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 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.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, Prime Minister of Australia: Thank you for joining us. For all of us tonight, the devastating scenes at Bondi Junction are beyond words or understanding. Australians will be shocked this evening. This was a horrific act of violence, indiscriminately targeted at innocent people going about an ordinary Saturday, doing their shopping. Tonight, the first thoughts of all Australians are with the victims of these terrible acts and their loved ones. Our nation offers our deepest condolences and sympathies to all those who are grieving for someone they have lost. And we send our strength to those who have been injured. And all of us are thinking of the dedicated doctors, nurses and healthcare workers who will be working through the night to save lives and to care for their fellow Australians. Today, Bondi Junction was the scene of shocking violence. But it was also witness to the humanity and the heroism of our fellow Australians, our brave police, our first responders, and of course, everyday people who could never have imagined that they would face such a moment. And some of the footage is quite extraordinary. Staff for whom this should have been a normal shift, shoppers peacefully going about their lives, and yet for these Australians, their first instinct in the face of danger, was to help someone else. That is what we hold onto tonight as Australians. That’s confirmation of who we are. Brave, strong, together. The work of the NSW Police and the Australian Federal Police is ongoing. But what we can say for sure tonight is this, to any Australian affected by this tragedy, every Australian is with you.