With our Annual Changeover event this coming Sunday, this represents my last week as the stand alone President of Applecross Rotary. I am honoured to be joined in 2024/25 by Murray McKay as the Co-President of our wonderful club. Murray is a long standing Rotarian, having contributed strongly over many years to both our own club and other Rotary causes, most notably the Rotary Australia World Community Service (RAWCS).
Murray and I have a shared vision for Applecross Rotary which centres on relevance and impact. We know all club members share this vision and that all join Rotary to contribute to the community, with Service Above Self a commonly referenced Rotary motto. I trust the last year has allowed our members the service opportunities and positive social outlet they have sought, and that we continue to deliver these in the name of doing good for others in the coming 12 months.
I look forward to sharing lunch with members and friends on Sunday while reflecting on another excellent year for the Rotary Club of Applecross.
Yours in Rotary,
Tom Atkinson
President 2023/24
0433 117 568
Looking forward to joining you at our CHANGEOVER 2024, $60pp includes substantial cocktail food and cash bar at club prices available.
If there is anything John Park doesn’t know about international freight charges, I’d be very surprised. He definitely knows his stuff.
John is Head of Business Operations with the Freight and Trade Alliance, and previously was Regional Manager WA for the Customs Brokers and Forwarders Council of Australia for over 20 years. He is also married to President Tom’s mother!
I wonder if in future times the designation BC might also mean "Before COVID", because before COVID, freight rates from China to Fremantle were fairly stable, around US$800/container (65-70% of our freight comes China). Ships would arrive at Fremantle, undergo Customs and Quarantine clearances, get unloaded, “dehired", and head off with empty containers to get them filled up with goods, then sail somewhere else.
COVID saw the rates increase 650% to as high as $6,000, and ships would often bypass Fremantle, where the time for Customs and Quarantine clearance was taking several days longer than say the Port of Melbourne. And increasingly the ships would depart Australia leaving the empty containers behind. At one stage there were 60,000 empty containers left behind just in Sydney! Anyone in WA waiting for a delivery would then have to arrange to bring the goods here overland (more $$$) that’s if the train doesn’t derail on the Nullarbor.
Then things started to settle down regarding COVID, but EBA (Enterprise Bargaining Agreement) discussions between stevedores like Patricks, and wharfies meant lightning labour strikes; and then Houthi rebels began blocking access to the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. This meant freight started to find its way to Europe via the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa) to Port Valencia, Spain, adding days and extra costs for shipping, and reducing freight services to ports in the East Mediterranean.
Port of Valencia
And just when it finally seemed freight shipping costs and times were becoming predictable, in March 2024 the Good Ship Dali crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge, blocking access to the Port of Baltimore. In 2023, this port handled more than 444,000 passengers and 52.3 million tons of foreign cargo valued at $80 billion. It was the second-largest U.S. port for coal, and had been the leading port for automobiles and light trucks for 13 straight years, handling more than 847,000 vehicles in 2023.
Francis Scott Key Bridge and the GS Dali
John didn’t think things would settle down soon, as he reminded us it is WA Government policy to move the Fremantle Port container terminal to a a new port, the Westport container terminal at Kwinana. The estimated construction cost of Westport Is $4 billion and even if that is close to the eventual cost, it is likely there will be environmental restrictions imposed to protect marine life, including sea grass, in Cockburn Sound.
Bringing all this closer to Applecross Rotary, Wheelchairs for Kids Australia operations are grinding to a halt because essential parts for the wheelchairs they need to build are stuck on a ship somewhere. Hopefully Greg Hebble will have some good news for us when he speaks to our Tuesday breakfast meeting on 15 July.
Missed John's presentation? click here for the ZOOM recording.
The Jacaranda Festival in Applecross has received tremendous backing from its sponsors, Lottery West and The City of Melville, highlighting flourishing partnerships that benefits the community.
Lottery West has been a steadfast supporter of the festival, contributing significantly to underwriting our event costs. Their commitment ensures that any surplus is reinvested back into our local community, making a real difference. We are grateful for their ongoing support and the positive impact it has on our community initiatives.
Similarly, The City of Melville has increased its support, both financially and logistically, in response to the growing needs of sustainability and our shared responsibility to be socially and environmentally aware. Their heightened involvement underscores their dedication to making the Jacaranda Festival a cornerstone of the city’s event calendar. We deeply appreciate their essential role in our event’s success.
In addition to these institutional sponsors and marking 15 years of collaborative success, Applecross Rotary has forged enduring partnerships with local businesses. Starting with four local businesses in 2016, including Greg Brindle at The Good Grocer, Matthew Podesta at Mont Realty, Nigel Krummel at Pharmacy 777, and Ross North from Ross North Homes, our club sponsors continue to contribute generously to local community causes. Their sustained support is a testament to their commitment to our community-focused initiatives.
At Applecross Rotary, we understand the importance of fostering meaningful relationships with our sponsors. We work closely with them to ensure mutual benefits, acknowledging their contributions prominently in all our events and publicity. This collaborative approach ensures that our partnerships thrive and continue to serve the needs of our community.
Furthermore, we extend our gratitude to Dome, Deepwater Point, for providing us with a welcoming community space for our weekly meetings. Their generosity contributes greatly to our ability to organize and plan events that benefit our local area.
The support from our sponsors and partners is invaluable, and together, we look forward to another successful Jacaranda Festival, celebrating community spirit and unity in Applecross.
Ascot Rotary is looking for volunteers again for this year's 11th Annual Ascot Rotary Clubs Bricktober Event being held this year on the 5th and 6th October at Curtain Stadium in Bentley.
Our support is a collaborative effort as they support us at the Jacaranda Festival. More information coming.
Bird Flu continues to make news and you’ll be more informed than most people if you (and a friend) come to our meeting on 9 July.
Professor John Edwards will be providing the latest information on Bird Flu and the various strains of the virus that can kill penguins, dairy cows and humans! John has made Bird Flu epidemiology a major interest of his for many years so we are fortunate he readily agreed to come and bring us up to date.
Spoiler Alert: It’s safe to eat eggs and cooked chicken, and not just because (so far) there has not been an outbreak of Bird Flu in WA this year.
