U3A ACT
University of the Third Age — Lifelong learning

Click here to go to the online Course Selector to find courses in a specific area.

NEW COURSES

The following new courses are taking enrolments. For full details of these courses, go to the New Courses list

Musical Innovators and Consolidators (M095.1) Tuesdays 9:30 am - 11:30 am, 26 September to 31 October
Venue Private home in Stirling
Cost Gold coin donation to cover refreshments
ContactEric Anderson at
Enrolments From Monday 14th August

The Story of Air Travel (H166.01) - Lindbergh to Low Cost Carriers Thursdays 2pm - 4pm, 14 September to 5 October
Venue Cook Community Hub Room 2
Cost Room rent and refreshments
Contact Martin Aubury at (preferred) or 6255 2347
<Enrolments</b> NOW - 7 vacancies as of 6 August

* Your Body - Learn All about It - Pt 2 (SHE078.81) - Wednesdays 30 August - 20 September, 10:00 am - 12:00 noon
Venue: Hughes Community Centre
Contact: Gillian Edwards on 6281 2461 or
Enrolments from: NOW

* Contact on the Frontier - Stories from the meeting & experiences of Europeans & Aboriginal people on the Australian frontier (H167.02) Saturdays 9 September - 25 November, 1:30 - 4:00 pm
Venue: Cook Community Hub, Room 3
Cost: Room rent, handouts
Contact: Peter White at (preferred) or 6258 9354
Enrolments: NOW

VACANCIES

Recent eBulletins have advertised limited vacancies in the following courses and it may be possible to enrol in them if you act quickly.
You can also check with the Course Prospectus to see whether specific courses are full.

* JS Bach Masterpieces – ‘Music to Delight the Spirit’ - (M081.04) Thursdays 5 October - 7 December, 9:45 am - 12:00 noon
Vacancies: 15 as at 6 August
Cost: $50
Venue: Wesley Music Centre, 20 National Circuit, Forrest.
Contact: Garth Mansfield at (preferred) or 6248 6230
New Enrolments: From Monday 4 September 2017 after 9am

CHANGES TO COURSES & CANCELLATIONS

Any recent changes to courses already advertised will be shown below.

CHANGES TO FINISHING DATES:
* Notable Historical Trials (H165.01) - now finishes Friday 22 September
* A History of the British Isles (H130.04) - now finishes Monday 25 September
* Byzantium (H126.05) - now finishes Wednesday 20 September

CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

The Triton Owners’ Club of the ACT Inc (TOCACT) is a wood working club that has a key focus on providing support to people - men and women - using Triton woodworking equipment. They are aware that many people take up woodworking in their retirement and may wish to get a better understanding of how to use Triton saw tables that have often been sitting under-used in their sheds for many years.

To assist these people, TOCACT is considering running an introductory course for U3A on how to set up and use this equipment safely and effectively.

If there is sufficient interest they propose to run two 2 hour sessions (probably one in mid-September and the second in mid-October) with the first covering an introduction to the table saw and the second session the router.

The sessions would be held on a Wednesday evening (7-9pm) at the Stromlo Forest Scout Hall in Duffy. A small fee may be charged to cover the cost of hall hire.

If you are interested, please contact John Karas at before Monday 28 August 2017.

Expressions of interest sought for the course: Syria: ‘Yesterday, Today, and …’

If you don’t understand the complexities of the past, you cannot hope to comprehend the realities of the present.

Through this course we will examine the development of modern Syria, starting from the last days of the Ottoman Empire, examining domestic and regional issues that set the scene for the current conflict. We will then look at the evolution of the conflict including the changing role of external interests, media coverage, and how various interests have worked to shape public perceptions.

The presenter, David Menere, has worked in Syria as an assistant to his archaeological spouse since the early 1990s.

The course would involve two 2-hour sessions over two consecutive weeks, in either October or November, preferably mornings and hopefully in the Hughes Community Centre (subject to availability).

If you are interested, contact David Menere at or 02 6282 5445 before 5pm, Friday 25 August.

The Course Updates page shows these changes, as well as ones which have previously been notified.

The U3A eBulletin is an irregular bulletin which is emailed to members. It provides information about matters which may be of immediate interest to members.

The U3A Newsletter is published six times each year and reports on U3A activities, programs, courses and upcoming events. Essential reading for all U3A ACT members. Read the latest:

• July/August [PDF, 3.13 MB]

"ARTY" VOLUNTEERS REQUIRED

• We are looking for someone to help finalise a new Handbook for U3A in August. The aim is to make it look less like a Government report and of more interest to new members!
• We also need help with designing advertisements and programs for the NSW Network Conference in April 2018. It is U3A ACT's turn to organise this conference. The design work would be in September/October 2017.

If you have graphic design skills and could help with either or both tasks, please
Contact: Chris Paterson at

VOLUNTEERS INFORMATION SESSION

• Find out what is involved in volunteering with U3A and discover the various areas that you might be interested in.
• The Volunteers Handbook will be available for you at the meeting, or you can access the handbook beforehand here
• Refreshments will be served.

Venue: Cook Community Hub, Room 3
RSVP to:

BRINDABELLA ORCHESTRA CONCERT

What would a movie be without Music? Come and hear cowboys, pirates, secret agents and many more characters from many great movies.

Venue: North Belconnen Uniting Church, Conley Drive, Melba
Cost: $5 includes a program and afternoon tea

Almost-Spring Trivia Night, Wednesday 30 August

Venue Irish Club, Weston, 6.30pm for 7pm start

PCUG (Personal Computer Users Group) invites all members and their friends/family/guests to celebrate the imminent arrival of Spring, to come along and meet people, to exercise the brain cells. We promise no computer knowledge is necessary!
Cost is $20 per person (including tea/coffee) or you can book a whole table of 8 for $150. We prefer pre-booking so we know how many to expect, but if you just turn up on the night we will find you a place at a table.
Contact: Eileen Dunstone to book, or for further information on 6251 4323 or 0411 332 963, or email

Request from Canberra Writers Festival for volunteers

The 2nd annual Canberra Writers Festival is taking place from Friday 25 August – Sunday 27 August 2017 showcasing local, national and international writers in venues around the National Capital.

If you can volunteer to help out with the Festival at various venues in the Parliamentary Triangle, please contact: Sharon on 0487 314 197 or

Click here for a downloadable copy of U3A's newly released
Volunteers Handbook