The Club

Our History

Sir Garfile Barwick

The National Press of Australia Club started out as a press luncheon club, the brainchild of a group of journalists over a few drinks in a Canberra pub, the Hotel Kingston. The idea was backed by the federal parliamentary press gallery and public service journalists before receiving formal approval from the Australian Journalists Association.

The first person ever to address the National Press Club was Chief Justice and External Affairs Minister Sir Garfield Barwick on 17 May 1963. This luncheon was held at the then Hotel Canberra. On Thursday 27 May, 1976 the then Prime Minister, Rt Hon. Malcolm Fraser officially opened the new Club premises at 16 National Circuit Barton where the club resides today. In his welcome address, the club President, Max Hawkins made special mention of Tony Eggleton who lead the original committee in 1962, The Rt Hon William McMahon who when he was Prime Minister was instrumental in the approval of the club and the then Minister for the Interior the Hon Ralph Hunt. In fact it was Mr McMahon that turned the first sod on this site on November 29, 1972.

Over the years the club has hosted Addresses from a vast array of visiting international figures, Heads of State, Religious leaders, innovators and of course our political leaders including every Prime Minster/Opposition leader every year over the past 40 years. We are proud to continue this fine tradition today.

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Lee Catmull (pictured left in the press club boardroom in 1981, photo by Heide Smith) was a founding member of the National Press Club in 1963 , a former President, and foundation Secretary . In all, he served 17 years in club official roles.

He was initially in the Sun News-Pictorial bureau in the Press Gallery, later moving to the CCH office. Lee was a genuine stalwart of the Club, an advocate for it, and a valuable contributor to the board with a genial but forceful style.

Those of us who worked with him in the gallery and the club will remember him as a good friend and a quality journalist. He and his wife Dawn (who taught so many of our kids to swim) had been living in retirement on the Gold Coast but moved to Townsville to see more of their son. Lee passed away on Octboer 21, 2009. 

Enquiries

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