MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

FEBRUARY 2026

In November SCCS had a successful AGM/Volunteers Night at the Rosso Italian restaurant in Gladesville. It was attended by nearly 40 members.

In December almost a hundred people enjoyed a great Christmas luncheon. We had changed the venue and received very positive feedback from many participants. The very stylish Castlereagh Boutique Hotel was built about 100 years ago. It is situated right in the city, very close to Town Hall and even closer to the new metro station called Gadigal. Everyone enjoyed the food and of course the Swiss-style ambience with relevant carols, decorations and Wiehnachtsguetsli.

Personally, I spent Christmas time and several weeks in January in Switzerland. Winter in our home country felt almost like a new experience as I hadn’t been there at this time of the year since 1988. It was cold, yes, but as one always rugs up well when going outside, and because all houses, restaurants, shops, trains and buses are warm and draft-free, one does not feel the cold as much as in the Australian winter. Snow was scarce and the landscape and towns looked quite bare in many places.

However, this made for interesting experiences too, for instance looking down from the Pfalz (the area behind the Münster in Basel) over the river Rhine and at the very long row of houses of Kleinbasel, I realised that I had not seen them like that in all those years. In spring, summer or autumn, the green trees in front of the houses prevent that view. It shows that you should always try to see the positive (a good view of the houses in this case), even if the negative seems to prevail at first sight (cold weather, bare trees).

Our society's 2026 outings start with a lunch at the Little Snail restaurant in Pyrmont on 5 March. When you look up EVENTS (above) you can find the dates for the other social undertakings for the year.

You may also consider to occasionally join us at the monthly Casual Lunch in Tempe. There’s no need to book, just come along and enjoy the company of twenty or more Swiss having a good time. And/or, if you like to play the great Swiss card game, come and hit the table at the Jass afternoons. For more info just keep browsing this website.

From the committee we can report that we have found a new secretary. She was officially elected into the role at the AGM. Darina Herden is from Geneva, young and energetic, and she is looking forward to assisting our society. We're confident that we'll continue to have a great working relationship.

And finally, I would like to remember Peter Meury (left), who passed away in early February.

Peter was one of those well-known compatriots in Sydney who were instrumental in the well-being and success of many Swiss people and their organisations. Peter and his wife Patricia became Honorary Members of our society as Peter had been the president for twenty years from the mid-1980s.

It is thanks to him, that SCCS proudly owns the property in Berowra. We express sincere condolences to Patricia and the family.

Vale, Peter.

- Regula Scheidegger

OCTOBER 2025

Reading through my previous writings I realised that it's time to delete some text, as the contents has become passé. However, the following three articles are worth a reminder:

1. Retirement village? There’s a retirement village in Lindfield where several of our members live. One by one they have decided to settle near their friends. I think that is a great idea. These Swiss people cleverly chose to live close to each other to strengthen their friendship and avoid isolation. So, when someone elderly approaches me in regard to planning their future living arrangements, I always mention this village as a possibility. Please call me on 0432 031 085, if you would like more information.

2. Moving back 'home'? When people tell me that they're thinking of perhaps moving back to Switzerland for their remaining years, I never say no straight away. There might be good reasons for their idea. But when I remind these people that in Switzerland the sunny and warm times of the year are quite short, and that the weather, as shown in Swiss calendars, is very often different, they agree. Therefore, let’s never forget, how wonderful the climate generally is here in Australia, with the sun shining so often, and where long stretches of rainy, cloudy, foggy and really miserable days are rare. After all these years living in Australia, I think, for me, such depressing weather would be the most difficult aspect to get used to if I had to move back 'home'.

3. Lifeblood. Are you donating blood or considering doing so? Join the Lifeblood Team of Swiss Alliance Australia (SAA). http://www.swissallianceaustralia.org. You can find a registration form on their website under NEWS & EVENTS. When you donate blood, make it known that you are part of that team – or if you have an account with the Australian Red Cross already, login, search for ‘Swiss Community Australia’ and join the team. Every donation you make goes towards the team’s tally. Why did Swiss Alliance Australia create the team? To give back to the Australian community and continue the legacy of Swiss humanitarian Henri Dunant, founder of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Now to one of my big concerns regarding our society, the SCCS. I would like to attract and convince younger Swiss people to become members. At our information stall at the Yodlers’ National Day celebration at Castle Hill (the ‘Swiss picnic’), I spoke to many young men and women who had no idea of the existence and activities of SCCS. They all seemed interested and quite impressed by what I told them, but of course, I couldn’t expect to recruit many new members there and then. Perhaps a second encounter next year might do the job, who knows? I never tire of emphasising that we’re not just a society for the elderly. SCCS would try to assist any Swiss person, no matter what age, if in real need. As in previous years at the picnic we contributed to the enjoyment of the very young by sponsoring the Kid’s Zoo. Unfortunately, it was washed out due to the extremely wet weather, but let’s hope for sunshine next year.

Our South Coast Rural Coordinator, Monica Kampfer has sent some happy snaps of a 1st of August 2025 Swiss celebration in her local area. You will find it under MORE > VOLUNTEERS FEATURE MONICA.

With the time going by so fast I can reflect on two recent and successful outings: in September the visit with afternoon tea at the Museum of Sydney, and in October 'Lunch at Eastbank cafe, Circular Quay and Opera Hits’. At the museum we followed a guided tour through the exhibition ‘Seeing Sydney, Knowing Country’. It included many very early etchings from the collection of Beat Knoblauch, a representative of the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA) and our SCCS vice president.

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Brochure of the renovations of our property