The Trade by Rudyard Kipling - Royal Australian Navy

SUBCON 2012
Tasmania Shines
The annual reunion and AGM weekend
of the Submarines Association Australia,
called SUBCON, was held in Hobart over
the June Queen’s Birthday long weekend.
Nearly 200 former and current serving
submariners and their partners gathered for
a weekend of activities and social events
centred on Hobart’s beautiful waterfront.
The weekend kicked off with the traditional
Meet and Greet on the Friday evening
which saw old shipmates reconnect,
some after many years. The Tasmanian
Branch President Kerry Bolton welcomed
everybody to Hobart and encouraged them
to partake of a weekend full of fun, frivolity
good food and fine wines.
Saturday’s forenoon was free for everybody
to explore Hobart and its surrounds with
many taking the opportunity to visit the
famous Salamanca Markets and load
up with local goodies to take home. The
AGM was held on Saturday afternoon in
the heritage-listed Hadley’s Hotel which
was built in 1834. One standout feature
of this year’s AGM was the presentation
of a $100,000 cheque to the SAA
Welfare Foundation by CRDE Bob Trotter,
RAN (Ret’d) on behalf of the Corps of
Commissionaires. This very significant
donation will allow the Foundation to
continue its work of helping SAA members
financially in times of need.
The highlight of the weekend was the
Reunion Dinner held at the Hobart Function
and Conference Centre on the Elizabeth
Street Pier. The ladies frocked up and
the men wore suits and medal miniatures
to enjoy some of Tasmania’s hospitality,
entertainment and gourmet food. A
local four piece band called the Flying
Foxes provided music from the sixties
to the noughties that had something for
everybody. Dinner’s main course choice
of delicious Tasmanian eye fillet or Atlantic
salmon left many with a serious decision to
make.
The traditional SUBCON raffle’s first
prize was a beautiful metre long model
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of an Oberon class submarine crafted by
Queensland’s Bill Clayton which was won
by Keith Hamilton from NSW. Lindsay
Irwin from NSW won the second prize of a
set of six medallions commemorating the
launch of each of the Collins class boats
mounted in a wooden model of a Collins
Class boat made from Tasmania Blackheart
Sassafras. Third prize of a limited edition
print on canvas of a Collins class submarine
returning to periscope depth by local
Tasmanian maritime artist Russ Ames was
won by Bob Walker.
On Sunday 10 June, members and their
partners travelled the 25 minutes up the
Derwent River to the famous Museum
of New and Old Art (MONA). This new
attraction was only opened in early 2011
and has seen almost 400,000 visitors pass
through its doors. The bright and clear
winter days provided a stark contrast to
the dark sex and death-themed private
collection of artworks. Whilst the collection
was not everybody’s cup of tea, it was
certainly a hot topic of conversation
amongst the nearly 140 SUBCON
attendees who made the trip.
The final event of the weekend’s activities
was a spit roast lunch on Monday, 11
June at the Navy Club. This club, a central
feature of Hobart’s naval community for
over 50 years, has an extensive collection
of memorabilia adorning its walls including a
Submarine Corner with photos, crests and
other items stretching back to the earliest
days of Australia’s submarine history. This
lunch was the last event on the SUBCON
2012 calendar and was the scene of the
handover of the official SUBCON banner as
well as the newly commissioned Jolly Roger
flag to the hosts of next year’s SUBCON,
North Queensland.
SUBCON 2013
Townsville, Northern Queensland
Friday Night
After registering on Friday afternoon, Friday
night will be all about catching up with old
friends, in a tropical atmosphere at the
cultural centre, overlooking Ross Creek
Marina. Snacks and refreshments of beer
and wine will be provided at this function,
as will tea, coffee and soft drink.
Saturday Night
It’s time to dress up and to treat your lady
to a night out at the ballrooms of Jupiter’s
Hotel Casino. There will be a three course
meal, with great music and dancing till
midnight. This function is catered with a
selection of beer and wines until 2330. So
let’s see everyone up on the dance floor.
Sunday
We’ll return to the ballrooms at Jupiter’s
for the AGM. Afterwards it’s all about fun
and food, in a beautiful setting around the
poolside at Jupiters. There will be a live
band again, with fun and music. Be sure to
have bought your raffle tickets, because this
is where the lucky winners will be drawn.
Drinks will be available at the poolside bar
at own cost.
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LIFESTYLE
Monday Morning
It’s over to the lawns of the Maritime
Museum on the banks of Ross Creek for a
BBQ brunch. There will be beer, wine and
Tea and coffee provided. This is a chance
to say farewell to friends or make plans for
your ongoing holiday in North Queensland.
Have a look at the links available on
www.saanq.org in the Subcon 2013
section, for great holiday ideas in North
Queensland………just don’t let the
skimmers find out.
Can you name these people?
Answers on page 33
The Usual Suspects
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THE TRADE
EDITION 2, 2012