Australia & New Zealand Association Jakarta
2020 Yearbook Celebrating 50 years of ANZA
Part 1 of 2
Table of Contents
Part 1 History of ANZA ANZA Presidents ANZA Event Photos ANZA Life Member Stories A Tribute to ANZA House & ANZA Staff ANZA Alumni Stories
Part 2 2020 ANZA Member Stories A Tribute to ANZA Balls Stay in touch!
The first meeting took place in May 1970 at a house in Jl. Imam Bonjol, Menteng, which belonged to the Women’s International Club. There were about 25 ladies present and a decision was made to form an association named the Association of Australian Women in Jakarta (AAW). Rosemary Fisher, wife of the Qantas manager, who had been the instigator of the first meeting, was elected as the first President. A constitution was drawn up and a committee formed. The purpose of the group was to enable Australian women to meet socially and to raise funds for social welfare in Indonesia.
History of ANZA By Marilyn Ardipradja
Prior to May 1970 Australian women living in Jakarta met informally. There was an organization for Embassy wives called the Australian Women’s Committee, but an organization to help wives of Australian businessmen settle in to life in Jakarta was also needed.
In 1974 the name of AAW was changed to the Association of Australasian Women, thus including New Zealanders and Papua New Guineans living in Jakarta. In the early years meetings of AAW were usually held in private homes and later at Hotel Kemang. There was also a men’s group called the Australia New Zealand Association (ANZA), which had a similar purpose. In March 1982 ANZA felt that it no longer served the aims of its constitution and disbanded. It gave its name and funds to the women’s group and declared an interest in still helping to organize ANZA’s social functions. So AAW changed its name to ANZA or The Australia and New Zealand Association. ANZA’s official address was a post office box in Kebayoran Baru. Annual General Meetings of ANZA are held every March. Over the years the constitution of ANZA has been modified when needed and membership has been opened up to
women and men of any nationality. The positions of President and Vice President must be held by Australians or New Zealanders. Provision for honorary Life Membership was added to the constitution in September 1989. In the 1980s ANZA had approximately 150 members and meetings were held on the first Tuesday of the month at the Hilton Executive Club. As membership increased the venue was changed to the Ballroom of the Hilton Hotel, the Sahid Jaya Hotel, the Regent Hotel, and then the JW Marriott Hotel. By this time the general meetings, now called coffee mornings, were held on the last Tuesday of the month. Membership reached almost 800 in 1997, but fell drastically to less than one quarter of that number by mid-1998 due to the economic crisis and riots of May 1998. The ANZA Newsletter was initially a roneoed and stapled bulletin of about 10 to 12 pages published monthly. As it grew and took on advertising it became thicker and bound with tape. In 1991 the newsletter took on the name “Berita”, meaning News. In June 1997 “Berita” started to be printed by a printer with glossy paper and coloured photographs. “Berita” continued to be published 10 times a year until it became quarterly in 2007 as ANZA then had a website and more frequent communication took place by e-mail. In August 1994 the first ANZA House was opened in Jl. Puri Sakti I No 23b, Cipete, providing a venue for committee meetings, activities and weekly gatherings. ANZA House moved to larger premises at Jl. Kemang Raya in August 2003,
to Jl. Kemang V No 16 in 2009, then to its current location in Jl. Kemang Selatan V No 4 in 2015.
A big thank you to all the past ANZA Presidents Anne Maree Gray 2000 Betsy Dixon 2002 Carmel Gleeson 2015-6 Chris Nagel 2002 Catriona McDonald 2005-6 Emmaleen Murray 2018 Gillian Green 1999 Janine Spencer 2013 Julie van Laarhoven Lazzarini 1999 Kerryn Filmer 2019 Kelly Ginley 2008-9. 2014 Leanne Callaghan 2010-11 Lyn Kearney 1997 Netta Hankinson Nina Forbes Renee Clarke 2020 Rosie McLean Robin Erwin 1989 Sandy Moore 1997-8 Sue Bower 2007 Sue McDonald 2013 Tania Goodacre 2017 Yvonne Fogerty 2001 Zainam Kimmons 2012 and those not listed. Not to mention all the Social Welfare Directors, ANZA committee members, volunteers and supporters of ANZA. And to all those that have contributed to this Book!
Clockwise from top left: Moroccan cooking class 2020; Zumba class 2020; last playgroup of 2019; Painting Workshop 2020
Clockwise from top left: Melbourne Cup 2019 Raffles Table -L-R: Rachael Bayley, Karen Webb, Kerryn Filmer, Michelle McCarthy, Sarah Watson, Garry Anderson, Fran Catacouzinos; Melbourne Cup 2019; Pasar Murah team 2019 - L-R: Willem van Staden, Kerryn Filmer, Melissa Anderson, Mark Filmer, Hannele Roberts, Zani van Staden, Kim Polden, Sylvia Joachim, Rini Slamet; Under the Sea painting workshop 2019.
Clockwise from top left: Newcomers Morning Tea 2020; Santa visits ANZA 2019; Pasar Murah (pka Barang Barang) 2019 - Pasar Murah team (L-R): Zani van Staden, x, Sylvia Joachim, Fran Catacouzinos, x, Erin Palmer, x, Rini Slamet, ANZA Staff Nia, Louise Kennedy, ANZA Staff Usni, Erica Miller, Hannele Roberts & husband.
Clockwise from top left: 50th bootcamp session at ANZA 2018 : L-R top row: Melissa Anderson, Helen Watkins, Laura Kirchner, Monica Smith, Enaz Kamaruddin, Monica Salem, Callie Postage, Sandra MacDonald; L-R bottom row: Gabriella Sontodinomo, Tola Alabi, Adele Beuthe, Katherine Rule, Bonnie Kelly; 2018 Spice Workshop; 2018 Welcome Back BBQ; 2019 Bogan Bingo
Clockwise from top left: Playgroup Halloween party 2019, Christmas Lunch 2010, Audrey Hepburn Lunch 2012, Halloween drinks 2019
Left: Pot luck dinner 1996 Right: Cocktail Party 1996
ANZA outing July 1997
Far right - Gillian Green, wife of the NZ Ambassador & ANZA president at Melbourne Cup 1999 Left and middle - Lyn Kearney
Below: Melbourne Cup 1991
Far left: Melbourne Cup 1994, 1995 Left: Christmas Bazaar volunteers pre 2000 Below: Melbourne Cup 2000, 1998
ANZA Life Members 1. Marilyn Ardipradja 2. Ala Sulistyono (Deceased) 3. Judy Olsson 4. Janice Newman 5. Rhoda Pooley 6. Linda Dow 7. Lynette Kearney 8. Helen Schulz 9. Mavoureen Melville 10. Yvonne Fogarty 11. Lyn Pondaag 12. Liz Murt 13. Joy McLisky 14. Joan Martin 15. Clare Alexander 16. Noreen Seward 17. Gaye Applegate 18. Kelly Ginley 19. Amy Headifen 20. Niken Widyasari Powles 21. Louise Kennedy (2020 Member) 22. Zainam Kimmons 23. Sara Osman 24. Jan Bennett 25. Ann-Maree Thompson 26. David Goodbody 27. Gilly Weaver 28. Michelle McCarthy (2020 Member) 29. Renee Clarke (2020 Member) 30. Catherine Anderson
Marilyn Ardipradja 1982-2018 Currently in Melbourne Play Group (1982 – 1988) Social Welfare (1983 – 2018)
In the 1960s I studied Indonesian at the University of Melbourne and that’s where I met my husband Mustakim who came from Bandung, Indonesia to study Architecture. We were married in 1971 and moved to Jakarta the first time in 1972. After a couple of years back in Melbourne and travelling the world, four more years in Jakarta, then two years in Singapore, in April 1982 we returned again to Jakarta. By this time we had two little girls and I joined ANZA for them to attend the playgroup. Our son was born in Jakarta in 1984 and I continued in the playgroup with him. I also joined the Social Welfare committee where my language skills proved very useful. I have so many fond memories and have met so many wonderful people through ANZA that it’s
A family photo of my 72nd birthday celebration in September 2019. From the left standing: Jamie (Katie's partner), Katie (older daughter), Mayumi (Richard's wife) & standing on the right side granddaughter Alanna From the left sitting: Richard (son), me, Mus with grandson Miguel, Nina (second daughter) with baby Renata, Jay (Nina's husband). We're a mixed bunch - Jay is Filipino, Mayumi is Japanese. My three grandchildren are all from Nina & Jay.
hard to select the best. One very memorable experience is when Yvonne Fogarty and I organized a sale of crockery seconds donated by the Royal Doulton factory as a Social Welfare fundraiser. I was helping Yvonne arrange a very large amount of crockery that had been delivered to her house, when another friend walked in and said, “There’s another truck load just arriving in front of your house!” We took it all in our stride and just made the stacks higher and closer together, but they ended up filling several rooms of Yvonne’s house. They were not there for too long, however, as once the sale commenced the dinner sets were extremely popular due to their great price – and we raised a lot of money for our Social Welfare projects! Although I was working part-time during my years in Jakarta, ANZA has been a huge part of my life and I was honoured to have been awarded as the first Honorary Life Member in 1987. My 30 years of service to ANZA was also commemorated in April 2013. After selling our house in Jakarta and retiring from my job, Mus and I left
Marilyn (right) helping out at 1988 Christmas Bazaar
Jakarta in May 2018 and moved to Melbourne to be close to our three children and three grandchildren. Life in retirement in Melbourne is relatively quiet, especially as we spent several months in strict lockdown this year, but also very enjoyable.
What do I miss most? My household helpers!!
Left: Marilyn was honoured for 30 years of service on 12th April 2013 Right Top: Christmas Bazaar Tombola 1994 Right Bottom: Christmas Bazaar Tombola 2000
Janice Newman 1986-2002 Currently in Canberra Social Welfare Chairperson 1987-1990; continued on the committee as coordinator for Yayasan Bina Bhakti. By 1994 membership of the committee had grown so I suggested I might step back a bit – at the next meeting I was farewelled. OOPS! I returned to the committee in 1998 following a decrease in membership during that politically tumultuous time. Managed the White Elephant stall for many years. Christmas Puddings – there were annual working bees to measure out and package ingredients for Christmas cakes and steamed puddings, then ANZA members would take these to cook for the later sale of goods. On finding that many of the prepared puddings returned to us in a soggy state ☺, one other member and I decided to cook all the puddings ourselves. For
Left to Right: Janice with Sister Rina at Bina Bhakti on 4 October 1992, the day the 40th anniversary of her consecration as a Medical Mission Sister was celebrated.
many years my house- helper and I prepared 26 puddings. Highlights • the privilege of being honoured with
ANZA Life Membership.
• being introduced to Social Welfare by
two amazing ladies, Marilyn Ardipradja and Ala Sulistyono. • friendship with two wonderful Dutch
nuns and involvement in their projects - Sister Rina Ruigrok who established a lovely home for the aged, Yayasan Bina Bhakti, in the then rural area of Babakan, and Sister Andre Lemmers
An ANZA reunion in Melbourne in March 1993. Back row L to R: Catriona McDonald, Libby Hart, Robyn Edwards, Margaret Hogarth, Wendy Grumley. Front row L to R: Pat McLaws, Rose Bennett, Janice Newman, Rosie McLean
Post Jakarta -
of Yayasan Sinar Pelangi in Jatikramat, particularly, as I was a speech therapist, in her cleft palate clinic. • a major accomplishment of those
years with Social Welfare was
assisting in the provision of approximately 25 Community Mandis (bathroom, toilet and laundry facilities) in slum areas of Jakarta, each one giving opportunity to improve the health of at least 250 people.
Having educated our three daughters at JIS, they too sought opportunities to serve overseas. Consequently we spend much of our retirement visiting them and our grandchildren in countries around the globe. They now live in the UK, Senegal and Vietnam – though also have lived in Germany, China, Cambodia, Kenya and The Gambia. Visits this year have been postponed for obvious reasons! I am still involved in social welfare activities. It is great to know that ANZA Jakarta continues to thrive.
Site for our 2nd community mandi, for approx 300 people, with its existing toilet over the village black stagnant water supply, surrounded by rubbish and pecking chickens. November 1991
The opening of the new Community Mandi in that same village in February 1992
Sister Rina Ruigrok at the opening of Bina Bhakti Home for the Aged on 11 June 1988, receiving the ANZA plaque which read “The Australian and New Zealand communities in Jakarta contributed towards the cost of this building in Celebration of the Australian Bicentennial Year 1988.�
Sister Andre Lemmers (right) at the newly opened site of Yayasan Sinar Pelangi in Jati Kramat
I remember being on boiling duty all day making them as part of the team - Sandra Hall
ANZA Plum pudding recipe from the 1990s - shared by Jackie Buchanan
Rhoda Pooley 1988-1994 Currently in Jamberoo, NSW I am happy to help you look at 50 years with ANZA. In many ways these six years changed my life forever - after nine months in Jakarta we lost our son Matthew in a motor bike accident. Then my father died in June and my mother in September. You might well ask how I coped? Really being a member of ANZA was a great help and I knew I had to get busy so that I had no time to mope. It would have been so easy to become a shopaholic or an alcoholic but being in ANZA was the best solution and I became Social Welfare Coordinator with the best team of ladies in the world. I had a monthly meeting at home where we made decisions about where our money should go. In lots of ways we felt giving goods, like oil and rice, was better than giving money. We assisted child carers and made simple instruments and help was given to the
blind, hearing impaired, orphans, the elderly and many other handicaps. However, the most important thing we did was to build community mandis. A delightful lady called Ibu Radiono wrote us a letter asking for our help - she would find the foreman and the workers if we provided the cash. It was very exciting to be present at the opening of that first mandi and I think before I left there were seven more, one being supported by students at the International School. These mandis were community places where mothers could meet to do their washing and get clean water.
Rhoda (right) visiting Karen Courteney in Germany in 2019. They had both worked together at Wisma Cheshire every Monday whilst they were in Jakarta. Rhoda was 80 when the photo was taken and had her 50th birthday in Jakarta.
Carol Flood, who was the Australian ambassador's wife, came to visit that first mandi before she left and she also witnessed a Pusaka doing wonderful work preparing food for the elderly every day. Six years is a long time in Jakarta but it sure changed me as a person - I left
knowing much more about myself and minus a husband but I only have happy memories and am very grateful to have helped so many people as well as seeing the seedier side of life in Jakarta. All that I did was in my son's glory and he too would have been happy about my activities.
and young people who were often hidden way from others in their villages out of embarrassment due to their condition. In the early days, Australian Doctor David David from Adelaide performed the operations and later he trained local doctors to take over. The transportation and accommodation to and from Citra Baru was paid for under the sponsorship scheme. The more complicated operations were sent to Adelaide.
Yvonne Fogarty 1990-2002 Currently in Hobart, Tasmania Graham and I were transferred to Jakarta in November 1990 along with our two fur kids. I met Marilyn Ardipradja and we became friends when I went to my first ANZA monthly meeting in Sahid Jaya Hotel’s ballroom. Marilyn was in charge of the children’s schooling sponsorship and to this day we still sponsor two children. ANZA members became our extended family. I joined the Social Welfare group and took on co-ordinating fund raising events with Marilyn helping me with many of the projects e.g. Tombola at the Christmas bazaar every year, and one year the prizes and freebie gifts exceeded 3000 items; organised and sold from our home Royal Doulton crockery which exceeded over 37,000 items, all stacked up in rooms and passageways in our home. The large amount of money raised built 7 toilet blocks in villages around Jakarta. The ANZA cookbook was another project I co-ordinated along with a wonderful
team of ladies. Getting involved helped not only change the lives of hundreds of Indonesian families, but it changed our lives too. One of the most heartfelt projects Graham and I started up was the ANZA Medical Sponsorship scheme. This came about during a Social welfare meeting when Susan Wasaha was telling everyone about one of the young men at Panti Paraplegia needing an operation. We personally paid for the operation. Later, I found out that there is a halfway house called Citra Baru* in need of funds to pay for operations for the various facial deformities in children
I was honoured to receive a Life Membership in 1999 prior to leaving Jakarta in 2002 when we were transferred to Thailand for two years. We returned to Perth WA before retiring to Hobart in 2010. My time in Jakarta was deeply enriching and personally rewarding and we are both better people for having had the experience of being associated with such a wonderful organisation.
*ANZA Medical Sponsorship continues to partner with Citra Baru in 2020!
Liz Murt 1999-2003 From England Currently in Houston, Texas
I was on the Social Welfare Committee looking after ABAS in Bogor, an orphanage run by Sister Maria Rosa (who I still have communications with at Christmas), and also Friends of Panti Paraplegia in Pondak Bambu. Being a trained registered nurse, I was also the ANZA representative at Citra Baru, in Kemang, which was an organization housing families whose children required surgery for hair-lip and cleft palate. I also helped with the ANZA Bazaars, selling tables to vendors and generally coordinating on the day, also a committee member for the always fun day of the Melbourne Cup horse race. During my time in Jakarta, Friday night fun BBQ’s and quiz nights were always a good time for our husbands to meet. After Jakarta we moved to Perth in Western Australia where we stayed for
Left to right: Coral Sanford, Yvonne Fogarty, Meg (not ANZA), Sharon Graefe, Pat (not ANZA), Liz Murt and Mavourneen Melville
16-years before moving to Houston, Texas in 2019. Whilst in Perth we kept in touch with Australian members of ANZA, namely Mavourneen Melville, Sharon Graefe, Coral Sanford and Yvonne Fogarty. Our daughter, Sarah Barnett, was also in Jakarta with her family from 2010-2013 she was also a member of
ANZA and we had frequent visits to Jakarta from Australia. I would always call into ANZA House to catch up.
Noreen Seward 2004-2009 From Ireland Currently living in UK I served on the Social Welfare Committee in ANZA and was Coordinator of two main projects - The University Sponsorship program and the Medical Sponsorship Program funding Harelip and Cleft Palate Operations. I was also involved in helping out on other projects where needed. I was honoured with a Life Member of ANZA before my departure. Post Indonesia, we moved to Sydney for one year - then onto Pakistan for five years - Istanbul for two years and Dubai for three years. During these years I spent much of my time commuting back and forth to our homes in the UK and in Ireland. Throughout my time in Indonesia, ANZA became my second home. The Social Welfare Committee was the best committee I have ever been involved with, working with truly selfless people who worked for a common purpose - to
better the lives of those less fortunate than us.
got stuck under the walkway. Someone of course jumped in to rescue him.
My memories of ANZA are very special. During the troubles when Hotels were at risk due to terrorism, I hosted the Melbourne Cup at our house in Pondok Indah which became the ‘party house’. We had erected a walkway across the swimming pool for our fashion parade and during the celebrations our beautiful dog Biscuit jumped into the pool and
Through ANZA I met some very special people from all over the world. The support this organisation gives to people arriving to a new place and new culture is immense and I am truly grateful to all the people who continue to make this happen. I wish ANZA the very best for the future.
Bajai. (To be honest it was kept secret, as we hadn’t been able to find a venue until the last minute).
Kelly Ginley 2001-2015 Currently in New Zealand
Next came Melbourne Cup Coordinator and Ball coordinator. I think my party girl reputation was building. We had some fabulous days at Melbourne Cup and the ANZA Balls were among the best. Lots of work but worth it.
Hi. Let me reintroduce myself to the current ANZA members, as ANZA Jakarta was a huge part of my life from 2001-2015. There were lots of great times scattered with a few bad times of bombings and losing friends but it just made ANZA more valuable. I remember joining ANZA on arrival in Jakarta in 2001 and to help make friends I immediately volunteered in the money counting room. Pregnant with my first child I remember feeling the first kick in this room. LOL it was great having so many supportive women while being away from family and friends. I soon met some lovely young women that became my BFFs and maybe you could say “Partners in Crime” (Sara and Anne-Marie). ANZA in these years was just one big party (also with a very large Social Welfare side). ANZA attracted a great bunch of ladies and we all just clicked.
House event coordinators Kelly and Anne-Marie at Tropical Night.
I soon moved on to other roles and with my friend Anne-Marie Patterson we took on the House Functions role. Party time! Anyone that knows me knows I love a bit of dress up, so each month we organised a fancy dress themed party at ANZA House. Tropical Night, ABBA, Army, Western, Casino, Scavenger hunts, just to name a few. Those were some fun nights and not forgetting Usni, Bianto and Fiki and all our drivers helping behind the scenes. I do remember a surprise venue Xmas party we organized and kept the venue secret right until the guests arrived by
I also did a short stint, as Berita Editor when the magazine looked like it would fold. Big learning curve and great way to get new skills in graphic design while on the job. Where to next? Vice President with Sue Bowra and after seeing how it al worked why not put my hand up for President? Geeezzzz memories are fading now but I think I was president for approximately 4 years before passing on the baton but taking the president role on later again. During that time the New Zealand flag was always placed above the Australian at ANZA House. Seriously I loved being involved with ANZA. I was honored with life membership in 2010 and it really was an honor.
Clockwise from top left: ANZA enchanted evening ball, Melbourne Cup (Esti McMillian, Kelly Ginley, Kimberley Horan), Priscilla Queen of the Desert Ball (Kelly & Eamon Ginley and guest transgender model)
I met some beautiful friends and we also continued our party girl ways with our Girl’s Night Out Salsa dancing each Thursday night. Sara Osman and I often enjoyed Usni’s toasted sandwiches on a Friday as a great hang over cure. It does sound like a bit of a boozy existence, but boy did we have fun. I hope that Jakarta today is still that fun city. I enjoyed the expat life (even the traffic as what can you do?) I loved that you could pop into ANZA House any day and see a friendly face for a chat or put the call out “Who wants to do lunch? And have a dozen friends roll up” As I said there were a few bad times but us Kiwis and Aussies are very resilient. I was proud to feel like part of the ANZA Staff’s family and being right there when Bianto passed away. Seeing Fiki grow up, get married and have a baby. Usni hasn’t changed and I hope her scones are still famous. My advice to any expats is get involved and you will make life long friends. I did. Too many to name but they know who they are. Enjoy the lifestyle. Get a maid
Wild West House Function the three amigos (Sara Osman, Kelly Ginley and Anne-Marie Patterson)
Wild West house function (Kelly Ginley & Fraser Martin)
Clockwise from top left: Annual Coca Cola scavenger Hunt, ABBA night ANZA (Sara and Kelly), ANZA XMAS lunch, Scavenger Hunt (Kamal and Sara Osman, Alanna Bath centre and Kelly Ginley front), Outrageous Fortunes Casino night.
or nanny and enjoy it. If anyone invites you to anything go! Otherwise you’re the one missing out. Don’t look back after going back to the “Real World” and say, ”I wished I did this.” Things like traffic you can’t change so enjoy it. Relax in your car. Our family moved back to small town New Zealand in early 2015 (I think) and are enjoying gumboots instead of heels on our lifestyle block. My two boys who
grew up from 0-12 in Jakarta still have memories of crazy ANZA women crashing our house after Xmas lunch or the house being taken over for an ANZA party or two (or three or four). One is now off to University in Christchurch next year and one off to boarding school so I have accumulated lots of cuddly animals to compensate. A very different life but I will always remember what ANZA Jakarta did for me!
2008 ANZA ICE Ball, including ice bar.
Niken Widyasari Powles 1999-2014 Currently in Wallabi Point, NSW I am an Indonesian. I joined the Social Welfare team for the Cipayung orphanage. Enjoyed joining ANZA since the minute I walked onto the premises of ANZA (thanks to my friend Carol Armitage) who took me there, to make friends with all different nationalities and also enjoyed the social welfare activities, visiting the orphanage regularly every week, also enjoyed helping with the annual ANZA bazaars. But on the other hand, I also enjoyed the fun ANZA activities as well, such as the ANZA Ball, playing mahjong, golf etc with friends whom I met through ANZA. I did enjoy all activities at ANZA. The best thing and reward for me was that I met my current husband (Robert Powles) at ANZA as well, as he joined the social welfare "medical sponsorship"
Attached some pictures that I found at ANZA activities (batik fashion show, ANZA xmas luncheon and Melbourne Cup)
and as the handyman during his extra time when he didn't surf, thanks to ANZA. A year after we met, we got married, and later we left Jakarta for Australia. Still missing all the memories at ANZA, coffee morning, bazaars, balls or luncheons. Other good thing is that I am still friends with those I met at ANZA up to now.
Zainam Kimmons 2005-2016 Currently in NSW, Australia We lived in Jakarta from 2005 until 2016 and are now back in NSW Australia. Loved our time there, people were so friendly and we had a fabulous social life. I started with ANZA social welfare firstly running the second hand goods section and Barang Barang. Then I was project coordinator for the Thursday Orphanage group. I then joined the ANZA main committee as Bazaar coordinator, I did that for a few years then became Vice President and then President in 2012. During my time at ANZA I also worked on the front desk. I am glad that I was introduced to ANZA a few months after arriving in Jakarta, I had a warm welcome from the ladies there and was able to get some great advice on living in Indonesia. ANZA was a life line for me especially as I was coming from working full time to having so much free time on my hands. I met lots of lovely people through ANZA and quite a few life long friends.
Zainam (third from right) with the last group of Crackers ladies.
At Army Night ANZA House event with Kelly Ginley
Sara Osman 2001-2002, 2006-2015 Currently in Singapore
We are from Perth WA and were lucky to enjoy our first expat experience as a newly married couple. We returned to Perth and returned in 2006 with 2 small children. To my surprise, Kelly Ginley was still living in Jakarta and had similar age children. Thats when the fun started. The next 9 years were the best years ever. The friendships, the balls, the bazaars, dress up functions were great. I was involved with front desk, money counting and as a function helper. I loved working with the amazing and passionate social welfare committee and was a coordinator for a few pusakas. I loved visiting once a month and seeing the happy smiles of the people in the kampung. The sayap Ibu playgroup every Tuesday was definitely a highlight too. Seeing the
Sara, Kamal, Sofia and Zac Osman
excitement of the children made it all worthwhile. I will never forget the beautiful Indonesian people and all the amazing friendships I made over the years. I cherish the wonderful memories.
Thank you ANZA for giving me and my family so much over the years. You will remain in my memory forever. Thank you to all the amazing volunteers and wonderful ANZA staff who keep ANZA going strong. Happy 50th anniversary ANZA
Melbourne Cup 2009 at Noreen Seward’s House
Mavoureen Melville Currently in Perth
Helen Schulz 1993-2002 Currently in Adelaide
Lyn Kearney Currently in Queensland
Jan Bennett 2007-2016 Currently in Adelaide l loved ANZA and being on the committee. Made wonderful friends from all over the world. We still keep in contact and go on holidays together.
Lyn Kearney (far left) with Marcia and Gerry Buist, Louise Turnell, Peter Kearney and Wendy Grezl in Dec 2020.
Ann-Maree Thompson 2009-2018 Currently in Queensland Social welfare committee 2010-2018 Past Officer 2015-2018
ANZA House was one of the first places I visited when I arrived in Jakarta. Over my time there, we had 3 different ANZA houses all with their own wonderful set of memories.
hangovers being part of the ongoing organizational cycle of: Anzac/ Waitangi Day, mid year bazaar, quiz nights, ANZA Ball, Melbourne Cup, Xmas lunch, end of year bazaar.. Life was never dull.
ANZA helped structure my life in Jakarta and introduced me to many wonderful people - through membership, social welfare projects and other community involvement. The years’ social activities were widely defined by ANZA and I had many years and way too many
There was always a sense of fun, mateship and support at ANZA and I have seen many culture shocked new mums walk into Wednesday playgroup with babies and walk out with lifelong friends.
I remember countless toasted sandwiches and scones on Fridays from Usni’s cafe and the never ending pile of donated clothes in the garage waiting for the outrageously popular ANZA Pasar Murah. I really enjoyed Jakarta and being an active ANZA member contributed greatly to that.
My fondest memories probably involve setting up for functions - running around hotels at midnight trying to place a life size styrofoam horse on a stage or hang a trapeze from a fake tree or glue lollipops into pots !! Those nights , although long always gave rise to hilarity and great stories!! There is not much of that sort of nonsense here in Brisbane and I do miss it. My advice to anyone moving to Jakarta is to join ANZA, get involved and enjoy it. The time goes by far too quickly.
David Goodbody 2000-2004, 2013-2018 Currently in Canberra I was Co-director of Social Welfare from late 2014 to late 2018 and general member of SW during the earlier periods. For much of my time at ANZA, I was 'the token boy’ occasionally joined by one or two others. I was sorry not to have encouraged more into the fold as ANZA provided me with wonderful friendships, support and opportunities as a non-working spouse in Jakarta.
David at Prohibition Ball 2017 with Social Welfare Co-director Gilly Weaver.
Gilly Weaver 2012-2018 Currently in Melbourne I arrived in Jakarta in 2012 and more or less fell into ANZA and the role of Social Welfare (SW) Co-Director a few weeks later. After which followed over five years of wonderful friendships, fun, adventure, and humbling and rewarding experiences meeting and working with people in the projects. A typical day would start with a quick trip into Kemang to ANZA House – now I have clearly been away from Jakarta for a few years as there’s no such thing as a quick trip there! But…the friendly faces on arrival made the journey a blur and a coffee plus a freshly made ANZAC biscuit from Usni’s café with friends set me up for the day. Next I’d either be attending an SW meeting or picking up ANZA funding and donated goods from our ever generous members to take out to one of our projects with a colleague. This is where the ‘adventure’ starts as most projects are situated down narrow
Granny Gilly and Willa enjoying cooking together.
alleyways off unnamed roads and you follow a maze of smaller and smaller alleyways on foot that are barely wide enough for a motorbike until you find the school, orphanage or Pusaka (local community kitchen) and a cheery smiley welcome that is the trade mark of Indonesians, no matter how disadvantaged their circumstances. On one major SW project rebuilding a
school, a cement pipe wound its way along 200 meters of these alleyways from the main road pumping in the cement for the new roof! I have now swapped my role at ANZA for an equally busy and fun one in Melbourne working in a local school and loving being Granny Gilly (‘GG’) to our three gorgeous grandchildren, one of
whom is due to move to Jakarta as soon as Covid settles so I’ll be back for visits! Keep up the good work ANZA and keep that friendly smiling welcome as newcomers walk through the door of ANZA House in search of a productive and fun way to live the life of a trailing spouse in Jakarta. From Left to Right: Pusaka 22 receiving Lebaran bonus gift bags. Snack time at Nurani Insani School. Delivering computers donated by Australian Embassy to Parapattan Orphanage.
Catherine Anderson 2013-2019 Currently in New Zealand Membership coordinator Sayap Ibu Playgroup
From top left clockwise: Catherine with Renee Clarke and house staff, Nia, Usni and Eko on their way to Catherine’s farewell visit to Sayap Ibu Orphanage in 2019; Catherine with first grandchild Fergus born in December 2020; at Circus Ball 2016
5 year anniversary party for the original ANZA House - Shared by Diane Ross
A Tribute to ANZA House Home is where the heart is.
Jl Puri Sakti I No. 23B ANZA House 1994 - 2003
Photos from 1997-1999
Coffee morning at Puri Sakti ANZA House 1998
Jl Kemang V No 16 ANZA House 2009-2015
Jl Kemang Selatan V No ANZA House 2015-2020
ANZA House Staff Our amazing house staff keep everything ticking smoothly.
Clockwise from top: Bianto & Usni. Nia, Usni & Eko 2020. Usni, temp staff, Nia, & Piki 2009;
ANZA Alumni Sally Fay 1994-1997 Anne Lunnay 1995-2000 Nicole Marzola 1995-1999 Christine Gunadi 1992-1998 Robyn Davis 2010-2016 Irene Jacobs 1993 to 1998 Avril Herdon 2009-2015 Sarah-Jane Wagg 1990-1992; 1998-2010 Helen Yapp 1995-1998 Lewis Turner 1987-2004 Jenny Hayford 1990-1999 Annie Landreth 2009-2011 Norma Jones 1997-2012 Dianne Marshall 1986-1993 Cara Nowell 1988-1997 Susan Reid 2000-2002 Louise Smart 1998 Vanessa Kemp 1984-1989 Chris Nagel Heather Rooney 1997-1999 Carmel Gleeson 2014-2017 Donna McMillan 2009-2012 Alison Gee 2017-2018 Tracey Wagstaff 2014-2017 Tania Goodacre 2015-2018 Libby Longuet-Higgins 1986, 1991-1994, 2012-2015 Belinda Bradbury-Walsh 2014-2015 Bonnie Kelly 2014-2018 Fiona Li 2015-2017 Gary Anderson 2019
Sally Fay 1994 - 1997 Currently in Perth, Western Australia
We came back to Perth convinced we would return to Jakarta. When that didn't happen, we travelled a lot for work...in Television but never as expats. The closest we got was 5 weeks living in a burnt out hotel in East Timor after the Indonesians pulled out. We went in with the navy and provided satellite services for the world's media there. A fond memory of my time at ANZA would be the husband being helpful putting glad wrap on my cooling lemon meringue pies while I was in the shower, that I'd made for an ANZA morning tea. Needless to say the meringue stuck to it all and looked a bit sparse... could've killed him...mainly because I had no eggs left! I still bring that up to this day! The best memories are all the friends we made and that are still our friends today all because of ANZA
Left to right: Heather Rooney, Sally Fay, Glenda Mangan, Nicole Taggart
Anne Lunnay 1995-1997 & 1998-2000 Currently in Melbourne My husband Chris and I first spent two and a half years in Jakarta living in Pondok Indah, so nice and close to ANZA House. We arrived in Jakarta on 1st April 1995 and left December 1997. In June 1995 our daughter, Leanne, joined us. Leanne attended the Jakarta International School, graduating year 12, having completed the International Baccalaureate Diploma. We then returned to Jakarta the following March, just prior to the riots, which saw us evacuated to Singapore and later Australia. Chris returned a month later and I followed two months later. We spent three further years in Jakarta, leaving December 2000. ANZA house was so important to me, helping me to settle in, meet new people and make great friends and learn new skills. Friday coffee mornings were the best. I loved the monthly meetings held in the various hotels, the bazaars and special events like the AFL Grand
Chris, Leanne & Anne (Left) from first posting, (Right) from now.
Final, Melbourne Cup and Balls and outings to a tea plantation, various markets, learning to play Mahjong and helping to pack cards. Such great memories of our time in Jakarta and in particular my involvement with such a wonderful group.
Nicole Marzola 1995-1999 From Switzerland Currently in Singapore I was involved in: • Panti Paraplegia (packing, visiting and
sales on bazaars) • Puncak walk (organiser once a month)
Too many funny stories to tell! I am forever grateful that I was able to join ANZA in Jakarta as a non Australian/New Zealander. ANZA house was my second home during my time in Jakarta, always open, always welcoming, made friends for life :)
Left: Puncak Trip Right & Bottom: My farewell visit to Panti Paraplegia in 1999
ANZA Melbourne Cup and Fashion show at event 1997-1999
Christine Gunadi 1992-1998 Currently living in Sydney Originally from Indonesia, I have been an Australian citizen for the past 33 years. My family and I lived in Jakarta from 1992-1998, the kids went to JIS, Jakarta International School. And from 1992-1998 I was very involved with ANZA, however I still go to Jakarta at least twice a year on holidays/ visiting family and visit ANZA House from time to time.
• Help Social Welfare group
I was in Jakarta in February this year before the pandemic.
• Help translating, including the bilingual
While I was at ANZA, I was involved in the following:
• Help organizing Melbourne Cups
• Assistant Vice President and in charge
of Bazaars • Help interviewing and hiring ANZA
house staff • Joined Mahjong Group
ANZA cookbook
My fond memory of ANZA is meeting so many friends while in Jakarta with whom I still keep in touch with. They are from all over Australia and around the world.
Robyn Davis (formerly Curham) 2010-2016 From: Auckland, NZ Currently in Brisbane, Australia
social welfare programs. I was in Jakarta for the 40th anniversary, and now here we are celebrating 50 years. Well done ANZA!
Sponsorship Director 2011-2013 Treasurer 2013-2015 Assistant Treasurer 2015-2016 Looking back, ANZA and our life generally in Jakarta was a fantastic experience. I feel as though we only came to appreciate how amazing the experience was once we had left. ANZA certainly made the adjustment to living in a totally different country and culture so much easier. It was wonderful to have a purpose by becoming involved, and also to have somewhere to go to have a social life and meet people when we were new in Jakarta. We absolutely loved all the big events the annual Ball, Melbourne Cup, and all the other fundraising functions - hard work, for a worthwhile cause, and a load of fun at the same time. I enjoy being able to follow ANZA’s progress via newsletters and Facebook, and to see it continue to do good work through it’s
‘Priscilla’ Ball Committee, bottom right: Melbourne Cup raffle sales
Irene Jacobs 1993 to 1998 Currently in North Brisbane
an open mind taking advantage of any opportunities that arose. A flight, minibus and ferry and we were on the Island of Madura for a trip to the Bull Races with a group of 10. Locals were impressed by the one male in our group, some believing that we were all his wives.
My memories of a trip arranged through ANZA:
Cockroaches in Madura One of the things I loved about being part of ANZA was being able to explore as part of a group and have an abundance of experiences on trips that were arranged. When we would travel, we would have a minibus and local guide and just go with an attitude of being flexible and keeping
Madura bull races
Hotels were extremely basic in Madura at that time. I was sharing a room with Lyn Kearney and as I was brushing my teeth there was a shriek from the next room. Lyn was having a “mandi� and to
her horror as I was brushing my teeth I was spitting on her feet. The plumbing for the handbasin was a hose running into the room with the mandi. There may have been a shortage of plumbing but there was no shortage of cockroaches. For entertainment we were betting on them running up the walls. Our own version of cockroach races. We just loved to explore and as we were on our way to the races, we could see that something was happening. There were a lot of people gathering, so our minibus driver went and checked it out. This was a gathering for a wedding, and we were all extended an invitation. When we arrived, we notice very quickly that the men and the women were segregated, but we ended up with the men.
Welfare Committee. Partying way too much. Is Jaya Pub still there? Left to right - Madura explorers, Madura wedding lotus, Madura wedding guests.
The groom was a boy of 14 sitting in a lit-up Lotus flower waiting for his 12year-old bride to arrive on horseback. We were entertained by dancers and we were given lots of food to eat it. This was an amazing experience, but we had to leave for the races before the bride arrived. The bull races are something worth seeing. Bulls were adorned in colourful harnesses. People were everywhere. The sounds the smells it was a carnival atmosphere. There was brutality towards the animals though, as riders hit them with a piece
of wood studded with sharp nails to make them run. When we arrived, we were invited into the governor's enclosure to watch the races. Quite an honour. That was nice, to be there with the officials, but some of us popped out from time to time to the public area so we could get the real feel of what was going on with all the people. It was an incredible few days and I thoroughly enjoyed that trip. I loved being part of ANZA. The coffee mornings and BBQ’s and volunteering at ANZA house. Being part of the Social
ANZA has been a wonderful support to so many of us and I am happy that I experienced that. Wonderful times with special people. I live in the north of Brisbane in Narangba. I love to help couples have marriage ceremonies and wedding days aligned with their values. During the years I spent in Jakarta I was able to go to a lot of celebrations. I think it was having those experiences which inspired me to ditch accountancy and becoming a Marriage Celebrant and Wedding Planner instead. I'd love to come back and explore Jakarta again one day.
Avril Herdon 2009-2015 Currently in Toowoomba, Queensland We had only been in Jakarta a week when the 2009 bombings occurred on 17th July. We were staying at the (famous) Krystle Hotel. I had told my parents in the UK that we were staying in a hotel in Jakarta but they did not know which one. I had to wait about seven hours before I could phone them (owing to the time difference) to tell them that we were safe; all the time watching the unfolding tragedy on TV. Later that morning I went to the ANZA House for lunch where the mood was incredibly sombre. Just six weeks later, Jakarta was rattled by an earthquake. By this time we were installed in a house which shook so noisily. Coming outside, I discovered my neighbours all standing around. My daughter was on her way home from Bintaro on the school bus and we just prayed that the bus would not be caught up in any earthquake damage.
One year we had some bad flooding just near our home in Pejaten Barat. Our driver had no quarms about just driving through the water even though it almost covered the wheels of our four wheel drive vehicle. Our second home in Jakarta was in Cipete just a stone's throw from the renowned massage parlour (Puri Santi) we would walk up there at the weekends to enjoy some pampering. The odd person walking down the street completely naked; my gardener offering to ojek me here and there, day trips out to Puncak, the Museum volunteers group and the wonderful Heritage discussion groups and lectures. These were a few of my favourite things … I remember my time in Jakarta with much happiness. Having spent so much time in macet just looking out of the window, I still feel so much admiration for the Indonesian people and their never ending resourcefulness. I too cannot forget Ibu Usni (of ANZA Cafe fame) - her constant smile and those of her family and associates who helped behind the scenes. I still tell people
about the ojek system and how it worked; and how if you needed a "joki" you could simply pick one up on your way into the city centre! I am privileged to have been able to experience the wonders of living in Indonesia. Much love to you all
Sarah-Jane Wagg (SJ) 1990-1992, 1998-2010 Currently in Kenton-on-Sea, South Africa
I had the pleasure of being the ANZA Director of Social Welfare (1998-2000). I stepped down from my position at ANZA in early 2000 to go back to work
in the city as the President Director of UBS. I spent over 35 years working in finance, but it was my time running ANZA social welfare, with an amazing group of ladies, that was the most rewarding. In particular the difference ANZA was able to make within communities, at the time of the Asian Crisis, when the need was so great. As the crisis eased ANZA started empowering individuals into sustainable businesses, chicken farming is the one I recall best. I will never forget the picture we were sent of an elderly very skinny gentleman who started up chicken farming (we provided the initial seed capital) and was so successful that he bought a cow! In 2010 UBS transferred me to South Africa as Country head for their Sub Saharan African business. I subsequently joined Macquarie in 2012. One of the key things I have been able to achieve whilst holding these roles is to drive female empowerment in the finance industry by sponsoring women across the globe to reach their rightful positions.
In 2019 I retired from finance to follow my other passions, organizing private wellness retreats and teaching yoga. In late 2019 I opened two businesses; Kenton Yoga and Kuda Lari Wellness. As a yoga teacher I am dedicated to helping others achieve balance and wellness through the practice of yoga, which I used for many years to keep a balanced life whilst working and overcoming some chronic health issues. Having spent over half my life in Asia, I couldn't resist bringing the food of my youth to Kenton, and in July 2020 I was involved in the establishment of a restaurant here, Kenton Asian. My other great passion is equestrian sports and I ride daily joined by much loved doggies! I am blessed to have three gorgeous daughters, who all have loving partners and this year my first granddaughter was born.
Helen Yapp 1995-1998 Currently in Canberra Graham and I lived in Jakarta from 1995 - 98, a tumultuous time that included the Asian Financial Crisis and Suharto’s removal from power. Our younger daughter completed her schooling at JIS, but we all left with an education! On arriving, we were introduced to ANZA almost immediately. How grateful I was, and am, for the warm friendship I found, and advice from experienced expats. Many of the friends made during those years are good friends still. I enjoyed particularly the monthly Puncak walks - a welcome reprieve from oppressively urban Jakarta - coffee mornings, helping with the ANZA Cookbook and the famous Melbourne Cup Day extravaganzas. Wonderful! Since returning to Australia, life has been full. We reconnected with our Canberra community, in particular. Graham worked for a few more years.
He established a beautiful garden, grandchildren arrived … and we travelled whenever possible. We discovered pilgrimages. Europe is a network of ancient routes walked by traders, armies, bureaucrats and pilgrims. It has been our joy to follow as many of these as we can; Canterbury to Rome, and many of the Ways to Santiago in Spain. Until Covid, that is!
We fervently hope there will be the opportunity for more.
Lewis Turner 1987-2004 As a member of the Lane Moving & Storage team, each year I would be involved in helping to put together the backdrops for ANZA’s various events, including the Melbourne Cup. I recall one year sitting with the organising committee as they struggled to come up with a new backdrop concept for the fashion show. I then came up with the idea of having the starting gates painted onto the screen and rather than having the models enter the stage from behind the screen to the left and right, I said we could make three of the starting gates operational using hinges that swung back and forth and returned to centre. So the models came out onto the catwalk thru the starting gates and strutted their stuff and returned back stage thru the same openings. But one poor lady got flustered on her return and tried to open a nonfunctioning gate. The one she needed was to the left, but she went right and
kept going as she tried to open nonfunctioning gates with the audience realising her predicament and calling to her to go left.... They were fun times indeed and I was the lucky winner of two return tickets to Oz & NZ at the 25th anniversary event held at the Borobudur Hotel Kintamani Gardens in 1995.
I was also your DJ at numerous events and enjoyed the ANZA events so much.
Jenny Hayford 1990-1999 Currently in Canberra I was an ANZA member as well as a committee member during our 9 years living in Jakarta all through the 90’s. I was quite involved with Social Welfare and played ANZA tennis. I also spent one morning a week at the orphanage for all that time. It was before ANZA obviously became involved with an orphanage. We left because of all the political problems late 1999 along with many other expatriates. I still have very fond memories of loving our Jakarta life and friends. Also fabulous times travelling extensively throughout Indonesia during John’s working career. We’ve returned to Jakarta numerous times since returning to Canberra. We’ve holidayed in Bali every year except 1 year plus this year because of COVID-19. We love INDONESIA VERY MUCH & will FOREVER.
Annie Landreth 2009-2011 Currently in Perth We were in Jakarta from 2009 to 2011. Not that long but my time with ANZA was most enjoyable. I helped with the orphanage children every Wednesday and just loved it. Was sad to say goodbye to the children when the time came. Met lots of beautiful friends and had a fabulous time enjoying all of the get togethers and activities at ANZA. We now live in Perth and own a small supermarket in a coastal town called Lancelin.
Norma Jones 1997-2012 Currently in Melbourne Our family lived in Jakarta from September 1997 till April 2012. Kids went to BIS. Now living in Melbourne. I was an ANZA member and was active on the Social Welfare committee for a while. Fond memories indeed.
Dianne Marshall 1986-1993 Currently in Houston, Texas We lived in Jakarta from 1975 till 1977. ANZA was not in existence then but us Aussies got together. Went up there as a newly wed. The main hotel was the Jakarta Hotel. We stayed for awhile in Kemang Hotel too, which was opposite Kim Chicks. It was a little store back then. The old man used to ride his bicycle selling eggs. Then moved to Balikpapan from 1977 till 1980. Had two children while there. Back to Jakarta 1986 till 1993. That’s when I joined ANZA which had formed. Have great memories. Plenty of Balls, parties galore and we dressed up to the nines for the Melbourne Cups. It could have been Flemington. Children went to Pattimurra and JIS. What fun and memories.
Cara Nowell 1988-1997 Currently in Auckland, NZ We lived in Jakarta from 1988 until 1997. We lived on the edge of Kemang (Warung Buncit), for the first 3 years, then lived in Pondok Indah. We had 3 children, the youngest being 8 weeks old when we arrived. ANZA was a great start to meeting people through the meetings and tennis group was a mainstay for settling in and gathering necessary survival information! Children went to JIS and we loved our life there. Melbourne Cup days dressed as jockies racing home in becaks; learning how to be models for ANZA Melbourne Cup fashion shows; Balls. Great lasting friendships and a sense of family a long way from home!
Susan Reid 2000-2002 Currently in Texas, USA ANZA coffee morning was a life saver for me and the many new people I encountered when I first arrived in Jakarta. We always looked forward to our weekly scone, coffee and meeting new friends once a week. Such a welcoming group to be part of. The balls were fun events too that added to my good memories in Indonesia. What is the recipe for those delicious scones or is that a secret recipe?
Louise Smart 1998
I went to ANZA three days after I arrived in Jakarta - not long after the 98 riots and so many expats had evacuated . I was pregnant and it was my first expat posting, I instantly had a group of lovely ladies who became like second mums to me, Bronwyn Walker, Winnifred Bauer, Barbara Glassey. I loved going for scones and going to the Balls. It was the first playgroup my little one (now 21 year old ) went to. It was a vital lifeline in the beginning and throughout my time in Jakarta.
Vanessa Kemp 1984-1989 Currently living in Melbourne We lived in Jakarta 1984 until 1989. We also lived in Borneo for 2 years beforehand
Vanessa Kemp (left) meeting up with Rosie McLean and Patricia McLaws in Melbourne, 2019
Chris Nagel ANZA President 2002
Heather Rooney 1997-1999 Currently in Brisbane
I was the assistant treasurer and treasurer and a few other things at the same time. I started an ANZA Jakarta alumni Facebook page in 2015 where we all still reminisce and communicate. Many of us are still extremely close friends. For any ANZA alumni interested in keeping in touch, please join the ‘ExANZA Jakarta Social Network’ https://www.facebook.com/groups/ 954808431197287 We currently have over 350 members and growing.
Heather Rooney, Lyn Kearney, Sally Fay and Marion Crowther in 2017
Carmel Gleeson 2014-2017 Currently in Fingal, Victoria.
I left Jakarta and went to Surabaya, then Bali then Kuala Lumpur now Fingal on the Mornington peninsula in Victoria. I arrived at ANZA on 24th January 2014, on a Thursday, 4 days after I arrived in Jakarta. I had a great driver (as I’d done NO research on anything Jakarta related) - he dropped me off at ANZA and said you’ll find friends here. I went in and it was in the middle of Zumba, I had a look around and they told me to come to coffee morning on the Friday. Tracey Wagstaff sat me next to her and I sat next to Catherine Hilder and she said will you help me with house manager so I did. Then Sandy Ross asked me a month later if I’d do the Ball and I said yes. Then on November 5th I got asked to be president and it took me more than 5 days to say yes to that one !!!! I joined the social welfare straight away and loved every minute of that.
In 2016, Pak Dede and Ibu Mami from Nurani Insani, a school for disadvantaged children, visited ANZA and presented a plaque to Carmel Gleeson (ANZA President) in appreciation of the 17 years that ANZA's social welfare program has been supporting their school. Marilyn Ardipradja, Erica Miller and David Goodbody of the ANZA Social Welfare team also pictured.
My fondest memories are the friends I met, and the fact that I was never bored. My greatest achievement at ANZA would have to be organising a successful Ball, getting involved in social welfare and moving out of that terrible house with mould into a nice house.
I still keep in contact with my friends from Jakarta but Tracey passed away this year and I miss her so much as we spoke regularly. I have 2 funny stories both related to the bazaar. I’m from a catering background
Presenting new member Kaeli with 2 free tickets to the ANZA Ball, soon after Kaeli would be roped into becoming the next ANZA Vice President.
so I was in the cafe and I looked around and saw Erica making sandwiches and my eyes nearly fell out of my head as she was doing it all so delicately and I said, ‘here Erica I’ll show you how it’s done’ chucked some gloves on grabbed the chicken mix plonked it on the sandwich and turned it into a 5 second job for her. The next was constructing the box for that sandwich I was as rough as guts but I had an engineer also folding boxes and hers were perfect so it was a real leveller. And you think we all have a skill set and ANZA is a great place to try something
With Tracey Wagstaff as President & Vice President At ANZA Christmas Lunch 2015
that you’ve never done before or extend what you already know and teach other people how to do it.
Donna McMillan 2009-2012 ANZA Chief Berita Editor Currently in Auckland NZ ANZA became my family and home away from home. Great people who were creative, and inspiring. Everyone worked so hard to provide for the social welfare programmes - 26 while I was there. We started a photography club and had so much fun. The work we did to help locals was From top left: With Berita Editors Pia inspiring. Our walk with a local Bengtsén and Kathy Lindsay, ANZA Catholic priest among a “village” photography club day out near Jakarta, of scavengers sorting plastic was with ANZA team at ANZA House Jl Kemang V. very moving - orphanages, sponsoring students and the showcasing ANZA’s elderly - it was a privilege and nice to good works and the know we were helping all these people fun we had. through our balls, bazaars and other initiatives - having a lot of laughs at the I now work for a same time. charitable organisation that helps ANZA helped me hone my journalism underprivileged and photography skills with Pia and communities. Kathy we were Berita Editors and loved
ANZA fun between 2009-2012. Bottom right: Audrey Hepburn lunch at ANZA house
Alison Gee 2017-2018 Currently in Sydney I was involved on the mains committee with office systems and as secretary. So we headed back after just 2 years, returning to an almost cartoon copy of our previous life pre-Jakarta. Same school, same house (albeit renovated whilst we were away), same friends and same employers. Our eldest is now settled into high school, and both our girls are doing well in soccer squads. It’s hard to pick just one fond memory of my time at ANZA, but I think I had the most fun at the bootcamps run by the amazing Callie. This is where I felt most connected to the ex-pat community as we had ladies of all ages from all over the world, sweating, crawling, skipping, jumping and most importantly, laughing together. Both living in Jakarta and spending time with the ANZA community has made a huge impact to my life. This was my first ex-pat gig, and I had no idea what to
Alison (far left) at Melbourne Cup
expect. The team at ANZA made me feel welcome from the moment I stepped in the door, and I knew I had found my home away from home. It has highlighted to me the benefits of being part of a group, or a tribe if you like, of like minded people who are going through similar experience as yourself, and who can be your support network
when you need it. I hardly experienced loneliness as there was always someone to have a coffee and chat with, or an event happening that someone would invite you to. I had so much fun and although we don’t miss the chaos and pollution of Jakarta, we do miss the people, and the ANZA crowd especially.
Tracey Wagstaff 2014-2017
Tracey was an active ANZA member from 2014-2017 serving on both the Mains and Social Welfare Committees and as ANZA Vice-President in 2016. Her contributions to our community are immeasurable and valued by all who had the pleasure of knowing her. She had a particular affinity for children, often volunteering with our education and child healthcare initiatives. She also became an honorary-Aunty to quite a few ANZA Playgroup families, helping mums find their feet in Jakarta. Tracey will be fondly remembered by her ANZA friends for many wonderful qualities, including her wicked sense of humour, courage and vivacious spirit.
Tania Goodacre 2015-2018 Currently in Perth, Australia Sponsorship Director: 2015-2016 President: 2016-2017 I am now living and working in Perth, Australia, with my husband and beloved fur baby “Buddy.” Moving back to Australia has needed some adjustments, after living and working overseas for the past eight years in North and South Asian countries. Unfortunately, you become accustomed to having helpers and a driver, and it takes some getting used to when you no longer have that support network. It isn’t easy to pick one standout memory as I was lucky to have many amazing friends, and be involved in so many memorable events (e.g. ANZA Balls) and partake in some of the most humbling charity projects. One charity project which perhaps holds a significant impact on me was curating and hosting an art exhibition of
Laurie Goodacre, Tania Goodacre, Kaeli Etheridge and Darren Murphy at Circus Ball 2016
photography from refugees living in the fringes of Jakarta. With limited rights and unknown futures, their images instilled emotions of heartache and a greater appreciation of the small human rights which many in the world take for granted. We managed to sell a number of their images raising some much-needed funds. ANZA was a saving grace for me as, not having children and an automatic network of like-minded people, finding ANZA helped me settle in and build a meaningful life in the big smokey foreign city. I will forever be honoured to have not only been a member at ANZA but to hold the trust of its members to pass on
to others, this meant so much to me along with meeting so many amazing worldly people whom I will hold close to my heart for life.
Clockwise from top left: Tropical Night 2017 @ ANZA House with Tania Goodacre, Emmaleen Murray, Vikki Allan, Kaeli Etheridge and Renee Clarke. 2017 Christmas party - Renee Clarke, Bonnie Kelly and Tania Goodacre, 2018 Prohibition Ball Committee Photo (Bonnie, Tania, Emmaleen, Renee, Kaeli, Vikki) Melbourne Cup 2016. (Tania, Gilly Weaver, Kaeli)
Libby Longuet-Higgins 1986, 1991-1994, 2012-2015 Currently in New Zealand. We lived in Jakarta three times! First arriving in 1986 with a 9 month old son and were there for a year. We headed back to NZ for 4 years and came back again in 1991, this time with with 2 boys, and when we returned home again in 1994 we had 3 boys! The youngest being born at Rumah Sakit Pondok Indah. Eighteen years then went by and in 2012 Simon and I returned minus boys for 3 years. We certainly saw great changes over the time, but ANZA was always very important part of our life there, a great place for meeting wonderful friends, a great source of information, organisers of regular events and activities, playgroups, bridge, coffee mornings (at first monthly in one of the hotels and then on our last stay ANZA had a house and weekly coffee mornings).
The Balls and Melbourne Cup always being great fun and the Xmas Bazaar was an important date on the calendar. ANZA through each stay was a very important part of our Jakarta life.
Belinda Bradbury-Walsh 2014-2015 Currently in Goulburn, NSW I was membership coordinator in 2015 with Emma Plummer. Moved back to Australia with my boys. Have been working as an NDIS (National Disability Insurance Agency) local area coordinator and part of Rural Fire Service.
Left: As Belle at the Fairytale Ball with Mellie, Anthony Bailey, and Carmel Gleeson. Top Right: Christmas party at Australian ambassador’s house - Santa was Glennis Neilson’s husband (now deceased) top row: Trish, Emma Plummer, Vikki Allan. Top Left: Oscars event at ANZA House. Above left - Sara Osman’s Farewell Red & White Party. Below: Amigos Jakarta - friendships made in Jakarta!
Bonnie Kelly 2014-2018 From: Tasmania, Australia Currently in Houston, Texas. ANZA Ball committee - 2014-2018 It’s a small world especially in the expat world. We all have a friend who has lived in a country you are going to next or even better, knows someone there now and this is how I became a member of ANZA. Due to my Panto set design in my previous posting in Brunei my name was passed on by a friend and I was asked to help with the ANZA Ball even before my furniture had arrived. I thoroughly loved the time I had in Jakarta (after coming from Brunei there were restaurants that served wine... and shopping galore) but what made it extra special was ANZA and the work we did there, the beautiful ladies and the coffee mornings ... oh and the amazing scones. It was like having a family away from home and will always be some of my fondest memories of living in South
East Asia. Being part of the ANZA Ball committee was so rewarding. Finding a theme, a venue, sorting the menu and then designing and sourcing the decorations, to then see it all come together on the night and people enjoying themselves not to mention all for charity was amazing. My highlight would have to be the new addition to our family. Our little boy Jack arrived in March 2017 and was immediately part of the ANZA family. He loved his cuddles with the ladies and staff at the coffee mornings and interacting with the other babies at play group. We have since moved to Houston Texas and I often think about Jakarta, ANZA and the wonderful friends I met there.
From top left clockwise: The Big Top Circus ball 2016; My favourite mode of transport and how I got to ANZA most days Kelly (front row left) with some of the ladies at Melbourne Cup
Fiona Li 2015-2017 From China Currently in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam ANZA, once brought us so much joy during our time in Jakarta, where our last two girls were born. We miss ANZA and still talk about it ever since moving to Saigon Vietnam 3 years ago. We used to look forward to every Wednesday playgroup, loved the Australian Day BBQ and still remember organizing ANZA’s first Easter Egg hunt with Emmaleen because we couldn’t find any good egg hunt events for the families. ANZA is such great family fun and full of possibilities, bringing lots of friendships and sparkles in life. Today we are building an indoor playground for Cambodia and using some elements from ANZA, reminding us more about the good old days. We live in Thao Dien Saigon without anything like ANZA, but we try to carry on with families/friendship/having a
good time together/helping others value, just like ANZA, to let the love spread.
Gary Anderson 2019 Currently at the beach in Lennox Head, NSW Vice President 2019
I am busy in retirement, supporting my children and family and renovating our home. It is nice to be back in Australia and to refresh our social networks here. It has been wonderful to see the continuing great work of ANZA through social media and also to see the individual adventures of some of those families I met whilst in Jakarta. Being the MC at the 2019 Melbourne Cup festivities was a definite highlight. My time with ANZA was brief but filled with wonderful experiences. Engaging with the children and staff at Yayasan Sayap Ibu orphanage and coordinating
Gary with some Jakarta friends
outings was the most rewarding part of my ANZA association.
ANZA does both for expatriate families and for local families.
The social network that ANZA provides for expatriate individuals and families is simply fantastic.
Humanity is at the forefront of ANZA activities.
As a “first time� expatriate I was, and am still in amazement of the extensive work
