Welcome to the Burnie Rostrum Club

The Burnie Rostrum Club is a friendly club, we try to make visitors and new members feel very welcome.

Burnie Rostrum Club (Club 11) is a longstanding club in the northwest of Tasmania drawing members from Wynyard to Sheffield, Golden Valley and Launceston. One meeting per month has been via Zoom since mid-2020, to include and assist those who live in remote, rural areas, and people with transport difficulties. We have a wide age range and a diverse group of members, covering all walks of life.

Why Join Burnie Rostrum?

We have had members keen to improve their public speaking for a variety of reasons or wishing to learn meeting procedure and how to chair meetings; others have joined for fun, friendship and fellowship.

Club members are genuinely interested in seeing new members’ speaking confidence grow in a supportive environment whether presenting speeches or chairing meetings. Rostrum has three programs new members can progress through at their own pace. You will be assigned a mentor and given feedback after each exercise is completed.

Where does Burnie Rostrum meet?

The club meets in the Platypus Room at the Burnie Library on Thursday evenings from 6:30-7.30pm. Access to this room is via the rear Library door and is suitable for wheelchairs. Meetings on the First Thursday of the month are via Zoom.
Besides the annual subscription fee, there is a $2 per week room hire fee. Visitors do not pay this fee. Free parking is available on Alexander Street outside the Library. We do as the need arises have a social gathering after the meetings, especially to welcome or farewell members. Occasional social meetings are held at other venues to share food and other refreshments.

What do Members speak about? 

Recent speaking topics have included:

• NASA
• Growth
• Rubbery Figures
• There Must Be A Limit
• About Me

The speaking program is always concluded by the Joke of the Day.

What makes Burnie Rostrum special?

As a Club, we have had members who have become politicians and local councillors; people preparing for wedding speeches, some looking to improve speaking for work promotion requirements or wishing to learn meeting procedure and how to chair meetings. The Club has had several successes in the Statewide competitions and runs the North-West Final of the Voice of Youth, an annual, national speaking competition for secondary aged children.

What is Burnie Rostrums #1 Public Speaking Tip?

Preparation is everything!

Member of the Moment
	Gerry Gunton This month we feature Gerry Gunton our longest-serving member. Gerry joined the Club in 1971 via an invitation. He appreciated the introduction to formal meeting procedure rules and learnt great bargaining skills useful in the many projects he was involved in on behalf of various local and state committees for aged and disability care. He was awarded Club 11 Life membership in 2000, a Certificate of Appreciation for Services to Australian Rostrum in 2005, a Bronze Medal for services to Voice of Youth as well as recognition as one of the Unsung Heroes of Burnie in 2002. He nominated his best talk as one about two US farm boys, one of whom developed the drug Streptomycin, a drug that after several months of treatment, saved Gerry’s life several years ago. Early in April this year Gerry regaled us with some of the history of his birthplace, Monk’s Cottage in Langley, Norfolk which was next door to Langley Abbey, a place Henry V111 closed down due to unseemly shenanigans of the monks.
Visitors are most welcome. There is no requirement for visitors to give a speech, Only when you are ready!
Meeting Time:	Thursday 6:30 - 7:30pm
Venue:	Burnie Library, 30 Alexander St, Burnie. The meeting room is at the back entrance of the Burnie Library. Walk along the pathway between the Library and Alexander Beetle House and turn right.
Contact:	Gai Cunningham on 64319135 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.