Our Events

We gather on the second Monday of each month (February to November) at 11.45am for a 12 noon start to listen to a speaker and enjoy lunch at the Hamilton Gardens Lakeside Cafe function room.

We welcome guests of members and just ask for $30 to cover the cost of a guest’s lunch.

Please let us know if you are coming, and if you are bringing a guest, by 10am on the Thursday prior to our meetings so we can confirm catering numbers.

Upcoming events

12 May 2025 - David Simcock

David Simcock

David Simcock is a retired lawyer who now considers himself an historian. After 40 years as a lawyer, mostly with Bell Gully in Auckland, David went back to university to study history. He enjoyed it so much that he kept going and last year completed a PhD on the history of Auckland in the 1950s.

The 1950s was a period of enormous growth in Auckland which was instrumental in it becoming what is known as a primate city. A country only has one of them - think London and Paris. However, the Waikato plays an important role in explaining that growth. 

David shares his fascinating research on "Achieving Primacy: The history of Auckland in the 1950s".

David holds a BCom, LLM, and a PhD in history.

Our 2025 speakers

10 February

Dame Diana Crossan DNZM

Former Retirement Commissioner
“Highlights of a public service career”

10 March

Valerie Millington
Author of “Ellen of Denniston”
“One day everything changed… A powerful and moving biography””

14 April

Founder’s Meeting in  Honour of Gwen Firth

Charlotte Muggeridge
Partner, Harkness Henry
“Experiences in environmental law”

12 May

Dr David Simcock
Chair, Auckland Library Heritage Trust, and
Member, Auckland History Initiative
“Achieving Primacy: The history of Auckland in the 1950s”

9 June

Gigi Crawford
CEO, Zealong Tea Estate
“The Zealong Tea story”

14 July

Partners’ Meeting

Harry Mowbray
Entrepreneur with many interests
“Revitalising our industrial history”

11 August

Dr Clare Brown
Animal Behaviourist
“Innovations in working with animals”

8 September

Marina Hape
Tangata Whenua Working Group (TWWG) Kaiarahi/Katiaki, and 
Sonia Baker
HCC Programme Manager – Peacocke
“Te Ara Pekapeka – Journey of partnership and collaboration”

13 October

Featured Club Speaker

Margaret Fish
Occupational Therapist
“Enabling people to live their best lives”

10 November

Annual General Meeting 2025

 

2024 Guest speaker Prof Alexander Gillespie with Awatere Club Committee members