Monthly Meetings
Visit our Society
Monthly meetings are held on the 2nd Tuesday of each month. These take place at the Campbelltown Presbyterian Church in the Moore Hall, located at 40 Lithgow Street, Campbelltown. There is ample parking and direct access at the rear of the building.
Doors open at 6.30pm and the general meeting commences at 7.00pm.
Aside from the general day-to-day running of the Society, each meeting includes;
- A monthly benching competition - Members are invited to bring their flowering plants for display and judging in a variety of classes. In doing this, members not only gain experience showing their plants, but are able to share their achievements with the group. The orchids on display are a discussion point amongst those present. Prizes are awarded for the Plant of the Night, Encouragement Award and Members Choice.
- Guest speaker or demonstration - Expert growers or experienced members of the club are organised to give a presentation on a different orchid related topic each month. From time-to-time this can include a practical element or demonstration. This is a great way for everyone, beginner or expert, to learn something new about orchids.
- Light refreshments - At the half-way point of the evening, the meeting breaks for tea, coffee and a bite to eat. This is a great time to peruse the displayed plants, ask questions and socialise.
- Raffle - The Society sources a range of quality orchid plants from reputable orchid nurseries. Members also donate surplus plants which are all raffled each month. Tickets can be purchased throughout the night for $1 each.
Meetings generally conclude around 9pm.
Monthly Benching Competition: Plant of the Night July 2024 - Rhys. gigantea x sib
Grown by D. W
History of our Society
65 Years on!
The Campbelltown and Districts Orchid Society has proudly been an active part of the Macarthur community for 65 years. Formed in 1958 to promote and encourage the cultivation of orchids and their preservation for future generations.
Throughout the last six decades, our Society has built itself into the local community through its regular shows, displays and orchid care talks. Over the years we have filled local shopping malls, garden nurseries, banks and even the botanic gardens with breathtaking displays of Australian native and exotic orchid species and hybrids.
Many members of the Macarthur region make something of an annual pilgrimage to one of our many shows to see the wonderful plants on display and pick out the perfect plant to add to their own collections.
Our members love seeing a familiar face and are always up for a chat about all things orchid. Backyards and verandahs right across the Campbelltown area and surrounding suburbs now boast beautiful blooming orchids purchased from our sales table.
Even during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the keen orchid enthusiasts of the Campbelltown and Districts Orchid Society were not going to let that get in the way of sharing their beautiful plants with the local community. Our Society lead the way with a one-of-a-kind, Virtual Orchid Show. Members submitted photos of their flowering plants online to a specially convened judging panel. These photos and the shows results were widely publicised online and culminated in the printing of a Virtual Orchid Show Magazine, to ensure that our elderly members who were feeling the affects of isolation the most, were not left out.
Following the lock-downs, the Campbelltown and Districts Orchid Society has jumped ahead in leaps and bounds. Not only are more locals joining our club to learn about and cultivate their own, growing, orchid collections, but we now boast four shows annually. In 2020, the Mid-Spring Show was added to our yearly line-up. The Campbelltown and Districts Orchid Society is a club of passionate orchid enthusiasts who love to get together for a good chat, great supper and to share their growing successes. Visit us at one of our four shows this year, or pop in one evening to our monthly meetings. We would be delighted if you joined us!
Honorary Life Members
Sidney Burton
Mark Jensen
Graham Beaton
Edward Fish
Gwen Fish
Frank Hoffmann
Elaine Hoffmann
Carol Asquith
Tony Asquith
Neal Chiddy
Ray Cockroft