104th Anniversary Lunch for The Lyceum Club Brisbane

Vice President, Southern Hemisphere Lyceum International, Dr Marilyn Mackinder; President, Australian Association Lyceum Clubs, Dr Agatha Van der Schaaf; President, Lyceum Club Brisbane, Mrs Cheryl Parkyn; Secretary, Lyceum Club Brisbane, Mrs Margaret Donges; Master of Ceremonies, Ms Anne Raymond; Author, Mrs Helen Gregory; Contributors of the book, Mr Dick Paten and Mrs Del Paten; Members; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen. 

I begin by acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the lands around Brisbane, the Turrbal and Jagera people, and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging, and to all First Nations people here today.

As Governor of Queensland and Patron of the Lyceum Club, I’m pleased to be able to attend your 104^th anniversary lunch.

An anniversary affords us the chance to not only cast an eye back over past achievements but also to contemplate future directions.

Of particular note in the program is the launch of The Literary Legacy of May Paten by guest speaker, historian, author, and broadcaster, Helen Gregory.

Mr and Mrs Dick and Del Paten, contributors to the book, are also here today, and I look forward to hearing from those involved in the launch.

The last time we caught up provided me with the opportunity to present a patronage certificate to you to acknowledge and celebrate the long and interesting story of your organisation.

It has served women well for many, many decades, and will no doubt continue to act as a social, educational and cultural channel for many more women going forward.

The foundations on which the Lyceum Club were established are just as solid today.

The values associated with life-long learning, the camaraderie of like minds, and the continuing emphasis on the value of the arts, the sciences, and of contemporary issues, will never grow out of date.

Determined to provide enriching life experiences for interested women, those founding members of the Lyceum Club worked hard to establish the club that has endured to present day.

They would be proud to know that the opportunities to support and learn from each other, and from those more expert in their fields, are still available.

The act of gathering to explore a topic or issue, and enabling personal growth and informed opinion, remain guiding principles for Lyceum Club members.

Congratulations to the Lyceum Club and its members for being such a generous and engaging organisation, which although having reached the grand age of 104 years still has the future firmly in its sights.

The continued success of the Club has taken the efforts of many, and I thank all those involved for their commitment and dedication.