| District
9500 occupies a large area of South Australia and
half of the Northern Territory, covering 1.7 million
sq. kms. Its history dates back to 1924. by Colin
Brideson Rotary Club of Adelaide, S.A. Looking at
the evolution of Distri c t 9500, it is possible to
separate three distinct periods of development. The
fi st was from 1923 to the end of World War Two (1939-1945).
The second was the post-war years until 1977 and the
third is from that time until the present. Rotary
was slow in its development in South Australia. The
Rotary Club of Adelaide was chartered on February
4, 1924, being the fifth club in Australia. Despite
numerous attempts by early Rotarians they only succeeded
in establishing clubs at Mount Gambier (now in District
9780) and Unley (an Adelaide suburban club now in
District 9520). The progress was slow, but the clubs
were very active in their communities. They helped
one another in joint projects, |
District
9500
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The
end of WW2 in August, 1945 saw Rotary growing quickly
in South Australia. The Rotary Club of Port Adelaide
was established in 1946, Victor Harbor (now in 9520)
in 1947 and Port Lincoln two years later. By 1977
the number of clubs had risen to 50. District 65 had
covered the whole of Australia from 1927 and rapid
growth post - war saw changes to District boundaries
in 1946, 1949, 1957, 1961 and 1965 finishing with
District 250 which included all of South Au s t ral
ia except the southeast. By this time a unique Rotary
family emerged. Ern Clarkson, a charter member of
the Rotary Club of Adelaide and presi-dent in 1928,
had three sons who became District Governors. His
eldest son, Len, a Rotarian since 1937, became governor
in 1951-52. David Clarkson, a member of the Rotary
Club of Woodville, served as governor in 1958-59.
A third son, Alan, was governor in  |
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the
time being one when Rotary clubs were urged to assist
boys. Hence a Boys Week became a familar part of
the club programs. The time was that of The Great
Depression and unemployment became so prevalent
Rotary assisted in numerous ways people who were
experiencing hardship.
The latter years of the 1930s saw infantile paralysis
epidemics which sparked the need to help people,
especially children, who had been strickened.
Rotary
became the catalyst for the formation of the Crippled
Children’s Association of South Australia. Two WW2
programs were a Food for Britain program when 7,000
parcels were sent to assist the beleaguered nation.
An advisory bureau was staffed by Rotarians and
opened to armed services personnel and their dependants.
This handled 5,000 enquiries.
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| Bradman
had 53 years as an Adelaide Rotarian Famous cricketer, Sir Donald
Bradman, pictured, immortalised in song by a jaunty 1930s ditty
by Jack O’Hagan and the folk-influenced rock of Paul Kelly in
the 1980s, was a Rotarian for 53 years. He was inducted into the
Rotary Club of Adelaide in 1947, his cricketing career spanning
1927 to 1949. The year he became a Rotarian he scored his 100th
century with the bat, making 172 against the Indians at the Sydney
Cricket Ground on November 15. Greater glory was ahead in 1948
when he led The Invincibles to a great tour of England. Don Bradman
scored 29 Test centuries. On August 14 Don Bradman’s last Test
innings saw him bowled by Eric Hollies, of England, for a duck.
Sir Donald died at his home in Adelaide in 2001. He was an Adelaide
stockbroker for many years. Image: Courtesy, The Cricketer International. |
Clubs
in District 9500
Adelaide (chartered 1924)
Port Adelaide (1946)
Port Lincoln (1949)
Prospect (1950)
Woodville (1951)
Gawler (1954)
Thebarton (1954)
Whyalla (1955)
Port Pirie (1956)
Barossa Valley (1956)
Kapunda (1958)
Port Augusta (1958)
Northern Yorke Peninsula (1960)
Alice Springs (1961)
Henley Beach (1963)
Salisbury (1963)
Adelaide West (1964)
Clare (1964)
Adelaide East (1966)
Elizabeth (1966)
Woodville South (1966)
Maitland (1968)
Enfield (1968)
Largs Bay (1969)
Stuart-Alice Springs (1970) |
Peterborough
(1971)
North Adelaide (1972)
Hindmarsh (1972)
Grange (1974)
Whyalla Norrie (1974)
Tea Tree Gully (1975)
West Lakes (1976)
South Salisbury (1978)
West Torrens (1979)
Kangaroo Island (1979)
Adelaide South (1979)
Regency Park (1980)
Modbury (1982)
Munno Para (1982)
Adelaide Parks (1984)
Flinders Park (1984)
Kidman Park (1984)
Alice Springs-Mbantua (1985)
Barossa District (1985)
Adelaide Light (1986)
Two Wells (1988)
Walkerville (1989)
Golden Grove (1991)
Prospect Sunrise (1995)
Gawler Light (1996)
Playford (1998) |
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