There are a lot of things happening with our group.

1. The Choir. Great news.
   a. A venue has been found: the Uniting Church hall, 56 Exeter Street, Torquay
   b. Conductor is Brendan Becker who has many years of experience working with choirs.
   c. Our Course Co-ordinator, Barbara Hall, will be contacting all those who have enrolled in the choir to give them more information
   d. If you haven’t already enrolled you can do so via the Member Portal on our website www.u3aherveybay.net or email Barbara, coursecoordinator@u3aherveybay.net
   e. Aspiring choir members will be having an informal chat at the next Coffee & Chat morning on 10 July.
   f. Monday 20 July will be a social meeting for the choristers at the hall. It will be a chance to sort out a few practical matters before the first proper singing practice.
   g, The first official session will be on Monday 27 July.
   h. Unfortunately, due to the hire cost of the hall we will need to charge participants $5 per 2.5 hour session. This charge will commence on 27 July.
2. Coffee & Chat. Our next coffee morning will be held at the Hervey Bay Boat Club on Friday 10 July at 10am. This is a great opportunity to meet U3A members who participate in all the courses the organisation conducts.
3. Strategic Plan. A sub-committee has been meeting with the aim of developing a Strategic Plan for the next 3-5 years. With the growth in our membership coupled with the growth in the Over-50s population of Hervey Bay we need to plan for the future needs of our members and to develop a long-term plan to meet those needs.
4. Publicity Officer. Along with a strategic plan we need an enthusiastic Publicity Officer to take on the promotion of U3A Hervey Bay. The committee is looking for someone who has ideas and is keen to publicise the work of U3A Hervey Bay. Please contact me either by phone 0411259907 or email president@u3aherveybay.net if you would like to join us in spreading the word about U3A to the many over 50s in our community.
5. Travel Group. Expressions of Interest are being invited from anyone who is interested in a travel group. Some members would like to travel but don’t have a travel companion. This group would be an opportunity for like-minded people to travel together. Please contact Barbara Hall via email coursecoordinator@u3aherveybay.net if you are interested.
6. Car Security. Given the number of car thefts which have been occurring John Aylmer has put together some information which may assist in you not becoming a victim of these car thieves.
   If your car uses a smart key fob or keyless entry, take extra care with where you store the key.
   Do not hang the key fob near the front door, garage wall or anywhere close to the driveway. This can make it easier for thieves outside your home to relay the signal from your key fob to your car. Store your key fob in a special RFID pouch or box that block radio signals. They are cheap to buy and are effective at stopping these relay car-jacking attacks.
   
   Please watch these two YouTube Videos:
   
   https://youtu.be/YOl6NfH-00g?si=cihCtg7j-nFYtLJv
   https://youtube.com/shorts/0qXo1AAuFy8?si=XUOUwy6keZOdCi3_
   

Happy U3Aing

Lyn Quince

President U3A Hervey Bay

A few items of interest for you.

Our next Coffee and Chat morning will be next Friday May 8, 10 am, at Hervey Bay Boat Club. I look forward to seeing members there.

USC exams commence on Monday June 1 and finish on Friday June 12. The USC room is not available during exam times. Those who go to U3A classes at USC should check with their Tutor if classes will be taking a break or if they will be held elsewhere.

Save the date Thursday 29 Nov. Our End of Year Get Together will be that day. This year we will be holding the event at The Clubhouse, Hervey Bay Golf Club. Once again, it will be trivia and afternoon tea. Quizmaster will be the world famous (?) Colin Coates.

At the last Committee meeting 2 new policies were adopted Intellectual Property Policy and Use of Name and Logo Policy. You can view these on our website u3aherveybay.net

As the April Committee meeting was the first following the AGM, Committee member roles were taken on by the following:

o Member Wizard Administration – John Aylmer

o Course Co-ordinator &; Website – Barbara Hall

o Memberships – Dina Jenkinson

o Attendance – Evelyn Archer

o Publicity – John Veld

o Functions – Lyn Quince

The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing has sent an email about recent changes to bulk billing. If you would like to know more have a look at the website https://www.health.gov.au/bulk-billing

That’s all the news for this month

Happy U3Aing

Lyn Quince

President U3A Hervey Bay

Last month, on 20 March, the AGM was held. Thanks to those who attended. A committee was elected with all previous members remaining for another year. Two new members were elected – Dianne Barry and John Veld. Thank you to you both for volunteering. Our secretary, Sue Thwaites, has stepped down from that position but will remain as a committee member. Evelyn Archer has taken on the role.

Friday, 10th April, will be our monthly Coffee & Chat morning at Hervey Bay Boat Club at 10am. All members are welcome to come along and solve the problems of the world over a cuppa. See you there.

BIG NEWS! Get your vocal chords limbered up. We are hoping to have a U3A Choir in second semester. It is still in the planning stage but, hopefully, we will be set to go soon. Brendon Becker is our Choirmaster. Expressions of interest are being taken. If this is for you please go on to the U3A website and add your name to the choir list in the class enrolment section. If you can’t find it let me know and I will sort it.

I won’t be able to be a part of the choir. When I was at school the nuns told be to just open and close my mouth and not make a sound. Apparently I can’t hold a note.

That’s all for now.

I hope the Easter Bunny finds you.

Lyn Quince

President, U3A Hervey Bay

 Monday 2 March is the opening of our room at USC. Room B2.08 will be open for classes from 9am. For those of you who haven’t been to the room before it is located in B Block on the first floor. If you enter via the door which faces the coffee shop you will find the stairs to your right and also the lift. When you reach the top you will see a long corridor on your left. The room is at the far end, the last one on the left.

 Our monthly Coffee & Chat morning will be on again on 13 March, 10am at Hervey Bay Boat Club. I look forward to seeing you there.

The Annual General Meeting for U3A Hervey Bay Inc is on Friday 20 March 9.30am in the Executive Suite at USC. This room is located on the first floor of C Block. You can take the stairs or lift and walk across to C Block. You will see a large sign pointing to the Suite.

Please note that only financial members will be able to vote. Tutors are considered financial. Nominations for committee positions need to be with the Secretary by 14 March.

Motions to be tabled at the AGM also need to be submitted by then. Proxies can be given to the secretary up to the start of the meeting. Proxies will not count towards the quorum. A committee meeting will follow the AGM and at that meeting you will be able to raise any questions or issues you have.

 I hope you are having a great weekend.

 Lyn Quince

 President U3A Hervey Bay

On Friday our Committee had a meeting with all our great Tutors.

Without them we would have no U3A so we are grateful to them for their hard work.

An update on our USC room. It will be unavailable for classes during semester exam times. Tutors please note these dates:

1 June 2026 – 12 June 2026

19 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026.

Upcoming dates for your U3A diary.

3 Feb Sign on Day 10am – 12 noon. Hervey Bay RSL. Tutors will be available to discuss classes and to take enrolments, if you haven’t already done this online. Payments for annual memberships

can also be made on the day. Cash or EFTPOS will be available. Even if you have already done an online enrolment you are welcome to come along and catch up with members and tutors. Tea and Coffee will be available.

13 Feb 10am Coffee and Chat morning. Hervey Bay Boat Club. This is always a fun morning. All the problems of the world are solved over a cuppa!

20 March 9.30am Annual General Meeting. USC. Nominations for the Committee will be opened following the February Committee Meeting.

Only financial members will be able to vote on the day. The annual President’s Report and Financial Report will be tabled at the AGM.

A committee meeting will follow and this will be a chance for members to ask  questions or make comments.

A couple more new classes

A basic computer class will commence on 4 March. It is a short 4 week class and is for all those who don’t know much about using a computer. Numbers are limited. More information is available on our website or at Sign on Day.

The response to our Tai Chi class has been so great that we now have 3 classes on Tues, Wed and Thurs. There are spaces available only in the Wednesday group. So, get in fast.

I look forward to seeing you at Sign On.

Regards

Lyn Quince

President, U3A Hervey Bay

Most of our classes are having a well-earned break. However, don’t worry we will be back bigger and better in 2026. Planning is coming together for next year with thirteen new classes to be on offer as well as all your favorites. The new ones are:

• Book Club 5
• Climate Change
• Cryptic Crosswords
• Digging up your Irish Ancestors
• Ethical use of AI as a writing coach
• French for beginners & travelers
• Global Outlook
• Graphite drawing
• Living in the Environment
• Public Speaking
• Tai Chi for Arthritis & fall prevention
• Tinkering with trivia
• Stockland walkie talkies
• Urangan walkie talkies

You can see the full course list on our website u3aherveybay.net.

You will also be able to enrol in classes and pay your annual fee via the website. This is a new programme to allow this, so if you have any problems please let me know and we can arrange some assistance. Of course, you will still be able to join on Sign on Day. This is scheduled for 3 Feb. 10am – 12 noon at Hervey Bay RSL. You will be able to chat with Tutors and catch up with other members. Coffee, tea and a bickie will be available.

The Committee looks forward to seeing you there!

Don’t forget our first Coffee & Chat morning will be on Friday 9 Jan 2026,10am at Hervey Bay Boat Club. See you there.

I would like to thank all our members, tutors and committee for all your hard work and support of U3A Hervey Bay during 2025.

I wish you all a happy Christmas and hope you enjoy time with your family and friends over the festive season.

Best wishes   

Lyn Quince

President U3A Hervey Bay

Click on ‘Memberships’ and follow the prompts. Once you have paid your annual membership of $40 you will also be able to enrol in as many classes as you wish.

If you have difficulty using the new system please contact our Vice-President, John Alymer, email him at  vice-president@u3aherveybay.net or come along to Sign-on-Day.

* 3-14 Nov the USC room will be unavailable due to university exams. Tutors please note.

* 14 Nov is our regular Coffee and Chat morning at 10am at the Hervey Bay Boat Club. This will be the last one for the year. Starting again in January.

* 19 Nov is our big extravaganza End-of-Year Get-Together. Trivia followed by High Tea will be on once again at Hervey Bay RSL. Heads down at 2.30pm. Please let me know if you will be attending. There will be tables of six for trivia. You can make up a group or I will arrange a table for you. Partners or friends are welcome to attend with you but if they are not financial U3A Hervey Bay members they will need to pay $35 at the door. Colin is busy writing up the questions. Please email president@u3aherveybay.net to secure your place. We look forward to seeing you there. RSVP by 10 Nov.

* 12 Dec is the last day for classes at USC.

* 16 Jan 2026 is the day for the Tutors meeting and lunch. Our
Course Co-ordinator will be sending out notices to Tutors shortly.

* 3 Feb 2026 is our annual Sign-on-Day at Hervey Bay RSL 10am – 12 noon. You will be able to pay your fees and enrol in classes if you haven’t already done so. You can chat to Tutors about the classes and catch up with other members. Tea and coffee will be available. Even if you have enrolled before this date please pop in and say ‘G’day’!

That’s enough from me for now. I look forward to seeing you all soon

Lyn Quince

Run by Meredith Murray

Class to be run via Zoom Video Conferencing starts from 9th October.
Class size is limited to 25
Thursday 1:45m – 3:45pm

This lively series explores the philosophical, ethical and social questions raised by today’s must transformative technologies. We begin with the Internet – a force that now shapes how we see ourselves, communicate, create and engage with society – before turning to artificial intelligence in song, music and art generation, where debates over originality, authenticity and human expression come alive. We also examine biotechnology, renewable energy and blockchain, asking how they reshape our understanding of reality, identity and morality.

The Lifestyle Expo on Friday was a great success. Lots of people there and we were able to pass on information to them about U3A Hervey Bay.
Many thanks to the members who assisted on our stand.
The photo is our stand with member Jeanese putting the finishing touches to the display.
•       Coffee & Chat is next Friday 10 Oct at Hervey Bay Boat Club at 10am.
Come along and have a cuppa and chat to other members.
•       Sign on Day will be on again on 3 Feb 2026. This will be a chance for you to talk to all our Tutors and join if you haven’t already done so via our website u3aherveybay.net. There will be a cuppa and biccies available. Again, this is a chance to meet up with members.
•       If you have a skill or knowledge you would like to share with others why not become a Tutor with U3A Hervey Bay. We are always happy to welcome you.
•       Don’t forget to have a look at our class list on the website. As a U3A Member you may enrol in as many classes as you like.
•       Our Philosophy group will be starting a new topic with their Tutor, Dr Meredith Murray, next Thursday 9 Oct. This is delivered online via Zoom.
All the details are attached.


Regards
Lyn Quince President U3A Hervey Bay

We’re excited to announce that U3A Hervey Bay has transitioned to Member Wizard, a secure, modern membership and class management system now used
by over two-thirds of U3As across Australia.

What’s Changing—and Why Is This Good News?

We’ve moved away from manual paperwork to a streamlined, user-friendly online system. With Member Wizard, you’ll enjoy:

• Automatic Transfer: Your current member details will be securely transferred into Member Wizard—no action needed from you.
• Simple Online Registration: You can register and pay by credit card online, with your enrolments instantly recorded in the system. No paperwork for you or our volunteers.
• In-Person Support: Our volunteers will be happy to assist those members who have difficulty with the new system. We will be making a time and venue available to meet with you. If you’d rather attend Sign On Day, come along to the RSL for a chat with tutors and enjoy a coffee. Our volunteers will be happy to process your payment.
• Easy Tracking: View your course enrolment and payment history online at any time.
• Improved Communication: Stay in touch more easily with tutors and the committee.
• Update Details: Update your contact information whenever you like.
• Flexible Payments: Enjoy quicker, more convenient payment options, including online and card payments.
• Better Tools for Tutors: Tutors will be able to manage class lists, mark attendance, and email their groups with ease.
• Security: Member Wizard is hosted on secure Microsoft SQL servers right here in Australia, keeping your information protected.

We understand change can feel daunting, but support will be available if you need help. Thank you for being part of U3A Hervey Bay as we move to a smoother, more efficient system.

Have questions? Please email vice-president@u3aherveybay.net.  or call 0418 710 051