Around thirty members and guests attended the October monthly meeting at The Dock Library. It was a very interesting meeting with important information shared by El Prez Sue H, details of the prodigious number of upcoming events shared, a quiz with prizes(!) and a wonderful speaker enthralling us with the story of the Athenaeum Library in Collins street.
President Sue informed us that:
  • There are a number of new members to induct over the coming weeks and also we have a large number of interested parties who are also likely to apply for membership
  • Attendance at all events is up on average
  • The annual Christmas dinner event will be held on the evening of Tuesday December 13th at the Melbourne Cellar Door in South Wharf
  • The grand final tipping competition was very popular with the prizes going to very worthy winners!
  • The annual Melbourne Cup sweep will be available for members, friends and family.
 Convenors shared news of upcoming events such as:
  • Workshop at Makerspace which has vacancies
  • Frankston street art trail followed by lunch which has vacancies
  • Cards and table tennis groups starting soon
  • Luv a Duk cooking class (Asian inspired) which has vacancies
  • Yea Cup country races which has vacancies
  • Melbourne Observatory tour which is full
  • Synchrotron tour which has vacancies
  • Port Philip coffee cruise which has vacancies
  • Thursday coffee group (on dry land) which is open to everyone; and
  • Many more popular events and group.
President Sue hosted a quick quiz to see how much we all knew about the late Queen and the King. Prizes were chocolate royal biscuits won by Bill A and Marg F collaborating in first place, Rosemary K in second and Pam G in third after a "bake off". 
 
Our speaker was Fiona Malcolm, a Senior Librarian at the Athenaeum Library. Her topic was  "Discover Melbourne’s best kept secret". It was truly fascinating presentation taking us from the foundation of the library as the Mechanics Institute in 1842 up to the present day including involvement in early moving pictures (The Kelly Gang) and early members of Melbourne society such as Sir Redmond Barry and Marcus Clarke.
 
As usual, a highly social group met and enjoyed lunch afterwards at Tap 831, which the City of Melbourne generously supports via a meal subsidy for each member.