Mid Winter Dinner 2020
Due to COVID-19 restrictions in place in varying stages for each State, the ANARE Club and their regions are not organising any Mid-Winter gatherings this year. Individual State branches may still hold small gatherings, in line with State imposed restrictions.
Mid Winter Dinner 2019
Mid Winter Dinner 2018
2018 Epping Tracks, Epping Hotel guest speaker Patricia Selkirk – Macquarie Island 70 years of ANARE research.
Mid Winter Dinner 2017
2017 Flemish Flavours Leura guest speaker Lucinda Coates, Club representative voyage 3 2016/17
Mid Winter Dinner 2016
2016 Victoria and Albert Guest house Mt Victoria guest speaker Murray Doyle – Master Aurora Australis
Mid Winter Dinner 2015
2015 Epping Club Guest speaker Prof Chris Turney UNSW Footsteps of Mawson expedition.
Mid Winter Dinner 2014
2014 Epping Club Guest Speaker: Professor Will Stefan – “Science at high latitudes”.
Mid Winter Dinner 2013
2013 Epping Club Guest speaker Andrew Denton.
Mid Winter Dinner 2012
2012 Epping Club Commonwealth Bay Centenary voyage – David Ellyard.
Mid Winter Dinner 2011
2011 Epping Club Guest speakers, Nisha Harris from the Division, John Hooke AWA
Mid Winter Dinner 2010
2010 Epping Club Guest speaker Dr Tas Van Ommen Guest speaker Glaciologist AAD Report,
Mid Winter Dinner 2009
2009 Ryde-Eastwood Leagues Club Guest speaker Emma McEwan Great Grand Daughter of Sir Douglas Mawson
Mid Winter Dinner 2008
2008 Ryde-Eastwood Leagues Club Guest speaker Alasdair McGregor
Mid Winter Dinner 2007
2007 Haberfield Rowing Club Guest speaker Estelle Lazer Archaeologist Cape Denison 84/85 97/98 00/01 02/03
Mid Winter Dinner 2006
2006 Haberfield Rowing Club. Greg Mortimer OAM Guest speaker
Mid Winter Dinner 2005
2005 Haberfield Rowing Club. Our guest speaker, Dr Michael Burton. Looking up from Down South: Astronomy in Antarctica
Mid Winter Dinner 2004
2004 Cello’s Restaurant, Sydney Paul Willis ABC Guest Speaker Mawson 50 Years
Mid Winter Dinner 2003
2003 Cello’s Restaurant, Sydney Guest speaker, Skytraders’ Director, Andrew Niemeyer Casey runway operations.
Mid Winter Dinner 2002
2002 Cello’s Restaurant, Sydney Guest speaker Mike Williamson from Collex, waste remediation at Casey.
Mid Winter Dinner 2001
2001 – The North Sydney Club – Lincoln Hall (member of the first Australian team to climb Mt Everest, 1984) illustrated his talk – “Australia and the Spirit of Adventure” – with, amongst other expeditions, the bicentennial Antarctic expedition of 1987-88 to Mt Minto. Awe-inspiring. We were very proud to host the 50th reunion of the Heard Island ’51 lads.
Mid Winter Dinner 2000
2000 – Parramatta Leagues Club – in a convivial atmosphere some of our ANARE Intrepids shared Antarctic anecdotes and reminiscences with the gathering. We heard about S2, Mawson and others. Steve Symonds gave the response to the toast to ANARE, and reported on his recent voyage as the Club Representative. As a backdrop to the evening, and as an adjunct to the 30th reunion of the Casey men of ’60, there was video footage of the Wilkes 1961 ANARE. Special visitor was Rudi Honkala (W60, currently living in Maine, USA).
Mid Winter Dinner 1999
1999 – Park Royal Hotel Parramatta – Peter Treseder (part of the first Australian team to traverse the Antarctic continent to the South Pole unsupported) displayed Mawson’s famous balaclava. This was en route to the Mawson Antarctic Collection in Adelaide, having travelled to the South Pole with Peter and team on their epic traverse. Another item which had made the trip was a piece of walrus tusk carved by Amundsen’s cook, which had previously made the trip in 1911.
Mid Winter Dinner 1998
1998 – Bowlers Club Sydney – Senator the Honourable Ian Macdonald, Parliamentary Secretary for the Antarctic, awarded the Antarctic Service Medallions to those earlier expeditioners who had not previously been recognised for their contribution to ANARE. The medallion was awarded to 42 expeditioners and families
Mid Winter Dinner 1997
1997 – Bowlers Club Sydney – this very special event was celebrated by choosing a representative from each decade of ANARE Service to speak on the characteristics of their time down south. For the 1940s we had Arthur Scholes; Bill Storer spoke as a member of the founding 1954 Mawson party; 1960s – Neville Smethurst; 1970s – Jim Milne, 1980s – Lynn Williams and 1990s – Christian Gallagher. We also promoted Tim Bowden’s book, The Silence Calling.
Mid Winter Dinner 1996
1996 – Bowlers Club Sydney – The Great Antarctic Trivia Quiz was run by Quizmaster Steve Symonds. We hosted two Mawson reunions – ’66 and ’86. Special guest was Koshi Kizaski (’66 glaciologist), who had travelled from Japan for the occasion.
1995 – Macquarie University Council put on a performance (and it really was) of Cinderella, and sundry supporting acts such as the fabulous Brass Monkeys singing quartet, to various insults from the audience (such as one might find on Midwinter’s Night at any Australian Antarctic station). Geoff Payne pulled our heartstrings as Cinders, Steve Symonds was an overpowering Gertie, Dale Main a scarily-fetching Agatha, Clint Wright was electrifyingly stunning as the fairy godmother and Denise Allen played the drunken Baron to perfection. Tim Bowden MC1966 Mosman Rowing Club
1994 – Macquarie University Union Guest speaker Dave Pottage described the incredible journey of the Mawson huskies to Minnesota. As Dave said, nothing can replace the personal challenge, sharing and camaraderie of running with a dog team.
1993 Macquarie University Union Guest speaker Dr Pat Quilty AAD
1992 Cyprus Hellene Club Guest speaker John Weilly – IMAX film – Antarctica
1991 – Taronga Zoo Tracy Rogers and Cathy Horvat gave wonderful audience-interactive presentations on the elephant and leopard seals at the Zoo. A direct link-up between some of the Antarctic Stations was organised.
1990 The Cyprus Hellene Club Sydney Guest speaker David Iggulden Greenpeace Australia
1989 The North Sydney Club Sydney Guest speaker Tim Bowdem ABC
1988 The North Sydney Club Guest speaker Tony Armstrong Carrington Slipways – building Aurora Australis
1987 The North Sydney Club Guest speaker Philip Law
1986 Refectory University of Sydney
1985 Sydney University Union Guest speakers Bill Blunt and Jonathon Chester Project Blizzard
1984 Holm and Sutherland Rooms University of Sydney Guest speaker Ross Vining Project Blizzard Mawsons Hut
1983 Holm and Sutherland Rooms University of Sydney Guest speaker Martin Betts Information Officer AAD
1982 Mandarin Club Guest speaker Clarrie McCue AAD Director
1981 Lotus Room The Mandarin Club Guest Speaker Dr Peter Gormley AAD
1980 Cyprus Hellene Club
1979 Cyprus Hellene Club
1978 Cyprus Hellene Club
1977 Airforce Association Club
1976 Combined Services Club
1975 Combined Services Club
1974 Airforce Association Club
1973 Tai Yuen Restaurant
1972 NSW Leagues Club
1971 North Sydney RSL Club
1970 North Sydney RSL Club
1969 North Sydney RSL Club
1968 North Sydney RSL Club
1967
1966 Mosman Rowing Club