U3APP Seniors Festival 2018

This year’s U3APP ‘s Senior Festival opened on 13^thOctober with the Saturday Seminar address from the Hon Dr Kay Patterson, the Age Discrimination Commissioner in the Australian Human Rights Commission. Dr Patterson spoke with passion about her long time commitment to issues affecting older members of our community and how her current role has been for her a “perfect fit”.  She generously gave her time and more to stay on and chat with the 70 plus members of the audience.

Numbers visiting the Art Exhibition were up on last year and the newly painted hall with hanging rails was almost as picture perfect as the Artworks. Watercolour, Artworks, Chinese Ink Painting and Life Drawing were all well represented. The group of artists who work outside of the U3APP

were again represented and pleased to see their work on show.  Thank you to Di Gameson, Lea Levy and Shirley Armstrong for hanging this impressive exhibition.  Thanks also to Diana Stock for toasting the artists and their work at the Concert

The Festival Concert on Thursday 18^thwas most successful with the Choir and Allsorts performing both separately and together to a full house.  We enjoyed a selection of classical and quasi-classical music, pop, Gilbert and Sullivan, folk and traditional music.  Thanks to Claire Keech and her catering team for providing the “sumptuous” afternoon tea to which we have become accustomed

Report by Kate Anderson

Photos by Barry McIntosh

On Sunday 21 October, at the "Port Phillip Writes" event, many U3APP members were honoured with Seniors' Writing Awards. Among those whose entries were read out were Jan Harper, Lois Best, Bob Croker, Wendy Butler and Roderick Waller. Award winners included Jan Harper, Toni Ladanyi, Peter Thorne, Lois Best and Bob Croker. Another of Lois's pieces was Highly Commended, as were pieces from Wendy Butler and Alex Njoo. Authors permitting, we will post their poems, fiction and non-fiction stories in our Writers' Showcase.

Congratulations also go to member Lesley Greagg, instigator of the writers competition and one of the judges, and to Kate Anderson, also on the judging panel. And just in case you think this gave U3APP members an advantage, entries are anonymous when they are judged. Lastly, congratulations to Pat Ryan, whose work with our two Writers Groups has inspired many of our members to enter the competition.

Report by Helen Vorrath

A Wordsmith’s Way – Presented by Barry Smith      

Thirty-two members and others were entertained by Barry’s recollection of a five-month long circumnavigation of Australia by Subaru Forester, highlighted by his on and off-road experiences in the far north. A portfolio of photographs accompanied the talk.

Crocodiles, flooded river crossings and bulldust galore interspersed with time spent completing the third of an Australian dynastic trilogy of adventure novels which span the First, Second and a potential Third World War.

Barry’s easygoing style made for an entertaining afternoon, re-igniting this writer’s desire to see more of our country. A great deal of interest was also shown in his self-published novels.

Mark Denniston
Course Co-ordination Team

Saturday Seminar, 19^th August 2017

“MAPPING PORT MELBOURNE”

A study of the Yarra delta from the 1850s to today.

Presented by Margaret Bride and Janet Bolitho

An enthusiastic audience of 50 including several visiting members of the Port Phillip Historical & Preservation Society listened to a detailed talk based on a study of the development and realignment of the Yarra, its impact on the Sandridge, Port Melbourne and Fishermans Bend precincts and on the economy of Melbourne.

Janet Bolitho and Margaret Bride co-ordinated this project for the PMH&PS with a generous endowment from the Auty family, descendants of the original settlers of Port Melbourne, the family of WFE Liardet.

The landscape of Port Melbourne has been hugely changed by human intervention since white settlement. The shape and the course of the Yarra River have been changed, the swampy terrain is now covered with roads and other hard surfaces, and there is a new landmass at the mouth of the river. Through a series of maps and aerial photographs, “Mapping Port Melbourne” graphically presented these changes that were planned, some discarded and others implemented, and their effect on Melbourne’s ports.

An active Q&A ensued with recollections of life in the 1930s and 40s and discussions on future developments of our ports to enable the receipt and discharge of goods into the second half of the 21^st century.

Mark Denniston – Course Co-ordination Team