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Our guest speaker Emily who has a background in social work, introduced us to Amber
Community, a not-for-profit organisation established in 1994, dedicated to improving road
safety and supporting people affected by road trauma.
Amber Community provides free, confidential counselling and support for people impacted
by road or transport incidents, with no referral required.

More Than Meets the Eye: Understanding Vision and Visual Processing

Rotarian, Dr Glenn Howell BScOptom, GCOcTher (Melb), GCOptom (UNSW), FACO. is a highly qualified therapeutic and behavioural optometrist with comprehensive clinical credentials. His background spans general optometry, advanced ocular therapeutics, aviation safety, and specialised neuro-optometric and children's vision training.

Over the past 15 years Glenn has obtained a number of qualifications that enable him to practice behavioural optometry, a specialised field that examines how the brain, eyes, and body collaborate to process visual information. Moving beyond standard eye tests that only check basic visual acuity, this holistic approach allows him to assess complex, functional visual skills like eye tracking, team coordination, and focusing flexibility.

Why am I here?

Our friend, Chris Simpson, spoke of his life, filled with adventure and near misses; his talk
entitled - “Why am I Here?”
During the Battle of Britain in 1940, Chris was born in the cellar. He, in a pram, and his mother
escaped another bombing raid on the street when they were out walking.
Christmas as a 12 year old was in Berlin where his father, and airline pilot, was able to take the
family. During that time he had an unhappy encounter with a soldier guarding the Russian
quarter pointing a gun at him with intent.

Building Respectful Relationships from the Early Years

Rotary Hamilton’s Domestic Violence Project, managed by Peter Irvin, recently supported a two-day Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships (RRRR) professional development workshop for more than 40 primary school educators from across our region.

Led by Dr Helen Cahill at The Hamilton and Alexandra College, the workshop provided educators with practical tools to help children develop resilience, understand their rights and build respectful, healthy relationships.

Funded by Southern Grampians Shire Council and Jigsaw Farms, the workshop builds on the professional development provided for secondary school teachers last year and continues Rotary Hamilton’s commitment to education and early prevention.

A special thank you to Marg Moffatt and her catering team for generously providing morning tea and lunch throughout the two days.

BBQ, Community & a Whole Lot of Sheep!

Rotary Hamilton was proud to once again fire up the BBQ at Sheepvention, helping keep visitors fed while supporting our local community.

Our volunteers enjoyed a busy day serving up plenty of sausages, burgers and friendly smiles. It was a great opportunity to catch up with locals, meet visitors and showcase the community spirit that makes Sheepvention such a special event.

A big thank you to everyone who stopped by, supported our BBQ and helped make the day such a success. Our wonderful volunteers deserve a special mention too!

Check out our Facebook page for more photos from the day.

Coming Events

Preparations are now underway for our

Art Show in October

Annual Changeover Welcomes New President

Hamilton Rotary Club celebrated its annual Changeover Dinner recently, marking the transition of leadership from outgoing President Bob Cadden to incoming President Meg Watson.

In his final report, Mr Cadden reflected on a successful year of service, highlighting the club's support for local projects, including the upgrade of the WDHS mammogram facility, the Campaign Against Domestic Violence, and numerous community fundraising and service activities. He thanked members, partners and volunteers for their contributions throughout the year.

Taking up the role of President, Ms Watson outlined her vision for a more visible and connected Rotary club, encouraging members to continue building strong community relationships and promoting the positive impact Rotary has locally and around the world.

A highlight of the evening was the presentation of four Paul Harris Fellow awards to Kevin Safe, Peter Irvin, Noel Howard and Rose Howard in recognition of their outstanding service and commitment to Rotary and the community.

Hamilton Rotary looks forward to another year of service, fellowship and community engagement under Ms Watson's leadership.

Science and Engineering Challenge Inspires Regional Students

Brooke from the Rotary Club of Warrnambool gave an informative presentation on the Science and Engineering Challenge (SEC), a nationwide STEM program run by the University of Newcastle since 2000.

The Challenge provides hands-on activities for Year 5/6 and Year 9/10 students, encouraging teamwork, problem solving and an interest in science, engineering and future careers.

In 2025, the local event involved 278 students from seven schools, with all participating schools coming from rural and remote communities. Students worked through eight practical challenges, with winning teams progressing to state and national finals.

Brooke also shared exciting plans for 2026, with 17 schools already registered and support from Deakin University to cover bus transport costs. Funding efforts are continuing, with $9,000 of the $17,000 target already secured.

It was an excellent insight into a valuable program that is helping inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers and innovators across our region.

https://www.deakin.edu.au/faculty-of-science-engineering-and-built-environment/outreach/challenge

Rotary and Vocational Service in Action

Craig Goodman – The Art of Making Scrap Metal Art

This week we were inspired by local metal artist Craig Goodman, who shared his journey from hobbyist to accomplished creator of remarkable sculptures made from recycled metal.

The Coffee Cup Project

Starting the conversation .....

May is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, but the message does not end here.

Awareness, support and community connection matter every day.

Rotarians on the Move – Parkrun Saturdays

Every Saturday morning, a group of our Rotarians lace up their runners and head out for Hamilton Parkrun. It’s become a great way to stay active, enjoy some fresh air, and start the weekend on a positive note.

Small team, big impact: keeping our community connected.”