History of Zonta in Dunsborough, Western Australia
The Zonta Club of Dunsborough (District 23, Area 3, Club 1319) was chartered on 29th April 1991. Jean Oldham and her Mentoring Committee from the Zonta Club of Perth approached Claire Guinness of Dunsborough with the suggestion that a Zonta Club be formed in the area between Capel and Augusta. The first meeting of this committee and women from the area was held at the Dunsborough Hotel on September 21, 1990.
As a result the Zonta Club of Dunsborough Area was accepted as an official member of Zonta International on April 29, 1991.Thirty members were inducted by the District 23 Governor Elizabeth Harris (ZC Peel) at the Charter Dinner on June 15, 1991. This was a gala event for 120 Area 3 Zontians and local residents. At the time our officers were: Charter President: Linley Scott, Vice President: Claire Guinness; Secretary: Julie Cary.
Zonta in Australia
The Zonta Club of Dunsborough is part of Area 3 which includes Zonta Clubs of Bunbury, Peel, Perth and Perth Northern Suburbs and is part of District 23.
Zonta first started in Australia in 1929 with the establishment of a club in Sydney, one of the first to come into existence outside the United States and Canada, but by 1935 this club had disappeared and it was not until 1965 that Dorothy Thompson was asked to re-introduce Zonta in Australia and New Zealand. New clubs were formed in Melbourne, Sydney and Auckland. Between 1965 and 1971, this remarkable woman organised clubs in all the capital cities in Australia, and in five cities in New Zealand.
Today, what was originally District 16, covering Australia and New Zealand is now divided into four districts - District 16 - New Zealand, District 24 - New South Wales and ACT, District 22 - Queensland, and District 23, covering South Australia and the Northern Territory, Western Australia, Victoria, Tasmania.
Three Australians have held the highest office as International Presidents, Leneen Forde (1990-92), Val Sarah (1998-2000) and Mary Magee (2000-2002).
