Australia and New Zealand holiday.

Recently Rotarian Tim Hale and his wife Jean spent 8 weeks in Australia and New Zealand visiting family in Melbourne followed by a cruise round New Zealand.

Two days after arriving in Melbourne they attended a joint Christmas party with the members of Williamstown & Pt Gellibrand Rotary Clubs plus the ladies of the Williamstown Inner Wheel Club – having been in correspondence with the clubs before leaving the UK.

Tim took greetings from President Doug and exchanged banners with Presidents Eddie and Mario, bringing greetings and banners back to Forfar Rotary Club.

An excellent evening of friendship was enjoyed by all.

President Eddie, Tim, President Mario

During their cruise round New Zealand they met up with other Rotarians and Inner Wheel members at a “service” meeting onboard for Rotary, Lions, Round Table and Inner Wheel members. A relaxing meeting over coffee or something stronger. Tim had one Forfar banner left and presented it to Rt Ed Dowling from the Rotary club of Lincoln Illinois. Ed’s hobby is piloting hot air balloons!

Tim with Ed from Lincoln, Illinois.

In Christchurch, Jean, who is Club Correspondent for Forfar Inner Wheel, had arranged to meet Laurel & Bruce Sisson. Laurel is a member of the Inner Wheel Club of Rangiora who correspond with Forfar Inner Wheel. Laurel & Bruce gave them a

guided tour of Christchurch which of course took in the

devastated cathedral and also the temporary Cathedral made from cardboard tubes! Christchurch has made a great recovery from the earthquake that devastated it on Tuesday 11th Feb 2011 at 12-51pm. There are still several buildings shored up and waiting demolition or rebuilding, obviously there is a lot

of construction work taking place, with a great deal left to do. They were told that a decision had finally been taken to rebuild the Cathedral, plus the harbour and port will reopen this year.

They enjoyed a very pleasant lunch with Laurel & Bruce before returning to their ship.

The old & new Cathedral – Christchurch

Part of a path in a memorial garden in front of Dunedin Railway station.

During the visit to Rotorua, Tim was asked to be the visiting chief and face the Maori Haka and pick up the fern leaf laid on the floor by the Maori chief to show he came in peace. He also had to perform the Maori greeting of shaking hands and touching noses twice.