A SPECIAL KIND OF 10TH ANNIVERSARY
In my service as a Star Walking inc. committee member, I have had a hand in a number of special 10th anniversary banquets over the years. I was there when Star Wars turned 10. I was also involved in the Empire Strikes Back 10th, the Raiders of the Lost Ark 10th and the infamous Return of the Jedi 10th anniversary celebration. Now I am involved in yet another 10th anniversary celebration, my own. You see, October 1994 marks my 10th year as an Austrek member.
I joined Austrek after attending the chicken and champagne preview screening of Star Trek III the Search for Spock in 1984. I was only 17, a young up and coming Sci-Fi fan desperately searching for other fans. Up until then, I did not know what direction my life was taking. Like many other kids just out of school, I was not sure what career path I wanted to pursue. My social life was pretty non existent and looking back, I had a lot of drive for Science Fiction especially Star Wars and was gaining a big interest in Star Trek, especially the films. But one of the problems I faced was that I did not have an outlet for it. A potential needed to be realised yet it remained bottled up inside, until I filled in the Austrek membership form.
My life took a funny turn after that Star Trek III screening. I had entered fandom, not only by joining Austrek, but by being involved with Starforce, a small theatre group run by a collection of Star Wars/Star Trek fans (Starforce now only lives on in the memories of the select few of us still around who were there to experience its magic). If only I knew then, how things would evolve.
I attended my first Austrek meeting that fateful Saturday (the date escapes me) in 1984. What a meeting it was! All I can recall is about 15-20 people sitting in a circle in a rather empty St. Lukes Church Hall introducing ourselves. It was hard to imagine a club like this already being 8 years old, the way it looked to me, was as if it had just started up.
Around this time, I became a constant letter writer to Gail Adams, who was the secretary at the time. We exchanged a lot of thoughts, views and opinions through our letters (ironically, Austrek still have all of my letters in their files, not bad after all this time. The amusing thing is though, I still have all the letters Gail sent to me. How about that!). I think I was pretty amazed with my achievements, imagine me, a 17 year old kid, corresponding with the secretary of Austrek. Wow!
I remember my first Christmas party, my mother and I went to a great deal of effort to make a movie uniform for me to wear. However, it was a disappointing night. As a party, I expected to have music, dancing and some kind of electric atmosphere, but it was not the case. In 1984, the Christmas parties were for the older members to socialise with each other and to reflect on the year just past. I wrote about my view to Gail and mentioned that I hoped all following years would be more eventful.
And they were.
In 1985 the 'Karidian Players' were formed. A small group of us Austrek members decided to create a theatre group, our one and only production "The Doubles are Tribbles" by Robert Jan was premiered at the Christmas party, to a great reception. The party was very similar to the previous year's however it was a special night for me, not only had I directed the play, but I also won my first costume parade award, first prize for my Ringwraith (Lord of the Rings). From that year on, the Christmas parties just kept improving.
In those days, Austrek meetings were bi-monthly, thus it was a painfully long time between meetings. So when they took place, they were looked upon as special events. Friends got together, to chat about the two months just passed, and somewhere in there, I do believe Star Trek found its way into a couple of conversations.
1985 was also the year for Aussiecon II, Australia's second world Science Fiction convention. It was the first convention for many of us and something you do not forget in a hurry. I learnt a lot about myself at that convention which is why it sticks so well into my memory.
1986 saw Halley's Comet fly overhead as a bunch of us intrepid Austrekkers took to the countryside one weekend to see it. Those who were there will recall 'Postbusters", how cold it was out in the country in the dead of night, all our astronomy experts in argument while trying to find the bloody thing in a sea of stars, only to be finally confronted with cries of "Is that all?!" when eventually found. Also some will recall about one slightly inebriated fellow going to the motel room next to his, calling out for a woman later that evening.
Galactic Tours was also in this year and was my first Australian convention. It had the novelty of displaying a full size Enterprise bridge which the con directors had built, pretty amazing stuff.
And of course, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home premiered in 1986. I still recall about 30-50 of us uniform Austrekkers invading Myers on the way to the toy department to look for some Star Trek toys they didn't have. We eventually saw the movie, which emphasised the point of how you have not seen a Star Trek film unless your in the audience full of Trekkers. It truly makes it a memorable event.
1987 saw Austrek enter a float in the Moomba parade. In the freezing cold the shuttle craft Gallieo made its way down Swanston Street with a large army of us uniformed fans behind (I was in the extreme back row to the right). Now that was something a little different, I only hope something like that can happen again sometime, it was a great experience.
1988 saw the start of the rumblings of a new Star Trek series called Next Generation. Fans were feeling pretty 50/50 about the idea of it, but that didn't stop a huge hoard of people from viewing its premiere episode, that had been acquired, after the Christmas party that year.
"It was the best of times it was the worst of times." 1989-90 saw Austrek hit its lowest point. A serious conflict between the editor of "The Captain's Log" and other committee members almost destroyed the club, far worse than the recent video projector controversy late last year. Membership plummeted as the LoC section of the Log stretched on for pages turning members away from the club. It recovered but the event is still remembered even today.
On a brighter note though, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier premiered, and the magic of seeing a new Trek film on the cinema screen was relived once more.
Somewhere in these times, the bi-monthly meetings turned monthly, making the wait between them less of an ordeal, and the social events still pulled in the crowds. the annual Bowling days, the picnics, car rallies, even the odd Phasor Strike/Zone 3 days scored well.
Sadly with time, increasing membership rates, changes of heart and lack of interest catches up with many fans, especially the older ones, as they make way for the new, enthusiastic Trekkers to appear. It is funny to look back upon the names of old, people who were as common to us then, as the committee of Austrek are to us now. How many of you remember - John Meekings, Robyn Cullen, Geoff Allshorn, Stephen Bates, Sonny Collins, Sakura Allison, Michael Cosiatis, Len Coffey, Marina Butler, Helena Russell, Marjorie Miller, Tony Nathan, Adam Bradshaw, Craig Hooper, K. A. Vanden? The list just goes on. All these members left some kind of legacy on Austrek, so you can imagine how weird it feels when you mention one of these names and people say "who?"
Well, This month clocks up double figures for me as an Austrek member, I have seen a lot of people come and go, a lot of people. At least there is still a decent number of us 'oldies' still around to remind you 'newies' just what Austrek was really like. Yet like ANZAC's our numbers always seem to be dwindling. I have always been very fond of Austrek, it has changed my life in many ways and although I enjoy the meetings of today, there is no doubt that a certain 'magic' is missing that could only be found in the 'good ol' days'. The funny thing is, all you fans who hang around into the next century will look upon today as being the 'nostalgic' era.
D. Maxwell
Austrek member no. 526
This article is dedicated to Gail Adams, Pam Rendell, Len coffey, Ken Haesler and Jane Phillips who, in one form or another, shaped me into what I am today.