How we reach across the world in the spirit of friendship
Port Stephens Sister Cities Committee aims to promote communication between cities leading to friendships, understanding between nations and worldwide peace.
We formed in 1988 with our first sister city Bellingham USA. We have since established sister city agreements with Kushiro, Yugawara and Tateyama in Japan, and friendship relationships with Victoria Canada, Tauranga New Zealand and Nahodka Russia.
In addition to cultural exchanges there have been sporting, dance, visual arts, choral and student visits between the cities.
In 1990 Bellingham hosted the inaugural Pacific Rim Yachting Challenge, held over a week. PacRim is now held every second year and is normally attended by around 120 sailors and supporters from Bellingham, Victoria Canada, Tateyama Japan, Tauranga NZ, Nahodka Russia and Port Stephens.
In March 2012 Port Stephens hosted PacRim, with 34 families home hosting visiting crews, and New Zealand emerging victorious. PacRim will next be held in Bellingham in 2014.
THE MOVEMENT IN AUSTRALIA
The Sister Cities movement in Australia (ASCA) www.asca.asn.au is organised through Local Government councils and community committees and associations. There are 90 financial committees and hundreds of affiliates that are not members of ASCA, all administered by elected, voluntary committees.
IDEALS
The ideals of the Port Stephens committee are to encourage relations with other communities around the world to:
MEMBERSHIP
Annual membership is $10 adults; $5 youth; and $25 for a family. A membership form must be completed to qualify for insurance cover.
Port Stephens Sister Cities is open to membership. For further information please call the Secretary, Kevin Atkinson 61 2 4981 1726.
MEETINGS
Meetings are held monthly at Nelson Bay Bowling Club, on the last Wednesday of the month commencing at 7pm in the Bay West Room. Many members meet at 6pm for dinner.
ON TOUR
Travelling members visiting sister cities pay all travel costs personally. However costs are kept to a minimum by home-hosting accommodation (you stay in their homes, they stay in yours when we host a trip to Australia). Tours of the local areas and functions are organised by the host nation making for a wonderful cultural experience.
OPERATIONS
As a committee of Port Stephens Council, Port Stephens Sister Cities receives annual funding for administration costs. Committee elections are held each year at our Annual General Meeting.
HOW IT ALL BEGAN
In the early 1980s the firm Pechiney wanted to set up an aluminium plant in Tomago, Port Stephens. Port Stephens Council sent representatives to Bellingham in the U.S. to view Pechiney technology; the cities linked, and Bellingham became Port Stephens’ first Sister City.
In 1988 the Port Stephens Sister Cities committee was formed with John Bartlett as Chairman, a position he held for 17 years. Ted Tindall the current Chairman succeeded him.
In 1990 the first Pacific Rim Yacht Challenge was held in Bellingham. That Challenge now runs every second year at one of our Sister Cities around the Pacific Rim, attracting between 100 and 150 sailors and supporters from the Sister Cities.
In 1994 Kushiro, Japan and Port Stephens formed a Wetland Sister City agreement. The Latham Snipe, known locally as a Japanese Racing Pigeon, migrates from the Kushiro wetlands in the winter to the warmer Newcastle and Port Stephens wetlands.
In 1999 Tateyama and Yugawara in Japan formally became Sister Cities, after many years of exchanges and Friendship City relationships. Tateyama’s “Wings” School Choir comprising boys and girls from the Tateyama Elementary School regularly visits Port Stephens.
In 2004 a 10-Year Agreement was renewed with Kushiro, Port Stephens Council and Newcastle City Council, signed at the Shortland Wetlands Centre. Again in 2004 visits were made to Nakhodka in Russia and to Japan.
The Japan trip saw over 30 people participate and was a huge success. The committee is seeking to make Nakhodka a Sister City, along with Victoria Canada and Tauranga New Zealand.
In 2005 Port Stephens hosted 28 basketballers and 25 dancers from Bellingham in an exchange. Yugawara conducts an annual exchange of between 4-8 students and a teacher with the St Phillips School at Salamander Bay.
A Pac Rim Sailing Challenge was held in Tauranga, NZ in March, 2006 followed by an outbound culture tour to Japan in April, 2006.
Port Stephens held the Pac Rim sailing challenge involving six nations in 2012.
We formed in 1988 with our first sister city Bellingham USA. We have since established sister city agreements with Kushiro, Yugawara and Tateyama in Japan, and friendship relationships with Victoria Canada, Tauranga New Zealand and Nahodka Russia.
In addition to cultural exchanges there have been sporting, dance, visual arts, choral and student visits between the cities.
In 1990 Bellingham hosted the inaugural Pacific Rim Yachting Challenge, held over a week. PacRim is now held every second year and is normally attended by around 120 sailors and supporters from Bellingham, Victoria Canada, Tateyama Japan, Tauranga NZ, Nahodka Russia and Port Stephens.
In March 2012 Port Stephens hosted PacRim, with 34 families home hosting visiting crews, and New Zealand emerging victorious. PacRim will next be held in Bellingham in 2014.
THE MOVEMENT IN AUSTRALIA
The Sister Cities movement in Australia (ASCA) www.asca.asn.au is organised through Local Government councils and community committees and associations. There are 90 financial committees and hundreds of affiliates that are not members of ASCA, all administered by elected, voluntary committees.
IDEALS
The ideals of the Port Stephens committee are to encourage relations with other communities around the world to:
- Further develop and enhance a community’s rich diversity and culture
- Provide personal development opportunities for adults
- Provide personal development opportunities for youth
- Create new opportunities for trade and investment
- Assist communities in underdeveloped nations to improve living standards.
MEMBERSHIP
Annual membership is $10 adults; $5 youth; and $25 for a family. A membership form must be completed to qualify for insurance cover.
Port Stephens Sister Cities is open to membership. For further information please call the Secretary, Kevin Atkinson 61 2 4981 1726.
MEETINGS
Meetings are held monthly at Nelson Bay Bowling Club, on the last Wednesday of the month commencing at 7pm in the Bay West Room. Many members meet at 6pm for dinner.
ON TOUR
Travelling members visiting sister cities pay all travel costs personally. However costs are kept to a minimum by home-hosting accommodation (you stay in their homes, they stay in yours when we host a trip to Australia). Tours of the local areas and functions are organised by the host nation making for a wonderful cultural experience.
OPERATIONS
As a committee of Port Stephens Council, Port Stephens Sister Cities receives annual funding for administration costs. Committee elections are held each year at our Annual General Meeting.
HOW IT ALL BEGAN
In the early 1980s the firm Pechiney wanted to set up an aluminium plant in Tomago, Port Stephens. Port Stephens Council sent representatives to Bellingham in the U.S. to view Pechiney technology; the cities linked, and Bellingham became Port Stephens’ first Sister City.
In 1988 the Port Stephens Sister Cities committee was formed with John Bartlett as Chairman, a position he held for 17 years. Ted Tindall the current Chairman succeeded him.
In 1990 the first Pacific Rim Yacht Challenge was held in Bellingham. That Challenge now runs every second year at one of our Sister Cities around the Pacific Rim, attracting between 100 and 150 sailors and supporters from the Sister Cities.
In 1994 Kushiro, Japan and Port Stephens formed a Wetland Sister City agreement. The Latham Snipe, known locally as a Japanese Racing Pigeon, migrates from the Kushiro wetlands in the winter to the warmer Newcastle and Port Stephens wetlands.
In 1999 Tateyama and Yugawara in Japan formally became Sister Cities, after many years of exchanges and Friendship City relationships. Tateyama’s “Wings” School Choir comprising boys and girls from the Tateyama Elementary School regularly visits Port Stephens.
In 2004 a 10-Year Agreement was renewed with Kushiro, Port Stephens Council and Newcastle City Council, signed at the Shortland Wetlands Centre. Again in 2004 visits were made to Nakhodka in Russia and to Japan.
The Japan trip saw over 30 people participate and was a huge success. The committee is seeking to make Nakhodka a Sister City, along with Victoria Canada and Tauranga New Zealand.
In 2005 Port Stephens hosted 28 basketballers and 25 dancers from Bellingham in an exchange. Yugawara conducts an annual exchange of between 4-8 students and a teacher with the St Phillips School at Salamander Bay.
A Pac Rim Sailing Challenge was held in Tauranga, NZ in March, 2006 followed by an outbound culture tour to Japan in April, 2006.
Port Stephens held the Pac Rim sailing challenge involving six nations in 2012.
