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The History of Zonta
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What are the origins of Zonta? The first Zonta club was formed in Buffalo, New York in 1919, when 5 women attending as guests at a meeting of Kiwanis, conceived of the formation of a new service club, made up of business and professional women, where they decided to "take for their specific aim, educational and constructive work for girls and women". Ever since then Zonta clubs have been chartered all over the world. |
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'Zonta' is a derivative of the North American Sioux Indian word meaning 'honest and trustworthy' and the Zonta emblem is a composite of a number of symbols.Visit the Zonta International website for details.
Zonta in Australia
Zonta first started in Australia in 1929 with the establishment of a club in Sydney, one of the first to come into existence outside the United States and Canada. However, by 1935 this club had disappeared and it was not until 1965 that Dorothy Thompson was asked to re-introduce Zonta in Australia and New Zealand. New clubs were formed in Melbourne, Sydney and Auckland. Between 1965 and 1971, this remarkable woman organised clubs in all the capital cities in Australia, and in five cities in New Zealand.
Today, what was originally District 16, covering Australia and New Zealand is now divided into four districts - District 16 - New Zealand, District 24 - New South Wales & Australian Capital Territory, District 22 - Queensland, and District 23, comprising South Australia, Northern Territory, Victoria, Tasmania and Western Australia.
District 23
The five Areas in District 23 are led by a District Governor and a District Board elected each biennium at District Conference: Area 1 - Metropolitan and Eastern Victoria (6 clubs); Area 2 - Northern Territory and South Australia (13 clubs); Area 3 - Western Australia (6 clubs); Area 4 - Western and Northern Victoria (8 clubs); Area 5 - Tasmania (5 clubs).
Area 3 - Western Australia
For ease of administration, clubs in a District join to form Areas that are led by an Area Director. Area 3 comprises the Zonta Clubs of - Perth (chartered in 1971), Perth Northern Suburbs (1981), Bunbury (1988), Dunsborough (1991), Peel Region (1993) and Swan Hills (1999).
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