Welcome to the Rotary Club of Carindale

Are you an established professional who wants to make positive changes in your community and the world? Our club members are dedicated people who share a passion for community service and friendship. Becoming a Rotarian connects you with a diverse group who share your drive to give back.

CEO SleepOut

COMMUNITY PROJECTS

The Rotary Club of Carindale is actively engaged in a variety of community service projects, showcasing our commitment to enhancing the local community. These initiatives encompass a broad range of activities, reflecting our members’ dedication to making a positive impact in the localities where we live, work and play.

CEO SLEEP OUT - Joerg Mueller, one of our members, slept rough for a night:

One Night on Concrete: CEO Sleepout, Brisbane 2025 - On the night of 19 June 2025, I joined around 200 business and community leaders at The Gabba to take part in the CEO Sleepout Brisbane 2025 - an annual event designed to raise awareness and funds for people experiencing homelessness.Sleeping rough on the hard concrete concourse, in the cold and without comfort, was a powerful and humbling experience. It offered just a glimpse of what too many Australians face every night not for one night, but night after night.

Let’s be honest: one night on concrete doesn’t equate to the trauma and uncertainty of long-term homelessness. But it does change your perspective. Lying awake in the cold, with nothing more than a sleeping bag and the sound of nearby traffic, I thought of those who face that reality not once, but night after night. What do they dream of? Safety? Dignity? A place to belong?

This year, Queenslanders raised $1,775,858, and I’m proud to have contributed $1,725. $425 was generously donated members by of the Rotary Club of Carindale, as well as an additional $500 from the club. These funds are supporting Vinnies' goal of delivering 500 homes across Queensland for people doing it tough. As of now, 147 homes have been secured, with 353 still to go.

CEO Sleepout has raised $8.9 million nation wide to date.

We’re proud to stand with the CEO Sleepout to raise awareness and help end homelessness across Australia.

International Projects - Thailand

Our commitment to service knows no bounds. Through our International Projects, we extend our reach beyond borders, partnering with communities around the world to address pressing humanitarian challenges. From clean water initiatives to healthcare projects and disaster relief efforts, we collaborate with local organisations and Rotary clubs to make a meaningful impact in the lives of those in need, fostering goodwill and understanding across cultures.

Supporting Mental Health through the Blue Tree Project

The Rotary Club of Carindale Supports Mental Health Through the Blue Tree Project

The Rotary Club of Carindale is committed to raising awareness about the importance of mental health in our community. One of the ways we are doing this is by supporting the Blue Tree Project Foundation — a national initiative that encourages conversations about mental health by painting dead trees blue. You can learn more at www.bluetreeproject.com.au.

Our connection to this inspiring project began when one of our members, Professor Doug Hargreaves, noticed several striking blue-painted trees while travelling in south-west Western Australia. Intrigued, he discovered the story behind the Blue Tree Project and returned to share it with our club. Doug’s passion and leadership sparked our own commitment to bring the initiative to life here in Brisbane.

Thanks to the generous support of the Brisbane City Council, Independent Arboriculturist Services, Boston Tree Care, Taubman’s Paints, Higgins Coatings, and Signcraft, our first blue tree was created in the community — with all services provided free of charge.

Our second blue tree now stands proudly on the grounds of Belmont State School, with all the work carried out by our Rotary members.

Both trees are officially listed on the Blue Tree Project website, joining more than 1,350 blue trees across Australia that serve as powerful symbols encouraging open and supportive conversations around mental health.

At the Rotary Club of Carindale, we believe small actions can make a big difference. By turning dead trees into beacons of hope, we are helping break down the stigma around mental health and reminding people that it’s okay to talk about struggles — and to seek help.

Rotary Youth Services

Rotary believes in developing the next generation of leaders. Our programs help younger leaders build leadership skills, expand education and learn the value of service.

Club History

Rotary Club of Carindale - a model Club

Rotary’s Response to the 1918 Flu Pandemic

An estimated 500 million people worldwide became infected. Many cities closed theaters and cinemas, and placed restrictions on public gatherings. Rotary clubs adjusted their activities while also helping the sick.

This is how Rotary responded to the influenza pandemic that began in 1918 and came in three waves, lasting more than a year.

The Rotary Club of Berkeley, California, USA, meets in John Hinkel Park during the 1918 flu pandemic.

Photo by Edwin J. McCullagh, 1931-32 club president. Courtesy of the Rotary Club of Berkeley.

Rotary at the Start of the United Nations

Rotary and the United Nations have a shared history of working toward peace and addressing humanitarian issues around the world.

During World War II, Rotary informed and educated members about the formation of the United Nations and the importance of planning for peace. Materials such as the booklet “From Here On!” and articles in The Rotarian helped members understand the UN before it was formally established and follow its work after its charter.

Many countries were fighting the war when the term “United Nations” was first used officially in the 1942 “Declaration by United Nations.” The 26 nations that signed it pledged to uphold the ideals expressed by the United States and the United Kingdom the previous year of the common principles “on which they based their hopes for a better future for the world.”

Young Inventor Eco-Friendly Bricks Come Full Circle

Every hero has an origin story. “I was 10 years old when the entire journey started,” explains Binish Desai. It began with a cartoon called Captain Planet, an animated TV series from the 1990s about an environmentalist with superpowers. Desai can still recite the show’s refrain: Captain Planet, he’s our hero / Gonna take pollution down to zero! “That tagline stuck in my mind,” he says. “I wanted to do something to help Captain Planet.”