DUYFKEN LODGE

More than 150 years before Cook's "discovery" of Australia, the Dutch ship Duyfken [Little Dove], charted the Western Coast of Cape York. Following is an extract from the history of that ship.

Early in 1606 Willem Janszoon and Jan Roosengijn take Duyfken southeast from Banda to the Kei Islands, then along the south coast of New Guinea, skirting south of the shallow waters around False Cape and then continuing east-southeast until they reach and chart the shores of Australia's Cape York Peninsula.

In memory of this voyage the little Cape at the bay in which the mining township of Weipa is located is known as Duyfken Point. When a Lodge was established there in 1974 the local Masons chose this name as the one most fitting for their Lodge. Later on in 2000, when falling membership forced the Lodge to consider handing in their Charter, the District Grand Master, R. Wor Bro Carl Richardson, rather than see the demise of the Lodge, grasped the opportunity to enable him to fulfil his desire to establish a 'Twilight" Lodge in the District of Carpentaria.

The aim of this new concept Lodge is to provide a format for those whose available time and commitment is most suited, be they new members or current members whose active participation has, for some reason, lapsed. Consequently the Lodge meets five times a year, tyling at 5.30pm, with dress standards being smart casual, ie. ( slacks, shirt , and tie ). The usual procedure is to arrive at the air-conditioned premises of the City Club at least a half hour prior to tyling time, in the company of our wives, partners, and friends, for a casual and friendly get-together.

The brethren then retire to open the Lodge and conduct the meeting. A great deal of time is saved by E-mailing, or posting printed copies of the minutes and meeting notice, and by having a charity component in the annual dues, thus precluding the necessity of a charity collection. A business committee convened at some time prior to the meeting attends to any matters that may arise from correspondence or any other source, and their recommendations are then put to the lodge for ratification. The formalities being completed, the Lodge is then closed and the brethren meet on the floor to propose and honour the usual Loyal Masonic Toasts, after which they rejoin their family and friends and proceed to a previously chosen restaurant for dinner. Where possible an able and interesting guest speaker is invited to dinner at the Lodge's expense.

A replica of Duyfken was built at Fremantle in Western Australia and launched on the 24th of January 1999