Welcome to Sydney Rotary, one of Australia's longest-serving Rotary Clubs. We are a group of dedicated, passionate individuals who work together to bring about change in our local community and across the world.


Statement of Solidarity

Sydney Rotary Club stands in solidarity with all those affected by the deeply distressing events in Bondi. Our thoughts are with those who were harmed, their families, and everyone in the wider community touched by this tragedy.

In times like this, solidarity is often expressed through care and presence. We are reminded of the importance of checking in on one another, listening with compassion, and offering support where we can.

If you or someone you know needs support, confidential help is available in Australia through Lifeline (13 11 14), Beyond Blue (1300 22 4636), Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800), and the NSW Mental Health Line (1800 011 511).

If you would like to help,

Donating blood is a practical way to support those in need. If you are able, please consider donating blood or plasma through Australian Red Cross Lifeblood.
Visit lifeblood.com.au or call 13 14 95 to find a donation centre or book an appointment.

Rotary remains committed to fostering care, connection, and community in times of difficulty.

Home Page Stories
NSW Ambulance ECMO Project

Sydney Rotary & NSW Ambulance ECMO Project

Improving Cardiac Arrest Survival Rates in NSW

Sydney Rotary has funded NSW Ambulance with $75,000 to significantly improve survival rates from patients suffering cardiac arrest.
 
A cardiac arrest is when the heart suddenly stops beating. It is the most common cause of sudden death in otherwise healthy adults.
 
When cardiac arrests occur out-side of hospital it is called an “Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest”. Each year over 25,000 Australians suffer OHCA; approximately 9,000 of which occur in New South Wales.
 
Of all the OHCA in Australia less than 10% survive. If patients don’t get their heart beating again with CPR quickly (i.e. within 15 minutes) less than 3% survive.
 
ECMO stands for Extra-Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation. It is a mini “heart lung bypass machine” which pumps blood around the body during cardiac arrest and protect the body and brain, whilst the heart recovers and/or the cause of the cardiac arrest is treated. ECMO for cardiac arrest is used in select hospital for cardiac arrests with very promising results (30-40% survival) if it is implemented within 1 hour from cardiac arrests.
 
ECMO for OHCA has been offered at a small number of hospitals owing to the technical and resource challenges. Unfortunately, a very small percentage of OHCA that may benefit from ECMO can get to the right hospital in the right time (<5%). This problem has been demonstrated through geospatial analysis and recent trials where they tried to get the patient to hospital quickly.
 
PRECARE is the full name for this trial “Pre-hospital ECMO CPR for Refractory Cardiac Arrest”. The trial is on the leading edge of cardiac arrest management globally.
 
Sydney Rotary has adopted this as a project for the Club in the 2025-26 Presidential year.
 
 
Read more...
Double Your Impact: Help Us Feed Children in Need

 

$1 Becomes $2: Support Sydney Food Share

Help the Rotary Club of Sydney fight child food insecurity! We're raising funds for Sydney Food Share to provide weekly food packages to children in need at PCYC Woolloomooloo and Glebe/Balmain.

Thanks to a RAWCS Compassionate Grant, every dollar you donate will be matched, up to $5,000. Double your impact today!

DONATE NOW 

Read more...
Rotary OVC Zimbabwe Community Project

Since 2016 some $650,000 has been raised and invested in this community building project in Zimbabwe.

 
The initiative focuses on providing support for disabled and disenfranchised youth, including agricultural inputs and mobility devices.  It is active in supporting the needs of over 700 + disabled and disadvantaged children and young people in a rural part of Northern Zimbabwe. 
 
Plans for a safe house for abused girls and young women are well underway as fundraising efforts continue to complete the community hall.
 
The project engages a very effective two-level oversight system that ensures funds go where they are supposed to go.

Project Manager

Roderick (Bernard) MacLeod trained in the UK where he completed a PgD in Adult Psychotherapy and a Masters in Child & Adolescent Psychotherapy.
 
He has worked across a number of settings including the UK’s National Health Service and in British primary schools and psychotherapy clinics.
Bernard has worked in private practice in Australia since 2010.
 
Bernard is a past President of CCAFPAA (Couple, Child and Family Psychotherapy Association of Australasia); an Associate Member of NSWIPP (New South Wales Institute of Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy) and a Clinical Member of PACFA (Psychotherapy and Counsellors Federation of Australia).
 
Bernerd has been an active member of Sydney Rotary since 2016 joining to seek Rotary assistance in structuring fundraising in Australia for the Sydney Rotary Zimbabwe Project. Rotary Australia and International maintains financial structures for often tax effective fundraising in many countries to support projects in countries of need.
 
To assist our fundraising for this project please CLICK HERE.
Read more...
Rotary International Logo

Rotary International Logo

The symbol of Rotary since its early days.

A wheel has been the symbol of Rotary since its early days. The first design was made in 1905 by Chicago Rotarian Montague Bear, an engraver who drew a simple wagon wheel, with a few lines to show motion. The wheel was said to illustrete 'civilisation and movement'.
 
Most early clubs had some form of wagon wheel on their publication and letterheads.
 
To address the growing number of emblems, the Board of Rotary International Association appointed Charles Mackintosh, of the Rotary Club of Chicago, US, and Oscar Bjorge, of the Rotary Club of Duluth, US, to the committee charged with standardising the Rotary emblem.
 
In November 1919 the Board adopted Oscar's design of six spokes and 24 cogs, along with a detailed description. In 1942, Will Forker, of the Rotary Club of Los Angeles, US, advised that the geared wheel was mechanically unsound and would not work without a key in the center of the gear to attach it to a power shaft. A key was added and in January 2924, the Board finally approved the emblem.
 
For many years, the wheel stood alone as our logo. Although the words 'Rotary International' were embedded in the wheel, they were hard to read from a distance. So in 2013, Rotary expanded the official logo to include the word 'Rotary' next to the wheel.
 
The Rotary wheel remains our mark of excellence and part of our official logo to this day.
 
Rotary logo is today considered one of the world's most recognisable logos.

Join Rotary Club of Sydney

Vale Dame Marie Bashir – A Life of Extraordinary Service

It is with deep sadness that The Rotary Club of Sydney marks the passing of our former Honorary Member, Professor Dame Marie Bashir AD CVO.

Dame Marie was an exceptional leader whose life was a profound testament to the ideals of service above self. A great and cherished friend of Rotary, she inspired all who knew her with her warmth, humility, and unwavering dedication to the welfare of others.

Her distinguished leadership spanning medicine, mental health advocacy, education, and her historic tenure as the first woman Governor of New South Wales was always defined by compassion, integrity, and a profound respect for every individual.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to Dame Marie’s family, her many friends, and all who were blessed by her remarkable grace and contribution. Her legacy of kindness and principled leadership will continue to inspire generations to come.

LIFE SAVING PARTNERSHIP LAUNCH: EVENT SUMMARY

Thank you to everyone who attended the launch of the Rotary Club of Sydney and Ambulance NSW Partnership.

Guests heard from Dr Brian Burns, emergency physician and clinical professor, and Dr Mark Dennis, cardiologist at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. They outlined how the pre hospital ECMO CPR program brings advanced heart and lung support directly to cardiac arrest patients. Early intervention and high quality ultrasound equipment are crucial and the program is already showing strong survival outcomes in New South Wales.

Rotary is helping expand this work so more people can receive life saving care when every second counts.

DONATE THIS CHRISTMAS

This festive season, we invite you to make a gift that creates real impact.
Your tax deductible donation supports advanced cardiac arrest treatment and helps give families the greatest gift of all: more time together.

👉 Make a Donation Here

Thank you for supporting this important initiative.

 
🎄 The season of giving is here! 🎁
 
The Rotary Club of Sydney invites you and your family to join us in a heart-warming community cause.
 
This initiative is all about coming together to ensure no child in Sydney feels left out this Christmas. Bring a new, unwrapped gift and help us decorate our Tree of Friendship!
 
📍 Location: Market City Shopping Centre, Level 1 Atrium, 9–13 Hay St, Haymarket
 
We are proud to be partnering with the Haymarket Chamber of Commerce, Westpac, Artshine, and Community Bank Darling Square to make this happen.
 
What to donate: Toys, books, arts & crafts supplies, and sporting items are all welcome. No gift is too small!
 
Let's fill the tree with joy for children supported by PCYC, Be Centre, Surry Hills Neighbourhood Centre, and Sydney Food Share.
No RSVP needed – just bring your festive spirit! See you there!
 
 

Vision Beyond AUS

Helping others to see

 
Sydney Rotary is proud to continue its support of Vision Beyond AUS.

Our latest project is to raise $10,000 to purchase a much-needed microscope for the organization, which strives to reach its target of restoring eyesight to 100,000 people in developing count

 

Sydney Rotary is proud to continue its support of Vision Beyond AUS.

Our latest project is to raise $10,000 to purchase a much-needed microscope for the organization, which strives to reach its target of restoring eyesight to 100,000 people in developing countries. 

 
The Rotary Club of Sydney will match every $1 donated. So if you donate $50, Sydney Rotary will match it, and your donation will become $100. Please help us reach the $10,000 needed this May.
 
Please contact us at president@sydneyrotary.com if you wish to donate over $1,000. We can arrange to receive your donation directly and avoid payment platform fees.
 
Donate here or scan the QR Code 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 'Thank you'

to all the supporters of the Ukraine

'Wheels of Aid' project

Together, we have made difference.  The 'Wheels of Aid' vehicle has been purchased and is now  delivering life-saving aid to those in desperate need.
 

The vehicle is delivering aid  to twelve refugee shelters that house thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs). 

It will also bring relief to tens of thousands living in conflict-affected areas in south-eastern Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

Thousands of families in the Ukraine’s front-line city of Zaporizhzhia are still seeking safety and relief including as many as 68,000 children who have lost their homes and need food and warmth.

Sydney Rotary and the Sydney Alliance were delighted to partner with Rotary Zaporizhzhia-Khortytsia and thank our fellow Rotarians from the following clubs - West Wollongong. Parramatta and South Brisbane for their contributions to the project.

To continue to support the Ukraine project, click here or scan the QR Code

We meet

Sydney Rotary

We meet In Person
Tuesdays at 12:30 pm
Various Sydney Venues & Virtually. See Upcoming Events.
GPO Box 1523
Sydney, NSW 2000
Australia
Our Club meets 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of each month, check Upcoming Events & Rotary News for details & booking links. The Club meets at various Sydney venues and & has a wide range of social events. Contact us: office@sydneyrotary.com
District Site
Venue Map
Meets Significance: Sydney Rotary Networking Evening

Rotarians, friends, and family are invited to join us for a relaxed start to 2026.

📅 Date: Tuesday 18 March
⏰ Time: 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM (drop in anytime)
📍 Location: Castlereagh Boutique Hotel

Enjoy relaxed fellowship, share your holiday highlights, and ease into the new year with good company.
Registration is not essential. If you would like to let us know you plan to come, please do it here.

Upcoming Events at Sydney Rotary
Club Bulletins
Your donations to our Benevolent Fund are tax deductible
Click here to donate and support our charitable causes, make a  positive difference
 
Click to view the Rotary Club of Sydney's ACNC Registration 
Rotary International News
Egyptian Rotary member honored for advancing women’s leadership and community development

Egyptian Rotary member honored for advancing women’s leadership and community development

Barcelona selected to host Rotary International Convention 2029

Barcelona selected to host Rotary International Convention 2029

‘Success is collective,’ says recipient of Rotary’s 2026 Sylvia Whitlock Leadership Award

‘Success is collective,’ says recipient of Rotary’s 2026 Sylvia Whitlock Leadership AwardEgyptian Rotarian has elevated female leaders, promoted microloans, and helped build

Destination: Rotary

Three days, three towns, three clubs. Who knew Wisconsin could be so microcosmic?

A survivor of violence guides others to safety

Valencia Jones escaped years of domestic abuse. Now she helps others find their way to safety and healing.