Monday Morning Show is a series of eight unrelated talks on a variety of topics, each presented by an expert in the relevant field. Although the talks are arranged by Bathurst U3A, the talks are open to the public. The talks will be presented in the library meeting room from 10am to noon starting on Monday, February 5. No enrolment is necessary, and the sessions are free.

The first talk, The Politics And Promise Of The NBN, will be presented by Travis Holland, lecturer in communication and digital media at CSU Bathurst. The National Broadband Network promised to connect all Australians to world-leading 21st century technologies. We were told that the NBN was to be a nation-building project equivalent to Dwight Eisenhower’s interstate highways, or a 21st century version of the Atlantic or overland telegraph. For some, the NBN has been a dream, while for many it has been the stuff of nightmares. For some older Australians, the NBN is something of a riddle wrapped in an enigma. Travis Holland will explain what happened, and discuss where we go from here.

On February 12, Megan Halcroft will talk about Australian Native Bees, Our Unseen Treasure, giving an insight into the 2000 species of Australian bees, and their contribution to food production and bio-diversity. Megan will advise how to attract these busy little creatures into our gardens and farms.

The third address, on February 19, At Home With Prime Ministers Lyon, Curtin And Chifley, will give an inside look into the significant roles these men played as a consequence of their home lives and communities. Presenter Samuel Malloy from the CSU School of Humanities and Social Sciences will also outline how each man’s history is preserved in their home museums.

On February 26, Monique Van Toor, migrant support worker at Bathurst Neighbourhood Centre, will present Migrant And Refugee Settlement In The Central West. Monique will outline the issues faced by these people and services and assistance available, and encourages her audience to bring along their burning questions!

Life Upon The Wicked Stage is Petah Burns’ topic on March 5. Petah, an opera singer, will present tall tales and true of a vertically challenged comedienne in her adventures and misadventures in television, drama, music theatre and a miscellany of entertainment endeavours.

On March 12, NSW Fair Trading community liaison officer Carleen McConnell will give an overview of retirement planning, including downsizing your home, and what to look out for in strata schemes, retirement villages and residential parks. Although the talk is Planning Ahead For Retirement, Carleen will also answer questions on a wider range of consumer rights topics, including scams.

A Window Into Hearing Now And In The Future, with Matthew O’Neill, auditionetry director at Advanced Hearing Solutions, will explore hearing impairment and options for self-diagnosis and a range of hearing devices which includes more than just hearing aids. He will be speaking on March 19.

The eighth and final Monday Morning Show on March 26 will be Producing The Book Building Bathurst. Architect Graham Lupp will discuss the fascinating research and writing of this definitive work, which has taken many years of preparation. The wonderful 200-year history of Bathurst architecture is of interest to all Bathurstians.

The Monday Morning Show series is additional to the 40 classes conducted by Bathurst U3A for its 550 members.

Classes include writing groups, book clubs, exercise groups including yoga and tai chi, a number of art classes, craft groups, music and drama, and everything in between.

For an annual membership fee of just $30, members can participate in as many classes as they can manage. The only requirement for U3A membership is to be aged 50 or more!

Classes are led by volunteer tutors who generously give their time and expertise to the community.

Classes are informal, and fun, friendship and laughter are compulsory elements of U3A.

For more information about Bathurst U3A, including a timetable of courses and venues, visit bathurstu3a.com or contact the president Lindsay Cox on 0429 916 618.