Camellias Illawarra is one of ten affiliates scattered throughout
Australia of the “parent body”, Camellias Australia
Inc. The website operated by Camellias Australia Inc. is:
Camelliasaustralia.com.au
The web site of the affiliates where available can be seen
on the parent web site.
Our Illawarra branch was founded in 1952 and we have a membership
which ranges up to 90. Members come from Falls Creek in the
south, through to Wollongong, north to Camden, Silverdale,
and South Sydney, extending to Bowral, Picton, Canberra and
adjacent areas. Within this area can be found three affiliate
clubs including Camellias Illawarra Inc. Anyone who has an
interest in Camellias can join the society; there is no restriction
on membership and a small yearly subscription is payable for
the membership.
This membership includes the receipt of the colourful and
informative CAMELLIA NEWS.
Members meet at the Coniston Community Hall,
Bridge Street, Coniston, (east of and next to the Coniston
railway station) on the third Saturday in the months of February
to October except for July and August. Due to the staging
of two shows
during these months (see below) no meetings will be held and
all business will be dealt with by the Management Committee.
A Christmas gathering occurs at on the same Saturday in November
at selected venues. The regular benching of blooms associated
with our monthly meetings commences at 1.00 pm during the
months March to September, or as dictated by the availability
of suitable blooms. In July benching is incorporated in the
Annual Show, and in August benching of blooms is separate
to, yet forms an integral part of the Reticulata Show. Benching
at the Coniston Hall must be completed by 1.45pm to allow
the stewards to check the placement of blooms and the business
section of the meeting is scheduled to begin at 2.00pm. Every
endeavour is made to have a speaker from our own club, or
other gardening societies / groups to inform our members of
other gardening / leisure aspects or information. A chat over
a cup of tea or coffee completes the afternoon’s meeting.
Other relevant activities are arranged from time to time.
Our Annual Camellia Show is held on the
third Saturday and the next day (Sunday) in July of each year.
The venue is the Function Centre, Wollongong TAFE, off Foleys
Road, Wollongong. This is said to be the largest Camellia
Show in Australia. The Reticulata Show is held at the same
location on the second Saturday of August and the following
Sunday. This latter show is supplemented by that months benching
of other cultivars and the Reticulata Show entry conditions
apply. This is the only Reticulata Show in its own right in
Australia. A map indicating the location of the TAFE Function
Centre will be presented on this website at the appropriate
time.
For further information contact:-
|
President:- |
Phil Hamer |
Phone 4226 6401 |
|
Secretary:- |
William Walker |
Phone 4284 2790 |
|