A love of lifelong learning
Retiring from paid employment is one thing, but it’s no reason to stop being involved with your community.
Celebrating 50 Years, 50 Lives
In the lead-up to National Seniors Australia's 50th anniversary in 2026, Connect is sharing the stories of 50 people who have made contributions to the organisation over those years.
Rhonda Weston AM has been an active and passionate volunteer with organisations across Australia since she was 14.
Originally from Hervey Bay on the central Queensland coast, she lived in New South Wales and Western Australia before heading north again with her husband, David, for retirement in the “garden city” of Toowoomba, 125 kilometres west of Brisbane.
Over the past three decades, she has been involved with groups including Girl Guides, Red Cross, Meals on Wheels, Toowoomba Visitor Information Centre, and the University of the Third Age (U3A).
Her commitment to community service and lifelong learning is evident in her extensive history of volunteering, a dedication that last year led to her becoming a finalist in the Everald Compton Community Champion Medal, named after National Seniors Australia (NSA) co-founder.
Rhonda says her spirit of volunteerism has continued throughout her life, adapting to different locations and stages of her career.
When her two daughters were young, she volunteered at their preschool and later with the Girl Guides. She also served on committees within her local church.
Even during her busy paid career, which culminated in 12 years as the purchasing and stores manager for Australia Meat Holdings in the Hunter Valley region of NSW, Rhonda consistently found time for community involvement.
Upon retiring to Toowoomba in 2004 – “We had a good look around Australia and we knew that to the best place to be,” she explains – Rhonda immediately embraced the opportunities for engagement that the thriving city offered.
She joined the U3A almost straight away, participating in various classes and activities, and spent time as a volunteer usher with the Toowoomba Repertory Theatre at the historic and beautifully restored Empire Theatre.
Rhonda also pursued personal interests, joining two rose societies and even serving as secretary of the Darling Downs Rose Society. Her love of her adopted home saw her volunteer at the Toowoomba Visitor Information Centre for an impressive 19 years – and counting.
However, it is Rhonda’s profound involvement with U3A that truly stands out. Despite initially intending to avoid committee work in retirement, she joined a U3A subcommittee in 2008, quickly progressing to vice president by 2010 and president in 2011 – a role she held until 2023.
Her commitment to U3A extends far beyond the local level. She is currently the Queensland president and deputy chair of U3A Australia, and the first and only Australian on the international governing board.
Rhonda emphasises the global reach and importance of U3A, saying that it is “only limited by the people who volunteer” to teach or facilitate courses.
Her nomination for the ECCCM from NSA is a testament to her dedication to enriching the lives of older Australian.
Rhonda sees synergy between NSA and U3A because they are both “organisations about caring for seniors, enriching the lives of seniors, and improving the lives of seniors”.
With age comes wisdom and the more years lived means more experience gained. At every stage of our life, whether we’re benefiting from experience being shared or benefiting from sharing our experience, Experience Matters.
