"To create and foster a spirit of understanding among all people for humanitarian needs by providing voluntary services through community involvement and international cooperation".

The Lions Club of Winchelsea (Victoria) is a volunteer non-profit organisation working for the benefit of the local community and beyond. This website provides information on the Winchelsea Lions Club's activities and programs along with contact details and media information & resources. We also acknowledge and thank publicly our many benefactors, helpers, donators, and supporters. All comments, suggestions and queries most welcome, please see the Lions Club contacts page.

The aim of this website is to provide useful information and details - if there is anything you would like to see here, please let us know.

Walk To Wurdale

The second annual 'Walk to Wurdale' is being organised, and has been set for the 2nd November 2008. As before, it is a walk from the Winchelsea Senior Citizens Club (where the Winchelsea Lions usually meet) departing 9:30am to Wormbete Station Road in Wurdale (the residence of Lion Keith Holdsworth) where a barbeque lunch will be held. All proceeds from the sponsored walkers go toward the search for a cure for leukaemia.

Toodyay-to-Melbourne in a Model T

Winchelsea Lions made a donation to the Toodyay Lions Club team driving five Model T Fords from Toodyay (Perth, WA) all the way to Melbourn, in aid of the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

Winchelsea Town Clock Repair

The town clock, originally funded and built by the Winchelsea Lions 22 years ago, is in need of repair as it is losing about 2 minutes a day. The Surf Coast Shire has agreed to meet the cost of repairs, the Winchelsea Lions members are to arrange for the clock mechanism to be extracted and sent off for fixing.

Recycled Paper Benefit

A truckload of newspapers, magazines, flyers and leaflets was loaded and sent off for recycling in August - resulting in a cheque for nearly $1,200 for the Winchelsea Lions Club. Old and discarded paper is collected in the shed next to the Winchelsea Senior Citizens Club and as & when worthwhile, the truck drops by along with a loader to take it all away to Cocal for recycling. Several tonnes are taken at a time, and in return the Winchelsea Lions benefit by a significant income boost.

Fundraiser Vandalism

With great sadness and a bit of anger, it was discovered that the sheep-manure fundraising collection location had been vandalised. Not only were the bags of sheep manure stolen, and not only was the collection box uprooted and dragged a short distance away, but the perpetrators also broke eggs in the letterbox of the property owners who had kindly agreed to the collection at the front of their property (on the Colac-Otway road). This is unfortunately not an isolated incident, similar vandalism had been carried out to other fundraising spots (eggs, flowers, etc.) along the road. It is perplexing that those responsible could do this against their own community - symbolising a rather stark disconnect between themselves and the world they live in. Although they are known to police and the community at large, it is difficult to combat. In the meantime, the Winchelsea Lions Club is considering alternatives for this very successful project that brings in a large proportion of the Club's funds.

Guest Speaker - Johnathan Hepner, Funeral Director

Perhaps not a typical guest speaker, Johnathan was nevertheless engaging and very interesting in his description of his background as a 3rd-generation funeral director, and in his outline of the industry, its trends and changes over the decades. Food for thought for Lions members, and in fact funeral preparations are something everyone should consider for both emotional and financial reasons.

Kindergarten Thankyou Lunch

The Helen Mary Kininmonth Kindergarten in Winchelsea recently benefited from the Winchelsea Lions Club with the funding of some mandatory (and expensive) pole cushions. The Kindergarten receives little financial assistance outside its own income, and to express its gratitude to the Lions Club is holding a 'Thankyou' lunch on the 16th October. Three members of Lions will attend in official capacity to accept the thanks.

Xmas Cakes Coming

It is the time of year when the annual Lions Christmas Cake project begins. Winchelsea Lions will be ordering 22 boxes of large cakes (1.5kg) and 6 boxes of small cakes (1kg) - the standard order, and a project that will result in another major boost to club funds. Lions Christmas Cakes will be available around Winchelsea from shops and businesses, or can be ordered from the Winchelsea Lions Club itself (see our Contact Details).

50th Club Anniversary Soon!

The Winchelsea Lions Club celebrates 50 years of community service with a dinner and reunion on Saturday 18th October at the Globe Theatre in Winchelsea. It is expected to be a memorable evening. Contact us if you would like to attend, the cost is $25 per head for a 3 course meal, BYO drinks. 7pm kick-off!

Melbourne-to-Portland Make-A-Wish Walk

A group of volunteers from the Portland Branch of Make-A-Wish Australia and Portland Lions Club will walk from Federation Square in Melbourne to Portland to raise money for Make-A-Wish. The walk will begin at 7am on Sunday, October 5 and finish in Portland at 5pm of Saturday, October 11. The Winchelsea Lions Club will host a barbeque on the Monday night (7pm, 6th Ocober) for the walkers when they stop to rest overnight in Winchelsea, and at that time will make a donation toward their campaign. If you would like to sponsor the walkers contact Gail on 0418 319 370 or by This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

The Winchelsea Lions Club recently emptied out and sent off the collection of paper for recycling, raising over $1,000. Stored in the shed built for the purpose next to the Winchelsea Senior Citizens Club, several tonnes of paper was despatched to Colac Cardboard Recycling and Winchelsea Lions duly received just over $1,070 in return. The community support for the Lions' recycling venture has continued to enable a steady income from this source, with Winchelsea residents regularly dropping off old newspapers, magazines and cardboard. Over a tonne a week is being received.

Examples of the local benefit of such fundraising include $200 worth of bulbs and flowers to beautify Hesse Rural Health reception garden, $250 donation to Hesse Rural Health as part of their Murray-to-Moyne bike ride fundraiser, and total funding for a new "What's On" sign for Winchelsea Primary School. The Winchelsea Lions Club has a llist of a lot more achievements and support for very local causes as well as support for wider national and even international programs.

With a new website (winchelsealionsclub.org.au), Winchelsea Lions aim to make it easier both to keep up-to-date with what they are doing and to contact Lions. The ongoing financial income from recycled paper is an essential part of the success of the Lions Club, and Lions members appreciate the assistance of the people of Winchelsea. Another successful fundraising activity is the bagging of sheep manure - at the typical working bee, around 250 large bags of sheep manure are filled, tied and stacked which are later sold on Cape Otway Road for $4 each. Help is always welcome, see the website for details of the next sheep manure working bee and just turn up.

If you or someone you know would like to join in building and improving our thriving Winchelsea community, contact Rob Knuckey (Membership) on 5267 2375 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to find out more and be invited to a Lions meeting - "connections, influence, friendship and philanthropy" is what Lions is all about. See for yourself.