Welcome to the Down Under Club of Winnipeg. We’re a social club based far, far from our original homes and hold regular events for members and guests. We also produce a monthly newsletter about connections in our new community and all things happening down under. Go on, explore our site and consider joining our group. Hooroo, mates!
Another new year is upon us with 2025, and the first new edition of The Southern Yarn is ready for you, in both glorious colour online here, and (wait for it…) monochrome on yellow paper through the post, if you are so inclined. To get you started, here is Charlie’s editorial.
So, another new year. A chance for a refresh in how we do things and what we do.
A positive sign already is the addition of the relatively youthful Sam and Emma to the Board, in the role of Social Co-Chairs.
As has been mentioned (p. 6), this newsletter will continue to evolve as we rely more on our members for content and less on copyrighted news.
I hope to set an example in that department. With an upcoming visit down under, I expect to return with a back-pack full of new, original material to share with Yarn readers (not to mention the odd jar of Vegemite).
Locally, we’re looking forward to experiencing our newly upgraded world-class cricket pitches at Assiniboine Park. That may take the form of a DUCW picnic in the park?
Another highlight of ’25 will no doubt be the Club’s 75th commemoration of ANZAC Day – quite an achievement!
Read on for some Annual Meeting reports and other Club and member happenings.
Thanks, as always, to all who have contributed to this edition. And to get the year off to a happy start, below is a photo my brother in Perth sent in of a kookaburra family in his backyard – junior is on the ground under the swing.
The Southern Yarn is once again complete and ready. We held off in order to include content from our formal dinner last weekend where we celebrated our 75th anniversary as a club.
This means that the Southern Yarn got impacted by the postal strike. Perhaps it was good that we did not even get it into the mail, but we will let you know what happens in terms of our postal customers. For now, we will send the link to our email list so you can read it before Canada Post and their union sort out their differences and catch up on the backlog that is sure to be mounting daily.
Here is Charlie Powell’s Editor’s Corner, to get you started.
For Remembrance Day* this year, we attended the Service in the small rural hamlet of Domain, Manitoba. It was heartening to see the turnout — especially young families.
The outdoor elements included the usual wreath-laying, reading names of locals who enlisted for WWI and II, and Last Post, Rouse and National Anthem, all under surprisingly “mild” weather for this time of year. That was followed with an indoor gathering in the very spacious Community Centre.
One of the few solemn formalities was a projected showing of Terry Kelly’s “A Pittance of Time” music video – you can easily Google it and is worth watching! Children’s participation had been pre-encouraged with an art competition. The results were on display and winners were announced and prizes awarded. Then all were treated to refreshments – donuts, tea, coffee and time to view the artwork and chat with friends.
[*I guess I should explain, for those who are not aware … In Canada, Remembrance Day is commemorated much the same as ANZAC Day is down under.]
As Jenny Gates explains (p.7), our Southern Yarn may or may not remain at its current 8 pages – it will largely depend on how much original content is shared by members and readers.
Oh, and it’s time to renew your membership (p.3). As always, thank you to our advertisers, Peter, Jenny, Brian, Ed, Mike, ….
The Southern Yarn for September and October is ready.
guest editor: Jenny Gates
It’s a lot of work and a big commitment to produce a newsletter on a regular basis, and because we’re so appreciative of Charlie Powell’s efforts, I’m guesting here in his stead. Thank you, Mr Editor.
In this our 75th year, there is much to celebrate, not the least of which is we are still a going concern and an active club with a committed executive driving things along. And to make the year even more special, we are planning on a wide swath of events for you to enjoy.
On September 27, a group of us will be at the Blue Bombers game to cheer on the team and Aussie punter Jamieson Sheahan. And that will be followed by our very special 75th anniversary dinner (p.1), as well as the AGM at a new, more relaxed venue – more info on that and other upcoming events in the Nov/Dec issue. In this issue, enjoy reading about the golf tournament (p.1), Toby and Jen’s adventure and the Haka Camp report (p.3), news from down under (p.4), a new book from a new member (p.5), the next installment in our history (p. 6), the AFL update (p. 7) and all about birds (p. 8).
Thanks to Charlie, Peter, Toby, Penny, Mike, and our advertisers. Enjoy the read. — Jenny
Haka Rugby is heading to Winnipeg. The three-day camp is from Thursday July 25 to Saturday July 27 between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Hosted by Winnipeg’s Assassins Rugby Football Club, the camp is run by Haka Rugby Global, which fuses its passion for rugby with New Zealand’s Māori culture and heritage to help develop the next generation of leaders.
The camp is tailored to girls and boys in the U8 to U16 age range, and participants are supported in a safe and controlled environment, where they will learn skills that apply both on and off the rugby pitch.
Players aged 14 to 16 will also receive a more in-depth experience of elite training.
“The camps explore a different side to rugby, especially as they are a fun way to expose Māori culture to a wider audience, as well as connecting kids with rugby,” said Caleb Stick, Haka Rugby Global’s North American co-ordinator.
For more information:
https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/sports/2024/07/17/haka-rugby-camps-coming-to-winnipeg-july-25-27
The Southern Yarn for July-August 2024
24-Yarn_0708-JulyAug The Southern Yarn for July August is complete and posted here for your enjoyment.
Here is the editorial to get you started:
I’m a bit too old and unfit for cricket these days, but there was a time when I, along with other younger and fitter fellow DUCW members, played and enjoyed the game at a competitive level. In the winter we played (and won the championship) indoors (with a tennis ball) and in the summer we played at Assiniboine Park. We had to stake out the boundary and peg a large mat down for the pitch. So, it is good to learn that an upgrade is in the works (see p.5) since there are now so many new Canadians, particularly from South Asia, who also want to continue enjoying their traditional sport.
With the Paris Olympics about to start, we will no doubt soon be cheering on and celebrating new heroes. Australia’s and New Zealand’s first Olympians get a mention on p. 4.
There is also more of our Club history (see p.6), thanks to Jenny Gates and our bird this month is the oriole. Thanks again to all our sponsors, contributors and advertisers.
Charlie