March 2004

Reunion Report

Another RAAF School reunion has now come and gone. It is always with a touch of melancholy that I reflect on these events as they are over all too soon. However, we still have "the big one" to look forward to next year, back where it all started in Penang! I can only speak for myself here, but as with previous reunions my expectations were exceeded with this last reunion in Brisbane. It was an absolute pleasure to be reunited with both people from my school days whom I haven't seen since then, and also those from my years who have managed to be at the reunions in Canberra, Newcastle and Melbourne so far. It is a special thing to be in a room with a couple of hundred other people who all went to the same school as yourself, albeit not all from the same year or classes, but all with the common background of having shared the experience with you. Our time in Penang was special as we all know, not only because of the school itself, but also the close friendships that were forged during those times whilst we were overseas and in a sense isolated from the surrounding community.

The weekend began on Saturday afternoon with a gathering at Southbank. This offered an opportunity to meet in an informal, relaxed atmosphere over coffee or drinks. The weather in Brisbane being fine and rather humid coaxed a few to adjourn from the coffee shop area to the upstairs bar of the nearby Plough Inn for an hour or so.

The reunion event in the form of a dinner dance on Saturday evening was attended by 205 people, an astonishing turnout. There was a memorabilia table on display containing a wonderful collection of items including photographs, magazines, badges and model doll wearing girls school uniform. Throughout the evening prizes were awarded for various things including the person present who was at the school form the earliest time (sixties) to the last (eighties). A prize was also awarded for the person who had travelled the furthest distance to the reunion - this being from the Cayman Islands. People attended from as far away as Western Australia and Tasmania.

The Guest book was available once again and thank you to all who signed. This is a book that was presented to me at the Melbourne Reunion and I will be bringing it with me to all future reunions. I know it will be a special item of memorabilia in years to come.

After a delicious dinner, several photo sessions, speeches and a little dancing, it was midnight and time to leave! As always, the time passed quickly. A few people adjourned to the nearby Irish pub and others adjourned to party on in various hotel rooms. A lot of those attending were accommodated at The Riverside Hotel, South Brisbane, in 40 rooms. The facilities and service at the Hotel were brilliant and I can highly recommend it for future visitors to Brisbane. Thanks to Shelley and Samantha for their special courtesies.

The following morning we met again at Southbank for some more reminiscing over brunch.

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