BAROSSA GERMAN LANGUAGE ASSOC. INC. – ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
29 th September 2025
PRESIDENT’S REPORT

AGM Media update 2025.pdf

PRESIDENT’S ANNUAL REPORT

The BGLA Committee have brought together a variety of different events and programmes, including:

EVENTS

• History Day in May – a very successful day with interesting speakers. Our Caterer Malcolm
  Filsell supplied an excellent meal again this year, the event was well organized and
  registrations went through smoothly thanks to Chris Leske. The team on the committee in
  Adelaide do a great job creating a theme, pulling the speakers together and editing and
  publishing the booklets.
• Lantern Walk – August – a big event, well supported by the community and held at the Nuriootpa Football Club, with the walk taking place on the oval. A lot of work went into the preparation and the committee and helpers did a wonderful job to make it all happen. This is a great family event and it is so good to see the excitement build and the children’s happy faces lit by the lanterns.
• Adelaide German Week – September – our contribution to AGW this year was the Barossa Konzert with the Tanunda Liedertafel 1850 and the Barossa Trio playing beautiful music at St. Petri Church, Nuriootpa. At the conclusion of the concert, we enjoyed Kaffee und Kuchen at the back of the church. This event was also well supported by the community with about 150 people attending. Some people booked online, however, many came and paid on the day. The question was asked of me during Kaffee und Kuchen at the conclusion of the concert: what are you doing next year?
  
  REGULAR PROGRAM
  
• Kaffee und Kuchen – These afternoons are held from February to November and the speakers have been very varied and interesting. We have had talks on history, family connections, the wine industry and will finish the year with a Christmas event. We have had delicious luncheons and of course the mandatory Kaffee und Kuchen.
• Stammtisch –A group of mainly younger German speakers have been meeting at the Weintal Hotel, Tanunda on the last Wednesday of the month for a meal or just a drink and speak German together. 
• Kinder Klub and Spielgruppe – held at the same time Tuesday afternoons. This has been working quite well although numbers fluctuate. Four families attend regularly, although two new families with very young children have joined recently. Liz Henderson and Chris Leske have been helpers again this year and we three Omas enjoy our time with the younger people. Parents have a chance to speak German with the children and also connect and speak German amongst themselves over a cup of coffee or tea. Activities have included: cooking, arts and crafts, stories, card games, games outside to allow running around, matching games and generally just playing, interacting and hearing German spoken in a natural way. We built a scarecrow for the Vintage Festival, which was proudly displayed at the front of Liz’s home.
• German language tuition – Birgit, who teaches the classes in Lyndoch, says: “Classes are running strong. There were between 6 to 8 people attending throughout the year including some beginners. Our last term this year will finish at the end of November”.
• Singkreis – The group meet to enjoy coffee, cake and singing old German folk songs. We have had some members unable to come each month because of illness, but we all still try to meet up and have fun and keep the songs alive.

COMMUNICATION & PUBLICITY

• Das Blatt – this was ably put together by Gerlinde (in Tanunda) and Sarah (in Denmark). Because Gerlinde has been away for a good part of this year, John has taken over the collating. Das Blatt is emailed and posted online. Printed copies are sent to the local libraries and circulated at Kaffee und Kuchen. Thank you Gerlinde, Sarah and John.
• Print – More articles are appearing in the local press. John has established a good relationship with The Leader, The Bunyip and Hills Courier. Thanks, John.
• Radio – Steffi has spoken on local radio BBBfm 89.1 Community Radio and 5EBI FM where Dieter Fabig’s German programme- Die Deutsch Stimme regularly advertises our Kaffee und Kuchen events and Adelaide German Week.
• Social Media, Website, Email List – Anne, our Social Media person, puts posts on our website, Facebook and emails BGLA members. Anne through her business “Ausdruck Digital” has also created posters for advertising events. Her poster for our Barossa Konzert was eyecatching. Our social media presence has lifted considerably because of her excellent work. Thank you so much Anne. She would be very pleased if someone else who is tech savvy could take over this role, or at least help her with it.

FUNRAISING & GRANTS

We did not apply for any grants this past year. We acquitted the Equipment Grant and purchased all the items on our list: speaker and mike, media wall, lights, flags, large esky, banners and gazebo. These items have all been used for the Lantern Walk and some for the Barossa Konzert. All items are stored at the Langmeil Centre.

PROJECTS

Bilingual Barossa Project – We are continuing to lobby to establish bilingual education in the Barossa region.

Local schools – Angaston and Nuriootpa primary schools and Good Shepherd Lutheran School have reached out for support during the year, and Chris Leske and I have enjoyed visiting the schools and engaging with the German language classes.

Barossa Cultural Precinct & Study Centre Proposal – This Project has gained momentum. Peter Mickan has been lobbying and engaging with government, local business and churches to move this project forward. Peter has also spoken at a Barossa Council meeting. Thank you, Peter.

SPONSORS & VOLUNTEERS

Sponsors – A big thank you to the people who have supported the BGLA this year: Ashton Hurn, Member for Schubert, for her support, and her office staff who print Das Blatt and our brochures; the Langmeil Centre whose facilities we use for a minimal charge: the SA Government for our equipment grant; Langmeil Wines for the generous donation of wines for use as gifts; Barossa Co-op whose donation we use to purchase goods for Kaffee und Kuchen; Ausdruck Digital for our media and publishing; Nuriootpa Rovers Football Club, who kindly allowed us to use their facilities for our Lantern Walk.

Finally thank you to our excellent committee, who have all done their individual best this past year, from organizing speakers, lobbying government and local business, handling all our funds, getting information out there to the members and general public through the papers, newsletter and on social media, helping set up and pull down each event and supporting in the kitchen. 

We have had ongoing help from Ev Leske setting up the room and audio equipment, Bobb and Joerg in pulling down at the end of each event. Our catering team, Elke, Steffi Goers, Gudrun, Chris M., Rosanne, Chris L. and Liz Henderson work tirelessly in the background, making sure Kaffee und Kuchen runs smoothly. Chris Leske and Liz Henderson come each Tuesday and make Kinder Klub work. Thank you Chris for keeping the books all year and organizing Jordan to audit them. The treasurer’s job is huge and Chris does a great job.

We have had wonderful support from some of our younger people (and the young at heart) for the Laternenlauf : Dieter organizing the kitchen and making pretzels, Michael from The Weintal Hotel for making the soup and helping in the kitchen, Julianne and Doreen for setting up the room, Pru Henschke for organizing the visuals, Robert, Bobb and Matthew for setting up the gazebo, and of course Elke for the Gluehwein. Liz Henderson, ably helped by Hayley Cooke, the German teacher at Nuri. High, got all the lantern making equipment together and manned the tables during the evening; some interesting lanterns were made by some of the children!

I am truly blessed to have such great people to call on. Many people also bring along something for the Kaffee Tisch each month which is much appreciated. Thank you all. Without you nothing would happen. Together we have fun, and make it work.

Steffi Traeger

• Peter Mickan spoke about the Bilingual Programme and Cultural & Study Precinct. Don Ross chaired the election of a new committee for 2025/26. Thank you Don.