The Address by The Grand Master at March 2026 Quarterly Communication in Bathurst NSW
18 March 26
GM Address:
Past Grand Masters, Brethren,
It is great to be with you today being the first Quarterly Communication in 2026, and in regional NSW during my term. The standing invitation for brethren to come together, not as witnesses but as co-creators of Freemasonry in NSW & ACT continues to receive support and, once again very much evident in the number of attendees to our Grand Lodge today. It is superlatively pleasing especially as both the Quarterly Communication, and the Banquet that follows have, have filled the venue to capacity. I trust today heralds another very productive and fulfilling year for many lodges in the jurisdiction and for our Grand Lodge.
On behalf of your Grand Lodge, I thank you, brethren for your continued generosity and support which encourage an attitude of gratitude. You can continue to rest assured that I know that you know that I know who you are.
Departed brethren
However, brethren, we have also farewelled some of our number. Let us remember our brethren who are no longer able to join us in our milestones and celebrate our wins having passed to the Grand Lodge above.
Brethren, you have been provided a page in your agenda pack listing the names of 28 brethren whom the GAOTU has been pleased, in His infinite mercy, to take unto Himself since our December Communication. Of note, you may notice 25 of them were between 70-90 years old and 15 of them have laboured in the Craft for over half a century when they dropped their working tools.
Let us make a sincere effort to extend condolences and any assistance, if required, to their nearest and dearest. Please be mindful of our obligations to our brethren’s widows and orphans from whom we benefited for the countless hours our departed brethren spent in the service of our Craft.
In particular, you will recognise the names of 3 brethren whom we have seen labour in our Grand Communications in yesteryears.
- We recall RW Bro Edward Israel Simmons OAM PDGM. Known to many of us as Ted, he was initiated, passed and raised in 1956. RW Bro Simmons was 97yo and had been a mason for 70 years when he passed to the Grand Lodge above on the 2nd March 2026. He was a WM of 4 lodges, served as DGIW in 1970-72, a Grand Representative to 2 Sister jurisdictions and was an Editor of our Freemason magazine.
- We also remember RW Bro Robert Drysdale PJGW who passed to the Grand Lodge above on 4th February 2026 at 78 years. Initiated, passed and raised in 2006, RW Bro Drysdale was a mason for 20 years with 5 of those years as a Worshipful Master in 2 lodges and our Grand Chaplain from 2022 to last year when he turned ill and unable to labour in our quarries as much due to his illness.
- We also remember RW Bro Terry McCallum PJGW who was a very prolific photographer who covered the recent Grand Installations and Proclamations since his initiation in 2007. At the time he laid down his working tools in Jan 2026, he was 75yo and had been a mason for 19 years. He was the Editor of our Freemason magazine when he passed to the Celestial Lodge Above.
We remember the labours and contributions of our brethren to our Grand Lodge with gratitude.
Brethren, please stand. The Grand Chaplain will offer prayer for all our departed brethren. (GC offered prayers) Be seated, brethren
Address
Brethren, you may all be familiar with the saying, “If you build it, they will come”.
The quarter since we last met in December has been pleasing as it was a time of continuous building of the Craft – a very productive period in craft-as-usual activities and initiatives, as well as public-facing developments. In addition to the regular meetings, degree-work and installations which are staple labour in our quarries, numerous events transpired or otherwise especially organised that provided opportunities for the brethren to build and celebrate Freemasonry with their brethren, their families and the community.
As Grand Master, I share in the pleasure and pride of the brethren in noting our brethren who represent our Craft in their public and private avocations.
Firstly, I congratulate the recipients of the 2026 Australia Day Honours,
I also congratulate RW Bro Dr Abraham Constantin for having been elected World President of the World Lebanese Cultural Union. WLCU is the organisation which links the resident Lebanese people and the Lebanese diaspora across the world,
And I applaud the heroism of Bro Cesar Baraza in December. He was identified as the plainclothes officer captured firing at the terrorists during the Bondi shootout. Bro Barraza was captured on footage exposing himself to danger by moving into position next to a tree and firing toward the bridge from about 40 metres away. I had the honour of speaking to him to express admiration, gratitude and support on my own behalf and yours, brethren. His humble reply was, "It may sound like a cliche but, I was just doing my job." I might add my personal delight, when I introduced myself to him, Bro Ces said, "I know who you are, Most Worshipful Grand Master".
I was also gifted to have attended lodge activities overflowing with attendance of brethren and their families and participate in memorable moments such as the Christmas parties of Sydney St George 269, Blacktown Kildare 393, Jose Rizal 1045, Sir Walter Scott 123, The Cedars 1041 and Education 814 among others. Practical examples of the saying, “If you build it, they will come”. These lodges’ gatherings keep getting bigger, their activities becoming more inclusive of community and curiously, or I submit, inevitably, their membership have grown in parallel.
The fundraiser events that brought impressive numbers of brethren to the annual Charity Gig of Blacktown Kildare in January and District 35 in February are also very pleasing as we saw the community engaged in raising substantial amounts at both events in support of Masonicare in the delivery of its objectives and statutory obligations. I commend to the brethren to continue their collaboration with Grand Lodge and Masonicare to raise and distribute proceeds of charitable work conducted by brethren.
And on and on, brethren, regular meetings transformed into special events - the third edition of the annual Grand Master’s Raising Under the Stars in Lachballin in Cowra, the annual luncheon of The Prince Charles Edward Stuart Lodge, the installation in Gowrie of Canberra held on Valentines Day… I was honoured and pleased to have been invited, involved and participated in these fields of dreams in the company of brethren who continue to prove that “If you build it, they will come”.
Brethren, consistent with, and mindful to be constantly co-creating a harmonious member-centric Masonic organisation, true to its impressive traditional customs and usages operating in the contemporary world with good corporate governance and tight fiscal management, your Grand Lodge leadership continues to explore and effect initiatives that bring value to the lodges and brethren.
Your agenda pack includes report of the work that the various offices, committees and boards are working on. What are not specified are details of works-in-progress, commercial negotiations and other items in review pertaining to ceremonies and portfolios of your Grand Lodge. You will be pleased to note the following appointments who will continue the GL business-as usuals and initiatives:
1. First, I seek to cover Item 10 in the agenda regarding the Appointment of a casual vacancy to the Board of Management. Brethren, in accordance with (Clause 8.1.8) of the BoC, I appoint RW Bro Todd Shadbolt to the casual vacancy.
2. RW Bro Geoff Williams is appointed as the Chairman of the Freemason Magazine Committee. I request that you support the magazine with articles and updates of your ongoings. We also note that the sudden passing of RW McCallum may result in some articles which were sent previously may not have been saved in the shared folders. If you have sent an article which are not time-sensitive and has not been published yet, kindly consider resending them for review of the committee.
3. W Bro Hamish Stitt and W Bro Anthony Bazouni are also appointed to reinforce the Grand Registrar’s Committee currently comprised of RW Bro Greg Grogin, RW Bro Robert Sutherland DGR, W Bro Andrew Stewart, RW Bro David Adams, Bro John Sutton and MW Bro Les Hicks. Brethren are encouraged to please continue to employ the mindset of not overtasking the GRC officially.
On your behalf, I thank the Secretariat led by GM40, MW Bro Hicks, who continue to serve the brethren to the best of their abilities and who have reviewed corporate processes and identified cost efficiencies in their operations that are protecting value as well as creating value that enable numerous initiatives at GL and the jurisdiction.
And I encourage the brethren to explore ways to create value for their members and their masonic centres. We have shared the wins of the masonic centres in Bondi, Collaroy and others that have gained commercial tenants in the last year that are generating the resource that allow them to maintain their buildings and create an environment in which members and candidates would be proud to meet and be proud to belong. We have inquiries to our Building Management Committee led by VW Bro Hutchings for more locations such as, but not limited to, Canada Bay, Strathfield, Five Dock, Burwood, Croydon where the same setup at Concord Masonic Centre is already established, as well as in Hurstville, Kogarah and Rockdale.
If you build it, they will come. The concept is not new. There is a Zen proverb, “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear" that implies that guidance or knowledge arrives exactly when a person is prepared to learn, understand, or accept it. I submit to you that the reverse is also true - when the teacher is ready, the student will appear.
We enjoy the inheritance of membership in an ancient fraternity of good and noble men who aim to make good men better. In so being, we are bequeathed an asset of an organisation with beautiful traditions, ceremonies, ritual and the structure that support it. We have the advantage of membership of good and noble men that even monarchs have deemed it acceptable to exchange their sceptre for trowels to belong.
Let us continue to build strong lodges that our communities can be proud of and that good men wish they can belong. We are in the most competitive times in the history of our Craft when it comes to capturing the attention and retaining the interest of men in the midst of modern family commitments, easy access to information on the internet, network television, social media and the like.
But we have the advantage of a history of an ancient fraternity of good and noble men who aim to make good men better in the company of like-minded men. When we show humility and exercise integrity by continuing to conduct memorable ancient ceremonies done exceptionally well that provide value to those seeking personal growth and meaning in well-organised meetings and pleasing festive boards… when we demonstrate harmony among brethren who, even when disagreeing, are respectful of the dissenting views of others… when we are able demonstrate how we have created value in the lives of men in history and continue to do so in the present times, we are being true to our values and ready to attract interest, receive inquiries and process applications of candidates - good men who wish to join our ranks.
When the student is ready, the teacher will appear. It goes both ways, brethren: when the lodge is ready, the members will appear; and when a candidate is ready, the lodge will appear for them. The Volume of the Sacred Law promises, “Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you”.
Be a lodge who is ready, when the candidates appear.
Continue to build it, brethren, and they will come.