Commander to help club mark milestones

The first female in the Royal Australian Navy to command a warship will command what is set to be a captive audience in Bunbury this weekend.

HMAS Toowoomba Commander Catherine Hayes will be guest speaker at the Zonta Club of Bunbury’s International Women’s Day breakfast on Sunday.

The annual fundraiser is the club’s biggest of the year and in Zonta’s centenary year, organisers are hoping for their biggest breakfast yet.

Zonta’s Jo Wittorff said people could expect a good breakfast, a celebration of women and an “awesome” guest speaker.

“As it’s our 100th we’ll be really wanting to celebrate big,” Mrs Wittorff said.

“It’s really important for our club for a couple reasons — it showcases what Zonta does and where the money from people who support us goes as we list it on the back of the place mats.

“Every penny we get we’re putting into our projects and that’s the other thing, it’s a fundraiser for us too.

“So we can’t really survive without having this.

“It’s just a nice day where people socialise, some people get a table each year because they enjoy it so much.”

Commander Hayes’ impressive career includes assuming command of the HMAS Toowoomba in 2013 with operations involving searching for missing airliner MH370 and a deployment to the Middle East where her ship intercepted more than 5.6 tonnes of drugs.

“She’s done some amazing things ... we can’t wait to hear her speak,” Mrs Wittorff said.

Men and women are encouraged to attend the event at the Mercure Bunbury Sanctuary Golf Resort.

Tickets are $35 and available from La Femme Bunbury or online here.