Sunraysia Branch
About
The Sunraysia Branch was formalised in December 2006 and is based in Mildura in Victoria's sunny northwest. We have a very active and enthusiastic team of JPs and BJs who meet regularly at the Mildura RSL. New members are always very welcome. Please come along and join our happy team.
Executive Team
Sunraysia Branch
Chair: Anthony (Tony) Robbins JP (M) 0427 281 273
Vice-Chair: Mr Peter Griffen JP (M) 0409 538 367
Secretary: Mrs Cheryl Webb JP (M) 0419 531 020
Assistant Secretary: Mrs Evelien Melsen JP
(M) 0407 596 877
Treasurer: Trevor Aust OAM, JP, FRVAHJ
(M) 0407 860 447
DSC Co-ordinator: Peter Griffin JP
(M) 0409 538 367
DSC Assistant: Mrs Evelien Melson JP
DSC Statistician:
Mrs Elizabeth (Libby) Alderton JP
(M) 0427 062 711
Publicity Officer: Ms Susan Mason JP
(M) 0428 318 346
Trainers: Tony Robbins, Peter Griffin, Sandra Lawlor
New members are always welcome at our Branch. Information sharing sessions are included in the "half yearly" meetings and at scheduled training sessions throughout the year where thoughts & ideas are shared between members and support given to all Justices.
Please feel free to call Tony on 0427 281 273, Trevor on 0407 860 447 or Cheryl on 0419 531 020 to inquire about joining our Branch. Membership is $10.00 per annum.
Branch Meetings
MILDURA BRANCH MEETINGS
Mildura branch now holds only two formal meetings during the year. The AGM is held prior to the half yearly meeting in December. The June meeting is held on the first Tuesday of the month whereas the December meeting is held on the second Tuesday.
The March and September former meeting dates are generally allocated to training sessions.
Unless otherwise notified, these meetings will continue to be held at the Mildura RSL, Cnr 10th Street & Madden Avenue, Mildura. Should it be necessary to change the venue, members will be advised via email. Both meetings will commence at 6:00pm.
Meetings are followed by dinner at the Wirraway Bistro at the RSL. An invitation is also extended to partners of Justices to attend the meal and are made extremely welcome.
Scheduled Training/Information Sessions for all local Justices, regardless of whether they are members of our Association or not, will take place of the previous March & September meeting days at times and venues to be confirmed.
The next Training Session will be held on Saturday 18th April 2026. This will be held at the Mildura Band Hall, Ninth Street, Mildura commencing at 10:00. The session will be led by Ms Colleen Woolley, OAM JP FRVAHJ who will be assisted by two of our Branch Trained Trainers, Tony Robbins and Sandra Lawlor. Lunch will be provided. Cost to members will be $10.00 and $20.00 to non-members.
Branch News
2023 - We welcome our newly appointed Justices of the Peace - joined here with RVAHJ Secretary Wendy Williams.
2009 - The inaugural "Thank You Morning Tea" hosted by Superintendent Paul Naylor (third from the right at the rear), for Justices who attend the Document Signing Centre at the Mildura Police Station. Various awards to Justices are acknowledged during the Morning Tea, which is held mid-December each year when Justices and members of VicPol have an opportunity to catch up.
2017 - The Governor visits Mildura 
Jenny Bennett, The Hon. Linda Dessau, AC & Tony Robbins.
Annual General Meeting 2025
The Sunraysia Branch AGM was held at the Mildura RSL at 6:00pm on Tuesday 2 December 2025 with 9 members in attendance. The election for the 2025 executive was chaired by guest, RVAHJ Director/Secretary Ms Wendy Williams BJ (Retd) JP FRVAHJ. The following members being duly elected:
Chairman - Anthony (Tony) Robbins JP, Vice Chairman - Peter Griffin JP, Secretary - Mrs Cheryl Webb JP, Assistant Secretary - Mrs Evelien Melsen JP, Treasurer - Trevor Aust OAM JP FRVAHJ, DSC Co-ordinator - Peter Griffin JP, DSC Assistant: Mrs Evelien MelsonJP, DSC Statistician: Mrs Elizabeth (Libby) Alderton JP and
Publicity Officer - Ms Susan Mason JP
A number of members and their partners enjoyed dinner and fellowship in the Wirraway Restaurant at the RSL following the meeting.
Life Membership Award 2021
Trevor Aust OAM JP FRVAHJ was left speechless when Chair, Tony Robbins JP, made a presentation of RVAHJ Life Membership Award to Trevor. Trevor, who goes above and beyond is always on hand to assist and mentor fellow Justices, is an extremely worthy recipient of this prestigious Award. Trevor is not only the Association's Treasurer but is also the Chief Statician for the Document Signing Centre with the assistance of Mrs Elizabeth (Libby) Alderton and the Editor of JOPIS, the Sunraysia Branch Newsletter. Many congratulations Trevor. Well Done!
The recently purchased equipment was put to good use at the Training Day held on 2 March 2024 at the Mildura Band Hall, 99 Eighth Street commencing at 1:00pm. A number of local Justices attended the session which was conducted by Ms Wendy Williams, RVAHJ Director along with our local trainers, Tony Robbins, Peter Griffin and Sandra Lawler. A very information session which created quite a lot of discussion among those present.
Branch Awards
The "John Malcolm Trophy" is a perpetual Trophy awarded to a Justice who has made a considerable contribution to the branch during the year. The Award was created when the "JP Car Badge", belonging to the late John Malcolm was gifted to the Sunraysia Branch in 2014. The Badge was placed on a beautiful piece of local yellow gum provided by Chair, Tony Robbins JP and includes a plaque engraved by Peter Griffin JP, another local member, The original Car Badge has since been replaced by one donated to the Sunraysia Branch some time ago by the late Mrs Shirley Penny OAM, CMC, (JP Ret'd)
John Malcolm Trophy "Honour Board"
2015 Trevor Aust OAM JP FRVAHJ
2016 The Hon. Kenneth Wright (Dec'd)
2017 Janine Reid JP & Robert Reid JP (both Dec'd)
2018 Geoffrey Jones JP (Dec'd)
2019 Jenny Bennett PSM JP
2020 Tony Robbins JP
2021 Robert (Bob) Merlin BJ
2022 Cheryl Webb JP
2023 Sandra Lawler JP
2024 Trevor Aust OAM JP FRAVAHJ
2025 Peter Griffin JP
Members' Milestones
The following awards were presented by Senior Sergeant Dale Long at the morning tea held on 12 December, hosted by Mildura VicPol:
"300 Club" Tony Robbins JP (Certificate and Badge)
"100 Club" Graeme Mitchell JP (Certificate and Badge)
"10 Year Service Award" Peter Griffin JP (Certificate)
As Trevor Aust JP was not acknowledged last year for reaching the "300 Club", he received his belated Badge but will need to make his own Certificate
Senior Sergeant Dale Long with Trevor Aust
Senior Sergeant Dale Long with Tony Robbins
Senior Sergeant Dale Long with Peter Griffin
Senior Sergeant Dale Long with Graeme Mitchell
i2025 "Giggle Awards"
These Awards were created by and presented by Trevor Aust, DSC Co-ordinator
Most clients in a day - Joint winners, Evelien Melson JP and Elizabeth Alderton JP who attended to 41 clients on two very busy days, Evelien in July and Elizabeth in August
Most signings in a shift - Graeme Mitchell JP signed his name 259 times in September
Snooze award for least number of clients in a day - Graeme Mitchell JP for attending to 8 clients in April
Overtime award for late finish - Evelien Melsen JP who pulled up stumps at 5:00pm in an extended shift in August.
Most attendances award - Tony Robbins JP with 23 attendances. Tony was the fall back and filled vacancies as they occurred, sometimes at very short notice.
Congratulations and very well done to all Award recipients.
.
Document Signing Centres
Support and assistance is given to all Justices who attend the Sunraysia Branch Document Signing Centre. Help, if needed, is only a phone call away, not only from local JP's but also from members in Melbourne and other parts of Victoria. A list of names and contact details can be obtained from either the RVAHJ magazine, Custodes or from the Document Signing Centre. Unfortunately, the number of Justices available to attend the Signing Centre at the Mildura Police Station had been depleted for various reasons over the past couple of years, putting more pressure on those Justices who remained available. With 6 of the newly appointed Justices of the Peace having made themselves available to attend at the Mildura Police Station, the pressure is off to a degree. There is also a JP attending at the Red Cliffs Resource Centre from 9:30-12:30 every Monday (excluding Public Holidays).
Despite this very welcomed increase in numbers, if any other local Justices can spare 3 hours once a month to help with the roster, please contact Co-ordinator Peter Griffin JP on 0409 538 367 to advise your availability. You will be welcomed with open arms.
The DSC returned to the Mildura Police Station after a period of almost 2 years with the current hours being 1:00-4:00pm Monday to Friday excluding Public Holidays. The return to the Mildura Police Station has been very successful and our presence there once again is greatly appreciated and welcomed by members of VicPol.
JOPIS
Justices of the Peace Information Service
The JOPIS is the Sunraysia Branch Newsletter which was commenced in 2009. Trevor Aust OAM JP FRVAHJ was the instigator and initial Editor of the Newsletter. After 16 years as Editor Trevor handed over the reins to Ms Susan Mason JP in 2025.
JOPIS has been the local voice disseminating Changes to Legislation and keeping local JPs up to speed on various matters in relation to what to do and what not to do when signing documentation, certificating documents etc., amongst many other snippets of information.
One of the "look forward to" sections of JOPIS was "Know your Fellow JP". Various JPs have provided a brief description of their lives and more often than not how they became a Justice of the Peace. It was always a very enlightening and interesting read.
Our congratulations and many thanks to Trevor for all he has done not only in relation to his editorial efforts with JOPIS but as the "go to" person for many queries from many local Justices.
Thank You Trevor.