Please note that this is not our home lodge but is a lodge that one of our brethen has visited. Our lodge is located in the San Fracisco Bay Area.

   During a work related trip, I had the time to get the GL of California to prepare me letters of introduction. I decided that I will try to visit one lodge at least during my stay in Sydney.
   I was lucky enough to stay in a hotel closed to the Grand Lodge of New South Wales. Out of the plane and on my way to work, I stopped by to at least present my credentials and inquire of potential lodge meetings. The administrator (which could have been the Grand Secretary but didn’t identify himself) vaguely perused my documents and indicated to me that 3 lodges were meeting that week and I could just present myself at 6:00 p.m. for examination by the brethren of the lodge I will be visiting.

New Lodge Room

   On the following Tuesday (jet lag prevented me to visit on the first day), I presented myself to the Members of Lodge Castlereagh #72. There a couple of brethren welcomed me and took me aside for the examination. The question was simple and still I messed up the answer. However, my answer was not fully off mark and one of the brethren told me he was fully satisfied. Little I knew he was actually the Regional Grand Master or our Grand Lecturer equivalent. The other brother was the former Grand Secretary.   
   After a nice discussion, I was invited in the lodge room prior to the opening to all members due to the fact I was a PM. This was a great honor.
   Even better, I learned that the lodge room had just been refurbished and it was the first time a lodge was using it. And even better, it was supposed to be inaugurated officially by the Governor of NSW the following week. I had primetime on the Governor!
   After a pleasant evening, Right Worshipful Olly B. presented to me a beautiful laminated poem titled “The Lambskin Apron” as a memento of my visit to the lodge. This poem is now on display at Peninsula 168 for the enjoyment of the brethren.
   Great Fraternal thanks go to WM (RW) James Melville and his officers for making my visit an enjoyable experience. I was also invited to the agapes following the dinner and I had a great conversation with wise and experienced historian brothers. I learnt about Australian Freemasonry but also about Australia. Do you know why the mountains are blue in Australia? Well, the trees are actually oily and the oil catches the reflection of light, wide sky and water and creates this vision of blue color. It is a visual illusion!
   To the insistence of few brethren, I was invited to attend another lodge meeting the following night. They told me it was the “special” lodge and they will have a 3rd degree.
   Out of curiosity, I came back the following night. Funny enough, a brother from California was also visiting. He was from a lodge in Oakland but unknown to me, I couldn’t vouch for him.

Old Lodge Room

   The “Special” lodge was Lodge Fire Brigades #940 which is a lodge reserved for Firefighters. The brethren wore their uniforms in the lodge but in there, no ranks account. They meet on the true fraternal level. I was welcome by the same 2 brothers that examined me the night before. It was like meeting two old friends after a long time.
   The third degree was delivered in a very novel way for a visitor of California and the brother that joined me from our jurisdiction was as confused as I was. With no due guards and the sign being given at the sound of the gavel in the West (yes, in the West), our signs looked a little bit of tempo.
   The Fiery brethren gave a 3rd degree which reminded me a bit of the ceremony in Toronto.
   After the meeting, we met for the agapes. Trust me, firefighters know how to handle liquid, especially flammable ones
   During the visitors toast, I explain the differences of ritual and why my California brother and I were giving sign a bit of. And I thanked them for welcoming us from far away land.
   As visitors, we were honored with the greatest canon I have ever seen. They use an actual fire siren to mark the toast. I want to thank personally WM Paul McG:. for his wonderful welcome and the fraternal love that was extended to the visitors that night. It was clear that the spirit of brotherhood exists already in their line of duties but is reinforced by the Fraternity.

Submitted by:
Wor. Sebastien Taveau

Fiery Siren

Sydney Old Aprons

Sydney Medals