Melbourne Midwinter Dinner 2024

Guest presenter – Casey 2023 Station Leader – Ben Patrick

Date: Friday 21 June 2024

Venue: AMORA HOTEL (Event Pavilion) Riverwalk Melbourne   Getting There - Google Maps
649 Bridge Road, Richmond VIC 3121

Friday 21 June also saw the Victorian Branch Midwinter Dinner in Melbourne, bringing together almost 50 Club members and their partners for a very enjoyable and convivial evening.
The evening’s highlight was an excellent presentation from 2023 Casey Station Leader Ben Patrick which brought us all up-to-date on some of the important achievements at Casey last year. Ben also took out the most recent for Calling of the Years, with National President David Dodd (Macquarie Island, 1961) being the furthest back.
Ben temporarily hijacked the dinner to collect together Casey expeditioners from the past five decades for a very memorable photo! Maybe we’ll make a similar photo for each station a ‘thing’ each year ongoing… you may have started a new tradition, Ben.
Melbourne dinner attendees agreed to change to a lunch from 2025 onwards in the hope that some of our ‘old and bold’ will find it easier to attend. More details to come next year.

Photo Gallery – click to enlarge

 

Victorian Branch President John Gillies

Guest presenter – Casey 2023 Station Leader – Ben Patrick

Former Casey and Wilkes expeditioners across the years

Elizabeth Chen and her father Doug Leckie

Note: Subject to Change

  • 18:00 – Sit and Settle
  • 18:10-18:30 – Welcome Address
  • 18:30 – Entree Service
  • 19:00 – Guest Speaker (Ben Patrick) with questions: 30 min speaking, 15 min questions
  • 19:45 – Main Course Service
  • 20:30 – Calling of the Years
  • 21:00 – Dessert Service and End of Official Activities
  • 23:00 – Bar closes

See Who attended 2024 Melbourne Midwinter Dinner

Ben Patrick first visited Antarctica in 2000 on the first of two summers at Davis as a glaciologist. Leaving his PhD to his field partner to complete, he joined the Australian Army and served with the Royal Australian Engineers both domestically and internationally. Over the past decade Ben has worked as a consultant in diverse sectors including IT, agriculture and risk management. He volunteers with Disaster Relief Australia. Ben’s most recent role was as the Casey Station Leader for the 76th Australian Antarctic Program.