Dunstan Friendship Club (DFC) celebrated 35 years with a luncheon for members in Alexandra yesterday (Tuesday July 4).

DFC is a welcoming social organisation for people who are retired, semi-retired or soon-to-retire; and Dunstan’s is one of the largest Friendship Clubs in New Zealand with 146 members.

More than 85 people attended the celebration at Alexandra District Club.

They heard from guest speaker Misha Wilkinson from Misha's Vineyard and enjoyed entertainment by two Dunstan High School year 13 students, Myah Turnbull and Raff Love. 

Misha captured the crowd with the story of her life. 

Misha, the daughter of a famous Australian opera singer, was a professional dancer, worked in marketing for Covent Garden’s Royal Opera House, then in the fast paced IT sector in Singapore. 

She now lives in Central and owns Cromwell’s Misha’s Vineyard, named as one of New Zealand’s Top 20 Wine Producers, despite only being in the ‘early days’ of producing wine. 

Misha spoke about how during her 17 years she spent in Singapore she learned a lot about Chinese culture, history and heritage.

Together with husband Andy, she thought “[they] were the first on the ridge” in Bendigo to plant vines and use that land when they planted in 2004. 

But then, hidden in gullies on their property, they discovered remnants from Chinese settlers in the 1880s.

“The occurrence of lucky number eight on the vineyard, it’s a real thing.”

They ended up planting 88 km of vineyard rows, on a site eight km away from Cromwell, located on State Highway eight (SH8) and their first commercial vintage was in 2008.

After the speech, a celebration cake was cut by DFC life member Lenore Townsend, and a certificate presentation was completed to DFC by Max O’Leary, the oldest previous president, who is 90 (he was president in 2000-2001). 

Lenore Townsend and Maryon Beer with the cake marking 35 years of the friendship club. 

Max now resides at Goldenview village in Cromwell and has been a member of the club for the past 27 years. 

He said he doesn’t attend every meeting these days but he still enjoys the social functions and friend connections when he can. 

Max and wife Shirley with their table at the luncheon.

Guest speakers and entertainment along with trips are a mainstay of the club, and members The Central App spoke to said the camaraderie and activities were always well supported and interesting. 

DHS students Raff and Myah, who have been playing together for four years, performed covers of tunes familiar to the audience by Creedence Clearwater Revival, Stealers Wheel, The Lumineers, and Dolly Parton.

Myah Turnbull, Misha Wilkinson and Raff Love.

View a video from the band’s performance here.

VIDEO: The Central App

Recent trips undertaken by the group have been to local orchards, a packhouse, Highlands motorsport park and a meadery. They occasionally join forces with the Cromwell and Districts Friendship Group for social activities.  

DFC is affiliated with Friendship New Zealand Incorporated (FNZI), and is a non-political and non-denominational group.  

FNZI transitioned from the Probus organisation (and the name changed in 2016). The original ethos of friendship, fellowship and fun continues. 

Women were able to join the club from 2000, and there are now more women than men members in Dunstan. 

DFC meets on the first Tuesday of every month at 10am at the Alexandra District Club. For more information contact DFC president Maryon Beer on [email protected].

PHOTOS: The Central App