Our Club.
Sutherland Shire is a unique local government area located south of Sydney. It is bounded by the Pacific Ocean, the Georges River and the Royal National Park. It is bestowed by nature of much scenic beauty. It has a historical background as being the birthplace of modern Australia as it was at Kurnell on the southern shore of Botany Bay that Captain Cook claimed Australia for Britain in 1770.

A survey carried out in 1946/47 reported that there were insufficient qualified men in the Shire to form a Rotary Club, but by 1948/49 under a different committee a different view was formed and Past President Reg Barter, assisted by Harry Ferguson, both from the Rotary Club of Hurstville were given the task of selecting the first members.

Originally to be called the Rotary Club of Sutherland, it became the Rotary Club of Cronulla as a suitable meeting place could not be found in Sutherland. There were 25 charter members with the charter president being Angus Gunn who filled the position at the last moment due to the sudden transfer of Mario Perryman, a bank manager.

Annual subscriptions were 4 guineas ($8.40) and the weekly meal cost 4 shillings & 6 pence (45 cents). The charter night was held at the Cecil Ballroom, Cronulla with 400 Rotarians and guests attending with District Governor (District 29) Ollie Oberg, later a first vice-president of Rotary International, officiating.

On 1st October 1950, the then start of the Rotary year, the District Governor was Seymour Shaw, 8 times Shire president and also chairman of the Sutherland Hospital Board, and a brother of charter member Fred Shaw.

During the charter year of 1950 the newly formed Rotary Club of Cronulla decided to support the Boy Scout movement by erecting a permanent camp building for the Rovers on the banks of the Woronora River.

Les Giles initiated and organised a massive barbeque on the banks of the Port Hacking River at Audley. Enthuasism and dedication saw 100% attendance of members and wives. Scouts manned the causeway at Audley, charging 10/- ($1.00) to cross. The large picnic shed and ballroom were at the disposal of the club. Radio personalities of t he day entertained the crowd. An authentic carnival spirit prevailed - meat was barbecued on the spit - square dancing, ballroom dancing, coconut shies, chocolate wheels and so on. The $3,000 raised was gratifying and then the real work began. Every Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning for 12 months members helped in the actual building of the camp. Rock was blasted and quarried at the site and squared for building. The blistered hands of members attested to their hard physical labour. Timber framing for the building was prepared in Les Giles' workshop, conveyed to the river and floated across to the site by members swimming.

"GOOYONG" functioned for some 25 years before being abandoned by the scout movement. Today unfortunately it lies forlorn, and vandalised in overgrown bush, but somehow it still serves as a tribute to the dedication of the first Sutherland Shire Rotarians.

"GOOYONG" was to be the forerunner of countless projects throughout the shire for the benefit of its citizens.

The world's first service club was the Rotary Club of Chicago, Illinois, USA, formed on the 23 February 1905 by Paul P. Harris an attorney who wished to recapture the same friendly spirit he had felt in the small towns of his youth.

The name "Rotary" derived from the early practice of rotating meetings among members' offices.

Rotary's popularity spread throughout the United States in the decade that followed, clubs were chartered from San Francisco to New York. By 1921 Rotary clubs had been formed on six continents and the organization adopted the name Rotary International a year later.

Rotary is a worldwide organization of business and professional leaders that provides
humanitarian service, encourages high ethical standards in all vocations and help build goodwill and peace in the world.

Approximately 1.2 million Rotarians belong to more than 31,000 Rotary clubs located in 166 countries. Rotary club represents a cross-section of the community's business and professional men and women.

The world's Rotary clubs meet weekly and are nonpolitical, nonreligious and open to all cultures, races and creeds.

One of the world's most widely printed and quoted statements of business ethics is The 4-Way Test, which was created in 1932 by Rotarian Herbert J. Taylor (who later served
as RI president). Adopted by Rotary in 1943. It asks the following four questions:

The 4-Way Test

"Of the things we think, say or do:
1. Is it the TRUTH?
2. Is it FAIR to all concerned?
3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?"

'Service Above Self' Is the Rotary motto.

The main objective of Rotary is service in the community, in the workplace and throughout
the world. Rotarians develop community service projects that address many of today's most critical issues such as:

• children at risk
• poverty and hunger
• the environment
• illiteracy and violence

Rotarians also support programs for:

• youth and young adults
• educational opportunities
• international exchanges for students
• teachers and other professionals
• vocational and career development
• leadership seminars

All Rotarians Worldwide are united in a campaign for the global eradication of polio. In the 1980s, Rotarians raised US $240 million to immunize the children of the world; by 2005 Rotary's Centenary year and the target date for the certification of a polio-free world, the program will have contributed US $500 million to this cause.