GET TO KNOW A ROTARIAN - SUE RAVEANE
Sue was born and raised in Griffith, NSW, where she enjoyed many wonderful times and created treasured memories as part of a large extended family. After completing her HSC, she went on to earn a degree in Applied Science (Biomedical Science) from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS).
Over the years, Sue has worked in hospital pathology departments, food technology, and pharmacy.
Sue has a long association with Rotary. Her father was a Rotarian, and her uncle was both a Rotarian and a District Governor. Her connection with the Crows Nest Rotary Club began more than forty years ago. After retiring, Sue became a member and continues to enjoy the companionship it offers, as well as the opportunity to give back to the community in many ways. Rotary remains very important to her.
Sue’s greatest achievement is her family, and she takes pride in being an active part of their lives. She has a passion for travel, which has taken her to many countries where she has experienced diverse cultures, food, and history. She has travelled to all seven continents and marvelled at the unique beauty of each, with Antarctica standing out as “beyond amazing.”
Sue also has a passion for art across many genres, particularly Aboriginal art, which she deeply admires and appreciates. Her favourite colour is turquoise, and she enjoys a wide variety of music from bands and artists of the 1970s.
ROTARY AUSTRALIA -a look back.
With the Changeover dinner coming up and the Board appointments, we thought we would look back at Rotary in Australia. What we found:
Rotary International was established in 1905. Australia was one of the first Internation chapters to join in 1921 with the Rotary Club of Melbourne. There are now 1,000 Rotary Clubs in Australia. Today out of 195 countries Rotary operates in 192 (Cuba, North Korea and Iran are the exception). Vietnam recently re-engaged after a long absence.
Women were allowed to formally join Rotary in 1989. Some notable female Australian Rotary leaders are:
- Cathy Roth (Victoria). Australia’s first female Rotary club president
- Irene Plumridge (Geelong). Among the first women to join Rotary in Australia after the rules changed in the early 1990s
- Dr Jessie Harman (Brisbane). Served as Rotary International Director (2021–2023) — the first Australian woman in that role.
Other notable Australia Rotary members and leaders are:
- Sir Donald Bradman
- General Sir John Monash
- Sir John Latham – Former Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia
- Sir Angus Mitchell – First Australian President of Rotary International and was influential in rebuilding Rotary in Japan after WWII.
- and, according to AI, our own Angelo Raveane.
