Rotary Melbourne Lunch 22 April

Rotary Lunch 22 April 2026

Speaker Don Farrands KC

Topic ‘Life on the Western Front... a Stretcher Bearer’s Story’

Details 12.30 for 12.50 - 2.00pm at No35 Sofitel Melbourne & by ZOOM  

Don Farrands KC is a highly esteemed commercial barrister, widely recognised for his expertise in complex litigation and class actions. He regularly appears in the Supreme Court of Victoria and the Federal Court of Australia, acting for major corporations including Santos, 7-Eleven and Australian Gas Networks. He was counsel for SP AusNet in the landmark Kilmore East bushfire class action—one of the largest in Australian corporate history—and played a key role in matters arising from the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission. Don is also respected for his expertise in complex loss, damage and financial analysis, and serves as a Non-Executive Director of Wallara Australia.

In the lead-up to ANZAC Day, Don will share a deeply personal story—that of his grandfather, Nelson Ferguson, a conscientious objector and stretcher-bearer on the Western Front during the First World War.

Drawing on his research about his grandfather’s life, Don will bring to life the realities of the front line and the extraordinary endurance of those who served. Nelson Ferguson’s story is one of courage and conviction—a 22-year-old art teacher from Ballarat who enlisted in 1915 and went on to witness the horrors of war, carrying the wounded through some of the most brutal battles of the Western Front, including the Somme, Bullecourt, Ypres and Villers-Bretonneux.

A powerful and moving reflection, this address offers a unique perspective on service, sacrifice and resilience.

Join us for lunch, be informed and form connections.

Nelson Ferguson