General News
15 June, 2023
“Everyone is equal”
ONE of the earliest established Freemasonry lodges in Victoria is calling for new members to put their hand up.
ONE of the earliest established Freemasonry lodges in Victoria is calling for new members to put their hand up.
Leura Lodge meets on the fourth Thursday of every month and is led by Worshipful Master of the Lodge Randy Walton.
The lodge was established in 1865 under the English Constitution before being warranted in 1869 under the Victorian Constitution.
Mr Walton said Freemasonry is a social organisation.
“It was formed, in its present form, in the 1700s in England,” he said.
“It is a fraternal organisation for men that has the sole goal of making good men better men, to teach them integrity, teach them life skills, teach them how to speak, and to give them a frame of reference and support with other men in the group to live a better life.
“We’re welcome to men who want to join, want to become part of a fraternal organisation, and become better.
“Basically, it’s to build on what they’ve got as their core values and are interested in helping provide back to the community.”
Mr Walton said Leura Lodge has provided scholarships to Camperdown College, Cobden Technical School, Lismore Primary School, and Derrinallum P-12 College as part of its work in the local area.
“We’ve got members in Derrinallum, Lismore, Terang, Cobden, and east of Colac. We’ve supported lots of things in that area,” he said.
“Also, in conjunction with the Grand Lodge, there’s been a lot of work around organisations such as Let’s Talk, which is for farmer’s mental health.
“When we had the St Patrick’s Day bushfires, Freemasonry pumped a lot of money into helping with recovery and rebuilding fences, mental health and getting back on the ground.”
Prospective new members must be men aged 18 and over and must not have a felony against their name, but can come from any background.
Mr Walton said Freemasonry has been in the area since it was settled and founded in the early 1800s.
“We have been a durable presence in the area with Leura Lodge since 1865,” he said.
“We have been providing support to the community since that time, and we hope to continue doing it in the future.”