Tjanara Goreng Goreng is an Aboriginal woman from Central Queensland Australia, with family ties to the Anangu Pitjanjatjara of the Central Desert through her long relationship with Uncle Bob Randall. Her homeland is near Longreach where she was born but also her grandfather’s country of Bam Bam Springs which is Wakka Wakka country. Tjanara Goreng Goreng practices as an Aboriginal Ngungkari (medicine healer) and is also an author and a Songwoman who shares and creates the songs of her clan and traditions

 Guest Speaker, Jon Retford from Wilson Transformer Company has been designing and manufacturing transformers in Australia since 1933. They established a plant in Wodonga in 1981 where they make a range of transformers for the Australian market. There has been a lot of media coverage regarding the demise of manufacturing in Australia. Wilson Transformers continues to defy this trend by providing specialised products into emerging market segments. Jon spoke about the opportunities that exist in the Renewable Energy sector, Data Centres and other markets.

Guest Speaker – Robyn Davis has worked with Aspect as a Classroom Teacher since 2007, having taught in schools for the Dioceses of Wagga and Wagga and Wilcannia Forbes for the previous 18 years. I also worked for the University of New South Wales for many years developing English and Mathematics Tests for States’ Department of Education Basic Skills Testing programs and National Competitions. Working in an Aspect Class is a rewarding experience, so often in mainstream, you have students who you know what they may need in order to succeed but you do not have the resources to be able to do what is needed. Aspect, being evidence based means the program you deliver makes a real and lasting change to the lives of your students and their families. Last year I was appointed as the Co-ordinator responsible for the K-6 Albury classes in our Main Site in Olive Street and our Satellite Classes in St Patrick’s School. It’s great to have the opportunity to support Teachers and Teacher Aides and follow through with the many students I have taught over past years. I have seen the tremendous resources that local service clubs, especially Rotary have been made available for our students and witness each day the fun and joy of play and quality learning experiences these resources offer our students

Guest Speaker, Jan Hunter  an active member of the Albury and District Historical Society and lifelong Albury resident gave an insight into the life of Thomas Greenfield after whom Greenfield Park is named. Thomas Greenfield, a monumental mason became a partner of Mr George Ballantine in 1884, setting up in the vicinity of West End Plaza, Kiewa Street and also High Street, Wodonga. When Ballantine left for Melbourne, Thomas continued providing gravestones, as well as foundation stones for many churches and buildings, establishing a display yard and workshop. After WWI he designed and built St Matthew’s memorial obelisk, which was unveiled in front of the church in 1920. He also designed and built the memorial fountain at the showgrounds for George Mackay (1907), and built the Charles Dight Memorial Fountain (1916). Thomas was involved in Albury political movements, held office at St Matthew’s Church and was a founding member of the Albury Horticultural Society. He served on council in 1903. Thomas Greenfield died in 1927 and his land was later used as an extension of Billson Park. In 1942 the government built 20 tiny houses for munitions workers in Alma Street. Sheltered by the remains of Greenfield’s trees, they were promptly nicknamed “the walnut shells”. Greenfield’s Paddock was resumed by council and became Greenfield Park in 1949.

Guest speaker Kate Martin  was born in Sydney and grew up in  Newcastle where I enjoyed surfing, sailing and fishing. I attended Newcastle Girls’ High School and after completing  the Leaving Certificate (as it was then) I won a journalism cadetship with Fairfax Newspapers working on the Sydney and Newcastle Morning Heralds. At 22 I went overseas and spent the next seven years working as a free-lance journalist for various National Australian magazines and newspapers. During my time in London I spent 15 months working at Hemdale, a Public Relations and production company run by Jonathon Daly and David Hemmings. Among our clients were Peter Cook, Dudley Moore and Marty Feldman with whom I spent quite a lot of time. I have to admit I tended to go weak at the knees …. momentarily… when terrence Stamp, another of the clients was in the office. He was a great hitt in the famolus Aussie film hit, Priscilla Queen of the Desert. I returned to Australia in early 1977 and worked for the next five years as feature writer with the now-defunct Melbourne Herald newspaper, so becoming a Murcoch employee. I met my husband to be, Andy Martin, a farmer from Swan Hill at Falls Creek  on opening weekend of the snow season. We married five years later  and moved to Mellool Station, a family-owned grazing property, outside Swan Hill. Our daughter, Chloe was born five years after that. While living in Swan Hill I worked in vocational education in the private sector and for the Victorian Education Department. I am a firm believer in vocational education and training options for those students who don’t fit into the academic streams in secondary and tertiary education. In 2000 Andy and I decided to leave farming. We moved to Albury where Andy became a full-time student at La Trobe University studying social work and I was appointed the first Administration Officer for the University of NSW Rural Clinical School which Dr Peter Vine and I set up from scratch. We began work in a cupboard/office in the physio department of the new Base Hospital. In 14 weeks we, with a lot of assistance from the Albury Wodonga medical fraternity, were ready to accept the first students. It was an exciting and satisfying experience. Three years later I was invited to set up the Tenancy Advice Service in Albury – providing legal advice on tenancy issues to clientele from Tumbarumba to Mildura. I also worked for two years as a specialist tenancy worker with Housing NSW where my role was to assist the most disadvantaged tenants maintain their tenancies. I retired two years ago to write romantic fiction, take a bigger role in ADFAS (Australian Decorative and Fine Arts Society) and to continue my on-going involvement with the Albury Ski Club. I am currently the catering officer for the Falls Creek lodge. I am a passionate skier – this winter I skied 32 days out of 40 at Falls Creek and Thredbo – but also find time to garden, quilt and generally enjoy life in Albury