Australian Broadcasting Corporation Reunion Club ...abcreunionclub.org/reunion_club/nl/nl_2016_4.pdf · Make cheques payable to the ABC Reunion Club 2. On the back of your cheque

OCT / NOV / DEC 2016 Volume 39 No 4

Australian Broadcasting Corporation Reunion Club – Victoria – Inc.

PATRON: Stephen Murray

Manager TV Operations

W HAT is there to say about our usual July function

at the RACV that we haven’t said before? Mem-

bers keep asking us to make it a permanent event and that

apparently is what it has become. We’ve actually forgot-

ten how may times we’ve attended this delightful seafood

buffet luncheon.

As usual we had a good turn-up—seventy two mem-

bers which is two more than our allowed quota. (Because

we shared the venue with RACV social members we were

limited to 70 but we sneaked in an extra couple.)

As usual there was the most amazing selection of sea-

food and antipasto to cope with every taste. We believe

some only go there for the oysters judging by the number

of return visits to the Oyster bar.

As our members are now well aware there was an

abundance of delicious dishes besides the seafood, a se-

lection that included soup, prime roast beef and turkey

from the carvery, various hot vegetables, pasta dishes, and

some other interesting creations. A choice of wine and

other drinks was available from the waiter service and

much socialising took place.

Again, the selection of desserts was to die for, with

brandy snaps, plum pudding, egg custard, and rich cakes

and tarts of every description. There were also cheeses

and crackers. The banquet finished with tea and coffee

after a really enjoyable day. The only regret was that no-

body had the capacity to sample every one of the wonder-

ful dishes.

* * * *

In August, a group of 24 members attended the Hamer

Hall tour which turned out to be a most interesting

event. Our tour guide, Jeanne, was most informative as

she guided us through the various sections of the

Hamer Hall complex, concentrating on the recently re-

furbished, redesigned and newly constructed areas.

Particularly interesting was the John Truscott room

which housed his Academy Awards for motion picture

design. (John Truscott was the man behind the Hamer

Hall design.)

We were also fortunate enough to hear the Mel-

bourne Symphony Orchestra in rehearsal while seated

in the plush new seats in the Dress Circle. The re-

hearsal was conducted by none other than the famous

international conductor Sir Andrew Davis who is cur-

rently attached to the MSO.

The new interior design of the auditorium is most

attractive, especially the remarkable orange coloured

hanging lights. The hall has also been completely re-

designed for optimum sound quality. The acoustic proper-

ties of the hall can be varied to an even greater degree

than before to suit the particular type of performance.

At the conclusion of the tour we all adjourned to

the nearby “La Camera” restaurant at Southbank where

a delicious lunch was enjoyed. Altogether a most

pleasurable day.

Holiday in Tasmania

SPACE and time does not allow us to give an account of our

very successful September trip to Tasmania, however we

hope to provide a full report in the next Newsletter along

with some photos.

Doug Sharp and John Goldrich sit beside the impressive

bronze sculpture “The Tuning Fork” at Hamer Hall.

Some of our members in the “John Truscott Room” observing

John Truscott’s academy awards which can be just seen at the centre of the photograph.

John Truscott’s Academy Awards

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� � � � COMCOMCOMCOMIIIINGNGNGNG EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS ����

HERRING ISLAND HERRING ISLAND HERRING ISLAND HERRING ISLAND CRUISECRUISECRUISECRUISE (HIC)

Thursday Thursday Thursday Thursday 13 October13 October13 October13 October

You may just have time to book for this two-

hour cruise from

Princes Walk on the Melba Star Ferry to

Herring Island in the Yarra and return via

the Docklands. The ferry has a

Captain and Deck Hands. There will be

tea and coffee included and there is a bar on

board. There is inside

and outside seating on the boat and there are

toilets. It is allowable to

bring your own food (but not drink) and

there are tables. An interesting des-

criptive commentary

will be given along the way.

We meet at 10.15 am at 11 Princes

Walk, Federation Square Riverfront,

Berth 4.

There is lift access to the river, or a ramp

and stairs.

COST: Members $25.

Guests $30.

HOW TO BOOK:

Booking details are on Booking details are on Booking details are on Booking details are on page 4.page 4.page 4.page 4.

BBQ AT VIEWBANK BBQ AT VIEWBANK BBQ AT VIEWBANK BBQ AT VIEWBANK Code (BBQ) Sunday 13 NovemberSunday 13 NovemberSunday 13 NovemberSunday 13 November

Linton and Tiffany Bryant have very kindly again offered to hold this fabulous event at their property in Viewbank.

As in the past, sausages, salads, and bread will be provided plus desserts, but please bring your own drinks including tea and coffee

and drinking vessels. Vegetarians will need to contact Carol or

otherwise bring their own special BBQ food. To ensure seating, please bring a portable table and chairs.

We will again have a live six-piece jazz band to entertain us and we graciously thank our Chairman, Johnnie, who has kindly donated $200

for the hire of the band. The address is: 2 Bannockburn Road, Viewbank (Melways ref. 20,

J 10). Enter off Lower Plenty Road and drive to the end of Bannock-burn Road. The entrance is on the left and we’ll put up some balloons

to mark the spot. There is plenty of parking inside. We meet at

12.00 noon.

COST FOR LUNCH: Members $15 Guests $20COST FOR LUNCH: Members $15 Guests $20COST FOR LUNCH: Members $15 Guests $20COST FOR LUNCH: Members $15 Guests $20 HOW TO BOOK: Please see page 4.HOW TO BOOK: Please see page 4.HOW TO BOOK: Please see page 4.HOW TO BOOK: Please see page 4.

ANNUAL CHRISTMAS LUNCHEONANNUAL CHRISTMAS LUNCHEONANNUAL CHRISTMAS LUNCHEONANNUAL CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON (ACL) Friday 2nd DecemberFriday 2nd DecemberFriday 2nd DecemberFriday 2nd December

BY popular request we return to the RACV, 501 Bourke Street. We will have our own private room on the second floor.

This is a not-to-be-missed Christmas event which usually attracts more than 100 members. Pre-luncheon drinks and hot savouries will be provided at

12.00 noon in the reception area on the 2nd floor. A two-course meal of high quality will then be served in our own private room. Wine, beer

and soft drinks to accompany the main meal can be purchased at your

own expense. The meal will finish with coffee and chocolates.

COST: Members $60 COST: Members $60 COST: Members $60 COST: Members $60 (subsidised). (subsidised). (subsidised). (subsidised). Guests $80 Guests $80 Guests $80 Guests $80 (actual price) (actual price) (actual price) (actual price)

HOW TO BOOK: HOW TO BOOK: HOW TO BOOK: HOW TO BOOK: Please see page 4.Please see page 4.Please see page 4.Please see page 4.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM) Friday 17th February, 2017 Friday 17th February, 2017 Friday 17th February, 2017 Friday 17th February, 2017

We are returning to the (now newly renovated) Elms Function Room at the Caulfield Race course.

Champagne and soft drinks along with hot and cold savouries will be served on arrival at 11.00 am followed by the official meeting at 12.00

noon. At around 1.00 pm a gourmet main course will be served at each

table. Drinks to accompany lunch can be purchased at bar prices. Delicious desserts, tea, coffee and mints will follow.

The entrance is in Station Street (near the Caulfield railway station) almost opposite Smith Street (Melways p.68, E 1). Enter at the ‘Glass

House Tabaret’ and proceed to the Elms Function Room. A Car park is available (opposite) on the corner of Smith and Station

Streets and is marked ‘Glass House Parking’.

COST:COST:COST:COST: Members $45 Members $45 Members $45 Members $45 (subsidised)(subsidised)(subsidised)(subsidised). Guests $58 (actual price) . Guests $58 (actual price) . Guests $58 (actual price) . Guests $58 (actual price) HOW TO BOOK: HOW TO BOOK: HOW TO BOOK: HOW TO BOOK: Please see page 4.Please see page 4.Please see page 4.Please see page 4.

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Our Our Our Our

YESTERDAYSYESTERDAYSYESTERDAYSYESTERDAYS

RADIO AUSTRALIA

Annual Get-together THIS regular yearly function for former RA staff

will be held in a new location! It’s at the

Caulfield Glass House. The entrance is in Station Street (near the Caulfield railway

station) almost opposite Smith Street (Melways p.68, E 1). Enter at the ‘Glass House Tabaret’.

A free Car park is available (opposite) on the corner of Smith and Station Streets and is

marked ‘Glass House Parking’. The date is Sunday 27th November, at 12.00 noon. A choice of Seniors’ or a la carte meals is

available. For further details and booking, ring Yvonne Stent on 9802 4378.

YVONNE Stent has sent us an article about her

years at the ABC as a Switchboard Operator.

The item is a little too long to be printed here in

full so we have selected a few highlights:

Yvonne worked on the ABC Switchboard at

Ripponlea from 1978. “This ‘Cords and Plugs’

Switchboard was the last one used in Melbourne

and is now in the archives at the Telecom Museum

in Hawthorn," Yvonne said.

“During the Federal elections many people

would ring in after a broadcast in order to air their

opinions, and many of them were quite abusive. I

had to record all calls—it was chaotic. One time I

happened to ring the girl at Ripponlea to see how

she was coping and heard her voice, somewhat

deeper, pretending to be a recorded message with

this is a recorded message. Please ring back after 8am tomorrow.”

“In 1983 I moved to Radio Australia into their

new headquarters at Burwood East. [Radio

Australia had previously been scattered in various

locations.] This was now the first multi-cultural

organisation in Australia. I was the first person

international callers would speak to in Australia and

learned the word for hello in many languages. Our

overseas reporters were always pleased to hear my

voice and I became their ‘mother hen’ figure.”

“We had a great social life out at Burwood

Eas t—Saturday night dinners featuring

international foods, each one outdoing the other.

We were a tightly knit group, all the more

significant because we came from many different

countries. After thirty years about forty of us still

meet for lunch.”

Ed: For several years the ABC Reunion Club

held their Annual General Meetings at Burwood

East. In addition, the Newsletter (which was

monthly then) was often printed there.

Radio Australia at Burwood East in the 1980s

More about Radio Australia

THE Burwood East building was completed in the

early 1980s and consisted of three levels with a total

floor area of 6,800 square metres also housing a 650

KVA emergency power generator to ensure non-stop

operation. At the time, the staff numbered 170 with

virtually self contained program departments and

(then) modern studio facilities.

A much reduced Radio Australia now shares the

Southbank Radio and Television premises with all

other ABC entities. Most technical facilities are now

almost entirely digital.

Former Club Chairman Allan Hiscock, and Gary Jones

at work in RA’s Master Control in the early 1980s.

Open-Office planning at Radio Australia in the 1980s.

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HOW TO BOOK FOR AN EVENT

For those members sending cheques or Money Orders by post, the procedure is this:

1. Make cheques payable to the ABC Reunion Club

2. On the back of your cheque (or on a slip of paper attached to your cheque) please write the following:

Your member number (or your name), the event code, and the number of people attending.

E.g. 153AGM2 means Member No 153, Annual General Meeting, 2 people attending.

If you are paying for two or more events, repeat the coded information for each event.

If you propose to bring a guest please let us know their name for insurance purposes.

3. Post the cheque to PO Box 272, Glen Waverley, Vic. 3150 (Put your return address on the envelope)

Members making bank transfers must initially contact the Secretary for procedure details. Reminder: In the Transaction Description: 999AGM2 means your Member Number, Event Code, 2 people attending.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Write, telephone the appropriate Committee Member, or email: [email protected]

Postal Address: ABC Reunion Club, PO Box 272, Glen Waverley, Vic. 3150 (Please put your return address on the back of any mail)

For Telephone numbers refer to “The Committee” listing.

THE COMMITTEETHE COMMITTEETHE COMMITTEETHE COMMITTEE Chairman: Chairman: Chairman: Chairman: Johnnie Walker

mobile 0418 323 051

Vice Chairman: Vice Chairman: Vice Chairman: Vice Chairman: John Backman Secretary:Secretary:Secretary:Secretary: Carol Simpson-Bull 9561 4124

or mobile 0403 393 746

Treasurer: Treasurer: Treasurer: Treasurer: Barbara Mathiesen mobile 0413 892 877

Newsletter Editor: Newsletter Editor: Newsletter Editor: Newsletter Editor: Ken Simpson-Bull Auditor: Auditor: Auditor: Auditor: Warren Edwards

General Committee: General Committee: General Committee: General Committee: Syah Goldrich, Allan and Helen Hiscock, Lyn Innes-Irons, David Rolfe, Jo Maxian

Committee Meetings

THE Committee meets on the first

Friday of each month except for

December, January and February at

Ripponlea. Members are invited to

join them for lunch at 12.30 at the

(now refurbished) Caulfield Race

course Glass House Restaurant. Seniors’

meals are available.

Bereavement

WE were saddened to hear of the passing of Michael

Shrimpton, former Executive Producer of Light Entertainment.

Michael, who moved to Sydney

quite some time ago, died there

from cancer in September.

His tour de force was the

creation of the long running

program, Countdown. Molly

Meldrum has said, “There would

not have been a Countdown without Michael Shrimpton.”

Michael is survived by his wife

Jude and two daughters.

Free Photography Exhibition

IVAN GAAL has asked us to give him a plug for his

forthcoming exhibition entitled “People, Stories and Dance”

at the Arts Centre, 3409 Warburton Highway, Warburton

from Friday 11th November till Tuesday 31st January. The

Official Opening is on Saturday 12th November at 2.00 pm.

After arriving in Australia as a Hungarian refugee in 1957,

Ivan soon commenced a journey into the world of

photography and filmmaking. The photos in this exhibition

span over forty years of taking these photographs.

Our Chairman not well

OUR Chairman, Johnnie Walker

has been in hospital for some

surgery but which is expected to be

fully successful. We wish him a speedy recovery.