Further Information
The 50th reunion celebratory luncheon for UWA’s graduates of 1970 took place at Winthrop Hall on 21 November with around 150 people attending the gala event, organised and hosted by Convocation of UWA Graduates.
A time for celebration: 50 years since UWA graduation
Welcomed by a striking display of Convocation’s blue and gold colours, memorabilia on display and music from the 1970s, guests were offered a number of optional one-hour walking tours around the campus prior to lunch.
A tour of the Senate Room and Winthrop Hall was run by Mr Terry Larder, the Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery by Dr Carl Altmann, Shenton House and surrounding areas by Dr Ron Bodycoat, and UWA gardens by Mrs Rachel Craven and Her Honour Mary Ann Yeats.
After the tours a group photo was taken at the steps of the reflection pond, which had been specifically made to showcase the elegant design of Winthrop Hall, and a very special place for all UWA students past and present.
Convocation Council Events Committee Chair and MC for the event, Dr Angela Evangelinou-Yiannakis, commenced the occasion with an Acknowledgement of Country, which was followed by a formal welcome and toast to the graduates from Warden of Convocation, Clinical Professor Lesley Cala.
The afternoon was interspersed with guest speakers recounting aspects of their experiences at UWA, and specific events and people that remain significant to them.
Former UWA Vice Chancellor, Emeritus Professor Alan Robson AO CitWA, was the first speaker, followed by agriculture graduate and Rhodes Scholar, Dr Graeme Robertson, and Professor Fiona Stanley AC CitWA.
After dessert with coffee and tea, a toast to the University was offered by one of the 1970 graduates, Emeritus Professor David Fletcher AM, with a response by Chief Advancement Officer of Development and Alumni Relations, Ms Fiona Allan.
Delicious food and beverages – including wines sourced from members of Convocation who are prominent in the Western Australian wine industry – made for an enjoyable afternoon of frivolous joviality and conviviality of a year group with very special memories to share.
Formalities concluded with Dr Evangelinou-Yiannakis thanking the many people involved in helping to bring the enjoyable event to fruition.
Guests left with a wonderful booklet of biographies of their peers, and in good cheer at having caught up with old friends and colleagues who were a major part of their university lives half a century ago.
Dr Angela Evangelinou-Yiannakis
Chair of Events Committee, Convocation Council
University information
CRICOS Code: 00126G
