Rodney Stevens
Since it was formed in 1983, 62 years after the first Rotary clubs were established in Australia, a group of community minded people have been working to make the paradise that is Yamba an even better place to live and work for the past 40 years through the tireless efforts of Yamba Rotary.
As several people from Yamba were attending Maclean Rotary Club, the Yamba Rotary Club was formed on December 15, 1983, and Kevin Hassey was elected as the club’s first president.
In 1984, just months after Yamba Rotary started it was already working for the community, conducting seminars in an effort to make Yamba a drug free town, assisting the SES to establish in Yamba and campaigning for the Yamba Community Pool.
Current Yamba Rotary secretary, Rick Angelo said over the years, the tireless efforts by Yamba Rotary members has assisted to build, fund or coordinate numerous infrastructure projects including, the BBQ’s at Yamba Oval, Fred Phillips Park and Flinders Park, the toilet block at Crystal Waters boat ramp, establishing the walking track from the Marina to the Lighthouse which has since been concreted by council through grant funding, the bus shelter at Hakea Park which was recently updated through a government grant and council assistance, 21 Rotary seats around Yamba and Angourie, and Yamba Rotary Defibrillator Project which has identified 44 defibrillators in Yamba, Angourie and Wooloweyah, and supplied 11 defibrillators in partnership with business and community groups.
Every year, Mr Angelo said Yamba Rotary runs several events for locals and visitors with entry by gold coin donation.
“The Twilight Market in January has run for about 35years first in Yamba Street on the first Saturday and since 2017 in Coldstream Street on New Years Day,” he said.
“A Family Fun Day on Main Beach with a sand modeller and Modelling competition was added to the January calendar in 2012 and Eat Street Yamba was added in 2017 on the Sunday of the long weekend in October.”
Mr Angelo said every year Yamba Rotary chooses a charity to support, during the last drought it was hay deliveries for farmers and water cartage for those in need, and during the 2022 floods the club supported affected residents on Yamba Road and Palmers Island.
Local schools have also benefited from Yamba Rotary’s support financially in addition to assisting many local students to attend Rotary youth programs and exchange programs to overseas countries.
Yamba Rotary have hosted three conferences in conjunction with other local clubs in the 9460 district, including the 2023 conference held at Yamba Bowling Club.
Mr Angelo said Yamba Rotary’s current focus us the awareness and prevention of domestic violence in the local and wider community.
Yamba Rotary meets on the second and fourth Tuesday’s of the month at Yamba Bowling Club at 5.30pm for a 6pm start.
Currently a small but enthusiastic group who are committed to carrying on the legacy of the past 40 years, while continually looking for opportunities to assist the current and future needs of the town, anyone interested in joining Yamba Rotary can contact Rick Angelo on 0404 476 702.