REGISTERED BY AUSTRALIA POST - PUBLICATION No. VBH 6369 JUNE 2012 Best ever Swiss Festival! The Austrian Club and its the visitors that all food stuff and much of the imported Swiss outside entertainment area in beer and wine were fast selling out by early afternoon. Heidelberg West played host What would a Swiss Festival be without Yodeling? Well, we to the tenth Swiss Festival. The were faced with a dilemma when we found out that the weather was fine though a bit yodler of the Matterhorn Choir was not in the country. To cold, but Swiss people know solve that problem we decided to invite a very gifted Yodel how to dress duo from Auckland NZ, the Swiss Kiwi Yodlers appropriately. Peter & Ursula Arnold. It paid off and people By all accounts, really enjoyed their performance. Pleasing to the festival was know that the Matterhorn Choir managed to very successful, sing a song together with the visitors from perhaps the most successful one to-date with over New Zealand. Young talented Swiss-Australian 1,500 visitors attending the day-long festivities. musicians such as the singer Renee Moullet and The committee attributes the increase of numbers Jess Plattner (singing & piano) entertained the to a new approach of advertising including the festival goers and especially younger generations targeted use of social media, the Heidelberg with contemporary music. Traditional Swiss Leader and even The Age. Our special thanks go folklore was represented by the Dance Group to our new Public Relations professional Melinda Varley, who has Alpenrose, the Swiss Companion Singers, Chris Thalmann & volunteered to ambitiously work with various media in order to Markus Zihlmann with their Schwyzerörgeli and Tom Webb with get the Swiss Festival message out with a stunning outcome. the Singing Saw. Phil on the accordion and Beat Stuber with his Swiss delights were not in short supply such as Cervelat and guitar played well known tunes to sing along. To entertain the Bratwurst, potato salad, Raclette, Zopf, hazelnut croissants and kids a jumping castle, animal farm & magician was provided. We more. Our Swiss-French compatriots from the Groupe Romand du were glad to count again on the trusted services of our MC Joe Victoria baked wonderful ‘tartes aux fromages’ (cheese tarts) in Bovalino who is now on the breakfast team with Gold 104.3. top-of-the-line V-Zug ovens. Such was the insatiable appetite of Continued on page 6 ./<b_dZ[hiBWd[C[bXekhd[)&&&L_Yjeh_W7kijhWb_Wmmm$im_iiYbkXl_Y$Yec$Wk SWISS CLUB OF VICTORIA SWISS CLUB SUB-GROUPS Pro Ticino Founded in 1899 President: Claude Rossi Swiss Folk Dance Group Alpenrose 5 Falls Road, Hoddles Creek Vic 3139 89 Flinders Lane, Melbourne Vic 3000 President: Sylvia Hochuli T: (03) 5967 4542 T: 1300 893 968, F: (03) 9650 3104 T: (03) 9531 6575 E: [email protected] E: [email protected] E: [email protected] W: www.swissclubvic.com Swiss Yodel Choir Matterhorn Swiss Companion Singers President: Marco Unternährer Club Opening Hours Convenor: Heidy Giger 3 Bluegum Court, Upwey Vic 3158 Lunch: Mo - Fri from 12noon T: (03) 9889 9321 T: (03) 9729 3338, (03) 9752 6996 (H) Dinner: Wed, Thurs & Fri from 6pm E: [email protected] W: www.swiss.org.au/matterhorn Bookings T: (03) 9650 1196 Ladies Luncheons Swiss-Australian Chamber of Swiss Club Catering Convenor: Heidy Giger Commerce and Industry (SACCI) For all Functions contact Chef For bookings T: (03) 9650 1196 General Manager: Marcel Svatos & Catering Manager Roger Moullet For information: T: (03) 9889 9321 T: (02) 9262 1511, F: (02) 9290 1928 T: (03) 9650 1196, F: (03) 9650 3104 E: [email protected] E: [email protected] M: 0409 040 249 Postal address see: www.sacci.com.au E: [email protected] SwissKids Convenor: Esther Blaser-Tokarev Swiss-Australian Academic The Second Floor Function Bookings T: (03) 8521 3739 Network (SAAN) CBD Function Room with a difference! M: 0424 220 523 E: [email protected] Info and/or bookings: E: [email protected] W: www.saan.id.au T: 1300 893 968 E: thesecondfl[email protected] The Swiss Diners Club Embassy of Switzerland Convenor: Damian Schaller T: (02) 6162 8400, F: (02) 6273 3428 M: 0410 461 364 E: [email protected] COMMITTEE E: [email protected] Consulate General of Switzerland Barbara Kündig Swiss Festival T: (02) 8383 4000, F: (02) 9369 1334 President Chairman: Rolf Huber E: [email protected] T/F (H): (03) 9005 4938 T/F (H): (03) 9807 0282 Consulate of Switzerland M: 0402 018 363 M (B): 0425 805 854 T: (03) 9824 7527, M: 0413 042 728 E: [email protected] E: [email protected] E: [email protected] Rolf Huber Postal address and further information Immediate Past President SWISS COMMUNITY T/F (H): (03) 9807 0282 for all above see: M (B): 0425 805 854 ORGANISATIONS W: www.eda.admin.ch/australia E: [email protected] Swiss Society of Victoria Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (Benevolent Society) Council Member: Roland Isler Urs Derrick Wildi President: Franz Schnellmann Treasurer & Membership Contact details: see below under Editor T: (03) 9449 2245, M: 0412 203 893 W: www.aso.ch / www.swiss.org.au/csa Administration E: [email protected] T/F (H): (03) 9824 7930 M: 0403 040 930 Trachtengruppe Schwyzergruess E: [email protected] Australian/Swiss Cultural Society President: Sylvia Hochuli Sigrid de Castella T: (03) 9531 6575 Membership Relations & E: [email protected] Impressum Building Management Support ‘Edelweiss’ appears quarterly M: 0416 088 000 Groupe Romand du Victoria in March, June, September and E: [email protected] President: Rémy Favre December. Circulation 500. 1 Hughes Street, Malvern East Vic 3145 Antony Anderson T: (03) 9571 2835, M: 0412 135 095 For all enquiries contact: Building Management E: [email protected] Roland Isler, Editor M: 0416 069 666 W: www.swiss.org.au/chfrvic T: (03) 9524 6335 (B), E: [email protected] M: 0412 935 565 E: [email protected] Damian Schaller Unless otherwise stated, postal Marketing Manager address for all is: 89 Flinders Lane, 67 St Georges Crescent M: 0410 461 364 Melbourne Vic 3000 Heatherton Vic 3202 E: [email protected] www.swissclubvic.com.au 3 President’s Message Dear members and friends I trust you had time to come along to the Swiss Festival in of the Swiss Club, March. It was again a well organised and lovely day out, showcasing what Switzerland has to offer here in Victoria. Didn’t we have a lovely Thank you to all the performers and volunteers, but especially autumn this year? The colours to the organising committee; Rolf, Damian, Chantal, Bruno, of the turning leaves were so Patrick, Thomas, Melinda and Roger. Year after year, they spend much more intense than other a lot of time and energy to get this event of the ground. Well years. Usually most trees just done and many thanks from all of us at the Swiss Club! turn from green to brown, but this year there were so many New activities, groups and events are always welcome . We shades of yellow and red in between. Do I guess correctly that are here to support, so if you have an idea, please feel free to it is due to all the rain we had this year? It reminds me very approach us with a plan. One such idea, which has been in much of Switzerland and ‘Altweibersommer’ (Indian Summer). the planning stage for a while, is now ready to take off; Social With autumn inevitable comes also Winter. Time to rug up and afternoons on the Second Floor, 3-4 times a year. All members turn towards more heart and limb warming activities such as a are welcome. We start with a comedy and a chat for the first hearty Swiss meal at the Swiss Club or joining one of our other one on Thursday, 21 June at 1.30pm – see details on page club activities. With winter, we are also approaching the biggest 11. As it is a new event, we look forward to input from the day on the Swiss Club Calendar: 1st August - Swiss National members attending. Please come along, get involved, make Day. The club is running its usual festivities with the Seniors new friends. National Day Luncheon (31/7), the Lantern Procession and the Look after yourselves during the colder months. The committee evening festivities in the club restaurant on 1st August. Make and I look forward to seeing you at one of our functions. sure you book your spot early and directly with the restaurant. Barbara Kündig - President Happy birthday to the following members who were celebrating their milestone birthdays recently: Michael Dardel Jessop, Anna Langenegger, Dorina Meda and Roy Rogers could commemorate their 80th, while Mary Schibli, Gwen Eckhardt and John Staubli celebrated their 90th. We congratulate you and wish you good health in many years to come! Congratulations to our founding member Welcome to our new members Gwen Eckhardt who is celebrating her We warmly welcome Jeffrey Kershaw, Muriel Portier, 90th Birthday. From all members of the Sylvie Eggertswyler, Lewis Johnson, Jacqueline dance group, best wishes for many more Kirsten, Terence Wheeler, Rebecca Wheeler, Jürg von healthy and happy years. Sylvia Hochuli Känel, Sophie Petoud, Chris Villani, Lisa Cochrane, Nathan Cochrane, Alexandra Ilievska, Vivienne Get well Larcombe and Rob Ruxton. Best wishes for a speedy recovery to member Ros de Castella We are looking forward to meeting you at one of our who underwent the first of 2 knee replacements on 19 March.