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!
The new issue of The Southern Yarn is here, after some delays at the end of the production chain. Enjoy it in full colour here, or patiently await your glorious monochrome rendition through the post.
Here’s the editorial to get you started…
Winnipeg is home to an amazing diversity of nationalities, with over 100 different countries of birth. It is probably not unique in that respect. However, it is certainly near the top of the class in the extent to which so many of these various ethnicities strive to keep their culture alive. Evidence for this, on a large scale, is best seen in the number of cultural groups that participate in the annual Folklorama festival. This year there will be 45 unique ethno-cultural Pavilions throughout the city from August 2nd – 15th. Our DUCW is long past being able to join that list, but we do manage to stay true to our roots in other ways – Our Australia and Waitangi Days and ANZAC Day being the most public – not to mention this little newsletter. Continue reading
The March-April issue of The Yarn is ready for your online perusal, and the monochromatic analog version is entrusted to our ever faithful Canada Post, for those less likely to be reading these words on the web… and as usual, we start off with the wise words from our editor… 
With all the bad news that bombards us these days, it’s a welcome break to spend time searching for and reading “other” news. And not just news – history, humour, member happenings and events also.
In this issue, there is some history concerning early emigration to New Zealand and Australia; there is some Tundra humour, some Footrot Flats humour courtesy of Murray Ball; there are snippets of all sorts of other interesting information and much more.
Thank you to Jenny, Judy, Peter, Brian and our advertisers for their contributions. Thank you, too, to Cherie at Echo Publishing in Sydney. After some back and forth with emails, we were granted permission to reproduce selected excerpts from Favourite Cricket Yarns by Ken Piesse (2016). You’ll find one of them somewhere further on in this issue.
Enjoy, Charlie
Not that often do news or scholarly articles overlap current events top-of-mind for Canada and Australia, so this one caught my eye, on The Conversation:
Here is the overview:
When Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney visited Canberra last week, he issued a stark warning. Canada and Australia are so tightly integrated with great powers such as the United States that it makes them extremely vulnerable if those ties are weaponised. “Middle powers have a choice: compete for favour or combine for strength,” he said.
But can Australia actually make itself less integrated with the US, militarily?
As part of our special series, After the Rupture, security expert John Blaxland says the US and Australia are so tightly bound on defence matters, this would be extremely difficult – if not impossible.
But, he adds, there are ways to mitigate the risks of overdependence. And Canada could play a role here, given the depth of possible engagement Carney touted during his visit last week.
Working closely with Canada could help Australia be a more confident, self-reliant regional leader when it comes to security. It could make us slightly less vulnerable to the whims of leaders like Donald Trump, as well.
By the way, The Conversation is neither just reportage nor scholarly, but rather a hybrid of where those two disciplines can intersect. Recommended reading for thoughtful and well-researched analysis on current events and popular topics, usually by academics specializing in the area.
The new issue of the Southern Yarn is now available for you to enjoy. To get you started, here is the editorial:
Due to Downunder House being closed over the Christmas and New Year period so that our hard-working staff could take a well-earned break and spend some quality time with family and friends, this issue of the Yarn is a slightly smaller version.
At least to start with, 2026 will see us still operating with a hybrid work arrangement to accommodate the different needs and preferences of our journalists. Some prefer to work from home while others find the office more suitable. So, most days it’s a compromise – home/office. Nevertheless, be assured, you, our valued readers, will always come first.
The Winnipeg Jets are offering discounted tickets for their Après Ski Night on Friday January 9 at 7:00 PM at Canada Life Centre.
Each ticket includes one Aperol Spritz and a reversible Winnipeg Jets bucket hat, and a door giveaway featuring Winnipeg Jets ski goggles.
It’s a great opportunity to enjoy a fun night out while celebrating ski season!
If you are interested, visit the event page for more info.