When Brian Bowen was DG from 1988 to 1989 he brought up the idea that Diamond Creek should have a Rotary Club. Again, in 1990 DG Maurice Denson mentioned to then Eltham President Bill Penna that he would like to see it proceed. Eltham set up an expansion committee with Bob Eycken as chairman and John McCrohan, Bruce Holland, Paul Gardner, Neil Marshall, Eric Johnson, Dave Sharman, Steve Barnwall, and Robin Chapple as members.
A list of potential members was drawn up and approaches made with an invitation to attend an interest meeting. The first was held on 1st September 1991 at the Royal Mail Hotel, Diamond Creek. Interest meetings continued into 1992 and a list of more than 30 possible members evolved.
The first meeting of the provisional club was held on 12th February 1992 at the Abbey Restaurant with the opening address by the DG’s special representative PP Bill Penna and guest speaker Mike Ramsay.
The Club was chartered on 3rd June 1992 with 27 members and the charter presented on 22nd August 1992 by Past Rotary International President Royce Abbey at an evening attended by 180 people. Four Eltham Rotary members transferred to Diamond Creek: John McCrohan (Charter President), Bob Eycken (Charter Director), Robin Chapple (Charter Secretary) and John Strauss.
I was able to extract the details given above from the Rotary Club of Diamond Creek Inc. publication Celebrating 20 years of Service.
