NA02 International Women's Day 2023

Sixty-four VIEW Members and friends from Branxton, Muswellbrook Denman and as far away as Kuring-gai Club in Sydney attended a highly successful NA02 International Women’s Day luncheon at the Greta Workers Club.

It was a privilege to hear three inspirational local women speak about the paths their lives have taken and how their chosen careers have embraced equity and equality in what were once considered to be a male dominated domain.  

Chief Petty Officer Cath Harvey, who is now the Maritime Personnel Manager at HMAS Waterhen, spoke about her 29 year career in the Royal Australian Navy, which has been responsible for her seeing duty in many places including the China Sea and Suez Canal as well as serving in the land-locked country of Afghanistan when the R.A.N. was commissioned to assist NATO.  Her thought-provoking talk generated a very interesting Q and A session and much discussion afterwards.

Bronwyn Musgrove from Cessnock is the General Manager of the Hunter Plant Operators School (HPOTS). As a mature age student at Newcastle University, she took the opportunity to do an extra course that has enabled her to teach numeracy and literacy to adults – a skill she uses in her role at HPOTS where she frequently meets young men and women, who are disadvantaged because of having left school without being able to read. She made the comment that mine managers and other employers like employing female plant operators as they tend to treat the machinery more gently than the fellows!   

The third and final speaker for the day was the Reverend Amanda Brockwell who is the minister for the Branxton Greta Lochinvar Anglican Parish. She spoke about the changes she has noticed for women in the 21st Century. Women as Anglican ministers is still slow to occur in many parishes but their value is gradually bringing about a change in thinking.

It was a wonderful day with plenty of opportunity for fun and friendship that saw Voice, Interests and Education of Women in action.  A huge thank you to Branxton VIEW for organising such a great day.
The last word, however, must go to Christopher Robin via Bronwyn Musgrove and his advice to all women: You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think.