Club History

The Rotary Club of Canberra-Belconnen was chartered with 20 members, on 11 February 1971, under the sponsorship of the Rotary Club of Canberra-North. The name was changed to the Rotary Club of Belconnen ACT, Incorporated in 1995 to reflect the fact that the Belconnen area had by then become well established and recognised as a community in its own right.

Since its Charter, the Rotary Club of Belconnen has chartered two other clubs, Ginninderra in 1977 and Hall in 1989. Three members have served Rotary International as District Governor: Ted Armstrong in 1981-82, Jack Fitzpatrick in 1987-88 and Bob Greeney in 2004-05 (Rotary's Centenary Year). Five former members have also served as District Governor, John Bischoff of the Batemans Bay Rotary Club in 1982-83, Bruce Sharp of the Ginninderra Rotary Club in 1991-92, Garrick Baker (D9650 in 1993-94), Ian Sayers in 2002-03 and Walter Buchanan (D9600 in 2009-10).

Charter members were Brian Daniell (President), Pat Walsh (Secretary), Bill Simmington (Treasurer), Roy Barnes, Fyfe Bygrave, Ron Cooper, John DePlater, Jim Donaldson, Ed Dukes, John Faux, Les Heaton, John Lott, Russ Mears, Ron Morrison (father of the Club's Trash 'n' Treasure Market), Don Munroe, Alex Norquay, Jack Peters, Jack Ripley, John Scutt and Bob Smethills.

As a means of recognising the fortieth anniversary of the club in 2011, a comprehensive history was compiled by Past Presidents John Sheldrick and Peter Oldham. To download a copy of the history, refer to Files on the Menu. (290 pages, 11Mb, pdf).

In January 2018, RISPPO (Rotary International South Pacific & Philippines Office) offered all clubs copies of Historical records, mostly from the formation and charter of the club. Our club's records can be viewed from the download link.