marked the club's 90th Birthday! We celebrated this milestone by spending a wonderful evening at the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, Kirribilli, enjoyed with our Rotary friends and families, distinguished guests, and our biggest supporters! (Click here to see some of the things we've been up to in these last 90 years!)

Visit from our Founder - Paul Harris

Paul Harris, the Founder of Rotary, was welcomed by North Sydney at the first club meeting he attended in Australia on 14 March, 1935.

He later planted a memorial tree (Queensland fire-wheel) in St. Leonard’s Park. It still lives into the 21st century.

Other Points of Interest

After meeting at the Milsons Point Hotel for the first 12 months the Club met for 30 years at the Crows Nest Hotel, then for 15 years at the North Sydney Police Boys Club followed by 4 years at the Cammeray Golf Club and since 1978 the venue for all weekly meetings has been the North Sydney Leagues Club.

The Club elected its first female member in 1989 (Anne Gollan) who subsequently served as President in 1995-1996. The Club had a second female President (Jenny Thomas), in 2000-2001 and again serving as President in 2009-2010. Both are Paul Harris Fellows, and Jenny Thomas has also received numerous Sapphire Pins for her significant contributions to the community and the Club. Looking back it is hard to believe there was a time when there were no female members. Numerous female Presidents and board members have since led our club with great success.

Past Birthdays

Our Club celebrated its 80th anniversary on October 16th, 2008 in the Strangers Dining Room, New South Wales Parliament House. October 16th coincided with the Crows Nest Markets which is run by the club so a Birthday Cake and Celebrations took place there.

Welcome to the Rotary Club of North Sydney

Our club brings together people who share a similar drive to do good in the world. We are actively engaged in community projects that support local causes, as well as international projects that expand Rotary's humanitarian reach around the globe. We also embrace the business community through vocational service activities, and support and stimulate young people to achieve their life potentials.

Check out our Club Projects to see some worthwhile causes we've been involved in. Better still, join us at one of our meetings or come find us at the Crows Nest Market on the third Saturday of each month! See how you can engage Rotary and make a difference!

Senior's Christmas Party 2015

Some happy snaps from our Senior's Christmas Party with the Crows Nest Community Centre.

Sailability Middle Harbour

Sailability is a "not for profit", volunteer-based organisation which, through the activity of sailing, enriches the lives of people with any type of disability, the elderly, the financially and socially disadvantaged.

Latest News

Rotary International has more than 1.2 million members in 33,000 clubs worldwide. Rotary club members are volunteers who work locally,regionally, and internationally to combat hunger, improve health and sanitation, provide education and job training, promote peace, and eradicate polio under the motto Service Above Self.

Here are some of the ways we put that motto into action. Also see our Facebook page for more updates on our activities!