Twilight Talks 2025, Season 4, Remembrance Day | A Surgeon Commander & A Leading Cook – Ballarat Connections to HMAS Sydney 2 in 1941

Name: Twilight Talks 2025, Season 4, Remembrance Day | A Surgeon Commander & A Leading Cook – Ballarat Connections to HMAS Sydney 2 in 1941
Start: 2025-10-29T17:30:00+11:00
End: 2025-10-29T18:30:00+11:00
Location: BMI – Humffray Room

October 29 @ 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm

Bar open at 5pm

$9.73 – $13.83

Humffray Room

A Surgeon Commander & A Leading Cook - Ballarat Connections to HMAS Sydney 2 in 1941

It is nearly 84 years this November that the mighty pride of the Royal Australian Navy was lost together with 645 crew in the Indian Ocean.

Two Ballarat born men were on the crew that were lost. This talk will discuss the lives of these men and their contribution to WWII. This is said to be the greatest naval catastrophe in Australia’s military history.

Speaker: Dr Jean Douglas

Jean Douglas MBBS. FRACGP. Diploma Obstetrics (Auckland). Master of Medicine (Melbourne).

Jean has been a general practitioner working with her husband *Dr Havea Tamanika in Bendigo for over forty years, retiring in 2015. After a stay in Melbourne, they moved to Ballarat three years ago to be close to family. During her years in Bendigo, she was involved with various community agencies such as Breastscreen, CASA and Loddon Mallee Integrated Cancer Service, Bendigo Hospital Aged Care and St John of God Medical Advisory Board.

After retirement she has renewed her interest in History and Family research. She is a member of the Heritage and Archives Committee of Australian Medical Association Victoria.

She has researched the seventy-nine Victorian Doctors dying in World War 1 and World War 2 culminating in a Memorial Service in November at the AMA Headquarters in Parkville Melbourne in 2023.

Unfortunately Dr Tamanika, sadly passed away very recently.

Community Bank Buninyong & District not only gives you access to award-winning financial products and services, we’re also committed to returning profits to our local communities.

This event is proudly supported by Community Bank Buninyong

Tickets and Bookings

Tickets $9.73 BMI members & $13.83 general admittance, includes gst & bkg fee.

This event is part of the Ballarat Seniors Festival

This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work, learn and create. Always Was, Always Will Be, Aboriginal Land.