SHOALHAVEN REUNION

REUNION FEEDBACK

08 October 2008 - First Nowra Photos _ 28 November 2008 "The following is the wash up on the reunion. These are round figures as at time of writing there are some cheques still to be presented on the Reunion Account : Reunion Income                        $13260.00       $13260.00 Reunion Costs                           $10510.00 Provision for Audio Visual           $500.00 production & distribution. Interest on Daffy loan                $80.00             $11090.00 Surplus                                                             $2170.00 Notes on the Surplus: [a]  When Jack & Graham started discussing the reunion requirements with various organisations we told the Squadron story, helped by the book released at Perth. Not only did we outline our requirements but we stated the objectives we wished to achieve. This paid off. [b]  The Archer Resort... At the conclusion of the event we were given an account to cover use of the special room on two occasions, tea & coffee etc at registration and cleaning $50.00. We were expecting something over $200.00. [c]  Stuarts Coaches....These people took over the excursion details to Bowral. Entrance and lunch at the Bradman complex were charged at the old price. Entry fees to the Corbett Gardens did not apply due to tulips not being in full bloom. Savings on the day were in the order of $600.00. The picnic at Greenfields Beach cost $10.00 per head. That included 3 extra people to arrange the ground, prepare, serve and clean up. They also had another location in reserve in case of inclement weather. [d]  Bombaderry Bowling Club....David Edwards the function manager increased the menu, decreased the price of the meal by $4.00 per head from the current price list, waived the room charge of $200.00, laid the dance floor at no charge and reduced corkage by $1.00 per bottle. Audio visual equipment also at no charge. [e]  H.M.A.S. Albatross. When we approached Albatross we were shown wonderful hospitality. After telling our story we requested the use of the chapel, permission was granted by the two chaplains. We expected to hire some equipment for the church service, but all was taken care of by the admin. assistant to the chaplains, together with Lt. Cmdr Kevin Hartigan, two seamen and the base psychologist. [f]  General...The barbecue night was below budget. The Beverage consumption was much lower than allowed for. There were donations of time and materials. When prices were first obtained we did allow for some increases due to inflation, we did not however expect to be confronted with the escalation of petrol and food cost that materialised. So we based our costs on commercial reality. What a difference the Daffodil story made. Graham McAleer (Reunion Treasurer)" 15 October 2008 "Dear Bill, I would like to express my appreciation for the opportunity to meet with Brian's old 'buddies' and for the way you made myself and my sister feel most welcome during the reunion in Nowra. The opportunity to speak with ex apprentices that served with Brian during his RAAF career and catch up with some of the people that I also knew was a great occasion and I will always remember the warmth and friendship that we received from you all. The organisation of the reunion was fantastic and you are a wonderful group of people. My only regret is that Brian never took the opportunity to experience such an occasion and that makes me sad. I would encourage ex-apprentices everywhere to take advantage, if possible, of at least one reunion as I can assure you that you will not regret it. My best wishes are extended to you all and may you continue to enjoy the friendship of your ex-mates wherever you live. Regards Frances Fallon" 10 October 2008 "Hi Bill, I just started reading the comments about the Nowra reunion and a thought struck me. I have been travelling down to the Shoalhaven area for the best part of 35 years, with my in-laws living at Sussex Inlet for more than 20 years after holidaying at Huskisson for about 5 Christmases in a row and then my youngest son moved down to Nowra about 25 years ago, so you can see that I have spent plenty of time in the area with all the visiting. Now here's the rub, I was a bit ho hum about having a reunion in Nowra and thought what is there to do and see but I was pleasantly surprised. Except for the visit to the Huskisson shopping centre neither Meg nor I had visited ANY of the locations that were on the itinerary and we were both impressed. So our congratulations must go to Helen, John, Faye and Graham for their diligence and imagination in selecting these sites. I was most impressed with the visit to the Bradman museum, I like to watch a game of international cricket but I could not understand the awe that "our Don" was held in, but now I do. It was spooky at times in there with all that memorabilia. Let us hope that the next reunion, where ever it may be, can match the one just past. Regards, - Meg and Terry Guyatt." 09 October 2008 "Hi Bill, I must regress for a moment; having only attended one other reunion I was a little apprehensive about Nowra. This feeling came about due to the last reunion which was at Nelson Bay. At that particular time I had not laid eyes on any of the Daffies for the better part of 46 years. The only one that I really knew was Bodgie Moore and there was some doubt as to whether he was attending. You could say it was new territory for me, Wagga revisited plus 46 yrs. I did enjoy the experience but still felt like an outsider. Back to the present !!. When I arrived at the Archer Resort booked in and then went to register it was around Five O'clock. As I walked in at least 6 of the guys said we have been wondering where you were. Not too many words but the feeling of belonging was so strong it set the tone for the whole time I was there. Graham & Faye McAleer, John & Helen Martin are to be congratulated on the wonderful job that they have done, the programme was full, informative, well planned with still enough time to socialise with our fellow Daffies. I can now reread the book and put faces to names, this makes it much more interesting. I also meet up with a man who I knew as a boy when we travelled together to Wagga, Trevor Polsen, and although we only spent a short time together at Nowra the memories of the past have now caught up with the present. For a guy that only spent 6 short months with all you Daffies I now know what Peter Henson meant when he emailed me to write something for the book. His words were "ONCE A DAFFY ALWAYS A DAFFY". Peter, never was a truer word spoken. - Cheers to all Barry Meere" 04 October 2008 "Dear Bill, What an outstanding fellowship opportunity both Carol and I experienced at the Nowra "Daffies" Reunion. Apart from being my first reunion with many since 1955, it was also a big highlight to be a part of the "Daffies" cultures since R.S.T.T. days. Many thanks to John, Helen, Graham and Faye for their great organisational skills and introductory gift packs and itineraries we enjoyed. Your accommodation, and journeying "goodies" assemblies gave us both great times of new fellowships and experiences not only of the moments but of memories we shared of the years gone by. After so many years as a civilian and not able to talk aircraft engineering or maintenance skills due to my early exit from Wagga, I do feel qualified to pass on my assessments of the discussions I so much enjoyed during the trip. It was easy to see that the R.S.T.T. training and on-Base experiences made every "Daffodil" a tradesman in his own right irrespective of trade choice, and too, a disciplined bunch on the job with the ability to be elastic in character and humour. Congratulations to you all and thank you for sharing your stories. It was a moving memorial at H.M.A.S. Albatross. Carol and I share the condolences with one and all. It was a good time at the Museum and great to hear many relative and informed discussions from the group, so to almost a "layman" I felt very much further informed about aircraft construction and use. In all Carol and I had a "ball" on this reunion and look forward to the next time we meet. May God bless you all. Jack and Carol Ransom." 02 October 2008 'The party's over'...or 'What the Nowra reunion meant to me'. Peter Henson. "I've never walked a bush track or strolled along a white sand beach reminiscing with a Daffodil before, but that's what happens when one is locked up with a group like ours for a few days. I don't recall actually speaking to Barry Meere since Wagga days but the publication of AMARYLLIDACEAE with Barry's story meant that we had common ground for conversation. We had both been TAFE teachers which meant we could stroll and talk shop, so to speak, as if Forest Hill was only yesterday. I suppose this is what reunions are about, finding old friends, making new friends. Certainly it should be mixing with as many former acquaintances as possible in the time available. When Barry and I got to the end of the white sandy beach I shot a few pictures of some of the ladies who made the trek, with the outline of Point Perpendicular clearly in the background. I thought of James Cook travelling up the coast marvelling at the silhouettes he saw all those years ago. Maybe he missed Point Perp! He certainly didn't miss the nearby Pigeonhouse Mountain because it's featured on all coastal charts as Cook's Pigeonhouse and can be seen from 30nm North and South. By coincidence I live near another coastal silhouette recorded by Cook, Mt Warning, one of many outstanding natural features he used to assist coastal navigators. I thought that Janet, the tour guide at Bradman's museum, earned more than applause. I wonder how many tourists that pass through have found a relation staring back at them from the walls of the establishment? When one of our party did just that, Janet stayed on script with the right deference due to an old relation. We were lucky; when Janet asked who was the first Aussie cricket team to compete in England someone answered 'A group of blackfellas'. He was of course correct. Unknown to us; the team manager/promoter had a live relation in the room! I can't leave Bowral without mentioning a book concerning Tulips. There must be thousands of books about tulips but write this one down and see if you can borrow a copy, it's titled 'The Botany of Desire' written by Michael Pollan, Random House. If it doesn't change the way you feel about human desire and plants, then you've been drinking 'Roundup'! It's taken me a week of convalescing to overcome the free dose of flu I got at Nowra but that hasn't dimmed the highs nor affected the memories Bev and I will carry of the reunion, nor of the Cook's tour we did with Lyn and Lindsay Wall from W.A. on the way to the reunion, the highlight being the Hologram presentation of the Japanese breakout and the commemorative gardens at Cowra, a must see exhibition. All in all, a well run, sensitively planned reunion with a nice balance of remembrance and exploitation of natural and other features, probably what a reunion for us old farts should be! Well done those who planned and executed it and all who took the time to attend! - Peter and Bev Henson Billenundah 2008" 01 October 2008 "The NOWRA Reunion was yet another success story for the Daffodils, thanks to the untiring efforts of Graham and Faye McAleer and John and Helen Martin, our organising team. The 'Awesome Foursome', as they titled themselves, had devoted a lot of effort and professional management over two years to bring us to Nowra. They had to cope with last minute changes and uncertainties (unaware that the Resort had been sold in the last three weeks and had not been maintained as expected!) yet they still managed to present us with a very interesting and diverse reunion, and what a great venue for our dinner-dance night. They richly deserve a heartfelt thank-you from all of us. - Bill Arden"

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FINAL REUNION ITINERARY - SEPTEMBER 2008

Monday 22nd - Thursday 25th September 2008

Accommodation

• $105.00 per night double.
  
  
• $75.00 per night single.

Bookings

Caravans

Extensions

• Download, print, fill in and post the EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FORM and send a deposit for reunion purposes of $50.00 [refundable]. Cheques to be made payable to 'Daffy Reunion Account' ANZ Bank Nowra BSB 012-787 Account Number 5051-93821. Cheques are preferred to electronic transfer for bookkeeping purposes. Reciepts will be issued.
  
  
• Book your Resort suite and look forward to having a great time with friends