What is Rotary?

Rotary International is one of the world's largest service organisations. The goal for a club's membership is an up-to-date and progressive representation of the community's business, vocational, and professional interests.

Rotary is an organisation of business and professional leaders united worldwide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations and help build goodwill and peace in the world. In over 165 countries throughout the world, approximately 1.2 million Rotarians belong to more than 30,000 Rotary clubs.

The mission of Rotary International is to support its member clubs in fulfilling the Object of Rotary by: Fostering unity among member clubs; Strengthening and expanding Rotary around the world; Communicating worldwide the work of Rotary; and
Providing a system of international administration.

The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster: First – The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service; Second – High ethical standards in business and profession, the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations, and the dignifying of each Rotarian’s occupation as an opportunity to serve society; Third – The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian’s personal, business and community life; and Fourth – The advancement of international understanding, goodwill and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.

In 100 years, Rotary has grown from a small club of four members formed in Chicago, USA by the founder of Rotary, Paul Harris, to a worldwide network of men and women who share a common vision for a better world. The world’s first service organisation, Rotary has a long history of helping those in need and uniting people of different cultures and beliefs. Through the work of individual Rotary clubs, and through the programmes of Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation, Rotary is making the world a better place.

Rotary Western Australia is made of up of 120 clubs as far North as Kununurra and as far South as Esperance. Some 3300 members are currently involved in Rotary in Western Australia.

Rotary Western Australia was established in 1927 and is divided into three districts (9450, 9460 and 9470). There are Rotary clubs in most metropolitan suburbs and country towns.

District 9470

When Rotary was first introduced into Australia, it was operated by Commissioners. Professor W. Osborne was appointed Commissioner for Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria. The first Australian Clubs were the Melbourne Club (on 21st April 1921) and the Sydney Club (on 7th May 1921). In 1926 Perth was visited by Professor W. Osborne.

Twenty five leading citizens of Perth were invited to be inaugural members and the first Rotary Club of Perth luncheon was held on 1st September 1926. The founding President was Sir William Lathlain, a major Retailer in Perth and Mayor of Perth from 1919–1923.

In September 1927 the 17 Clubs in Australia had become District 65 with Fred Birks of the Rotary Club of Sydney as the first District Governor. In 1938, Western Australia, South Australia and the western half of Victoria formed District 64 with 23 clubs. In 1949, District 64 was renumbered and became District 33. In 1951, Western Australia had 12 clubs and became a separate District, numbered 34. In 1957 Western Australia was renumbered again and became District 245.

In 1970 Western Australia divided into 2 Districts, 245 and 246. In 1977, all districts were renumbered with the 9 in place of the 2 prefix. In 1985, Western Australia formed a third District, numbered 947.

In 1991, all districts re-numbered by adding a nought to their number; thus Australian districts are numbered 9450, 9460, 9470, and so on. District 9470 currently has 35 clubs.

How can I become involved in Rotary?

Membership in Rotary offers a number of benefits, including: effecting change within the community; developing leadership skills;
g aining an understanding of — and having an impact on — international humanitarian issues.

If you would like to be considered for membership by a local Rotary club, contact your local rotary club. Rotary club members are part of a diverse group of professional leaders working to address various community and international service needs. Through community service and other means, Rotary club members help promote peace and understanding throughout the world. Our members are our most important asset. They are the force that allows Rotary to carry out its many humanitarian efforts and achieve its mission.

Rotary club membership carries with it certain responsibilities: members are expected to attend weekly programs of the club; (opportunities to make up attendance include attending the regular meeting of another Rotary club, attending various other Rotary meetings, or attending a club service project authorized by the club); members are required to pay annual dues to their clubs, their districts, and to Rotary International; and members are expected to participate in local or international activities or projects of the Rotary club.

Clubs encourage members to aspire to leadership or committee roles within their clubs.

The membership process

Often a person being considered for membership is invited by a member/sponsor to attend one or more club meetings to learn more about Rotary. The sponsor may then submit the name of the candidate to the club's membership committee. An individual who is interested in membership but doesn't know any Rotarians can contact the local club directly. Search the Club Locator and Rotary Web Sites databases to find contact information for clubs. Some Rotary clubs maintain a website and may be listed in your telephone directory. Other resources include a Rotary club in an adjoining community, the local chamber of commerce, the public library, or other non-profit service organisations.

Classifications: professional representation

Rotary uses a classification system to establish and maintain a vibrant cross-section or representation of the community's business, vocational, and professional interests among members and to develop a pool of resources and expertise to successfully implement service projects. This system is based on the founders' paradigm of choosing cross-representation of each business, profession, and institution within a community.

A classification describes either the principal business or the professional service of the organization that the Rotarian works for or the Rotarian's own activity within the organisation. Some examples of classifications include: high schools, universities, eye surgery, banking, pharmaceutical-retailing, petroleum-distribution, and insurance agency.

If you are interested in becoming involved in Rotary contact your local club for further information.