Saving Private Kununurra

CAPTION: BELOW: Members of the Rotary E-Club of Western Australia Kununurra wearing their striking new club shirts.

When the Rotary Club of Kununurra closed after 38 years of community service, an innovative partnership with the Rotary e-Club of Western Australia ensured its members, identity and spirit of service could continue.

Words Kero O’Shea.
Rotary E-Club of Western Australia.

When the Rotary Club of Kununurra, WA, voted to hand in its charter two years ago, it marked the end of 38 years of service woven deeply into the fabric of the East Kimberley community. For many locals, the decision felt like losing a familiar anchor – a group that had championed projects, supported families and helped shape the town’s civic spirit. Yet even in that moment of closure, a spark of determination remained.

Then President Natika Hawes-Wright was not ready to see Rotary disappear from Kununurra altogether. She reached out to then Assistant Governor Kero O’Shea, who also served as District Development Director for Rotary Western Australia, to explore whether some form of Rotary presence could be preserved. Together, they consulted then District Governor Ineke Oliver, who encouraged them to investigate every possible pathway and sponsored conversations with the remaining members. A handful expressed interest in staying connected to Rotary, but not enough to sustain a traditional satellite or companion club. The question became: If not a club, then what?

Kero turned to his own club, the Rotary e-Club of Western Australia (E-WA), and proposed an innovative solution. Instead of letting Rotary fade from Kununurra, the members who wished to continue could transfer into E-WA, while maintaining a dedicated Kununurra focus within its committee structure. It was a hybrid model that preserved identity without requiring a stand alone club.

Working closely with E-WA President Jeff Anderson and President Natika of Kununurra, Kero drafted a transition plan that blended tradition with flexibility. After detailed consultation between both clubs, an agreement was reached: those Kununurra members who wished to continue their Rotary journey would transfer to E-WA, along with residual club funds and the terms of this unique arrangement would be formally embedded into the E-WA bylaws. Even Kununurra’s honorary members were invited to continue, with Professor Bruce Livett among the first to accept.

Two years on, the results speak for themselves. The former Kununurra members have become an integral part of the broader E-WA family, contributing to projects, discussions and the evolving identity of the club. Initiatives to strengthen the sense of unity continue, including the creation of a striking new club shirt featuring the vast outback landscapes of Western Australia, a visual reminder of the club’s diversity and shared purpose.

Rotary in Kununurra may look different now, but it is very much alive. Through creativity, collaboration and a refusal to let history slip away, a small group ensured that the spirit of Rotary service in the East Kimberley continues its journey.

E-WA Rotary stands ready to rescue other clubs through mutually agreed transition plans (or individual Rotarians who need a more flexible option due to life changes).

For more information, contact Kero O’Shea via membershipvoice@gmail.com