The Aurora Group - A Ruby Foundation Limited is a charitable organisation, based in

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

, which organises celebratory events and fundraises for the gay and lesbian community. Since being founded in 1999, Aurora has organised events connected with quality food, wine and entertainment. Its signature event is the Aurora Annual Dinner, held since 2000, a large formal gala dinner held in late June each year to commemorate International

Stonewall Stonewall or Stone wall may refer to: * Stone wall, a kind of masonry construction * Stonewalling, engaging in uncooperative or delaying tactics * Stonewall riots, a 1969 turning point for the modern LGBTQ rights movement in Greenwich Village, Ne ...

Day. The

keynote A keynote in public speaking is a talk that establishes a main underlying theme. In corporate or commercial settings, greater importance is attached to the delivery of a keynote speech or keynote address. The keynote establishes the framework fo ...

address delivered at the Aurora Annual Dinner each year is a significant statement on current issues of importance to the Australian gay and lesbian community. The 2006 keynote address was delivered by New South Wales Supreme Court Justice

Virginia Bell Virginia Bell may refer to: * Virginia Bell (judge) (born 1951), Australian judge * Virginia Bell (actress) (1934–2010), American topless actress * Virginia Bell (baseball) Virginia Bell (July 30, 1927 – April 19, 1994) was a pitcher and ...

. The 2007 keynote address was delivered by New Zealander

Georgina Beyer Georgina Beyer (born November 1957) is a New Zealand politician and former Labour Party Member of Parliament. In 1995 she was elected mayor of Carterton, making her the world's first openly transgender mayor. In 2005 she became the world's fi ...

, the world's first transsexual Mayor and Member of Parliament. The Aurora Group raises funds through two main categories of activities - a giving program and its events program. Aurora exists so people can donate to a broad range of causes that benefit the lesbian, gay and transgender communities. Aurora's two major beneficiaries are Twenty Ten GLBT Youth Support and the Gay and Lesbian Counselling Service of NSW in addition to a broad range of other community organisations and projects. Aurora was founded by a group of friends who shared a common history of extensive involvement in many community organisations. Aurora was included in the name because it contains all the colours of the rainbow, which symbolises freedom. But in an aurora, the colours are presented in a living display of dazzling movement and glitter. Ruby was included to provide context for the glittering colours of the aurora because of its symbolic links with the gay community through the ruby slippers worn by

Dorothy Dorothy may refer to: *Dorothy (given name), a list of people with that name. Arts and entertainment Characters *Dorothy Gale, protagonist of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' by L. Frank Baum * Ace (''Doctor Who'') or Dorothy, a character playe ...

as she travelled the Yellow Brick Road.

External links

Aurora Group website

ourcommunity profile

Australian Securities & Investment Commission Company Record

Sydney Star Observer - Community groups guide
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aurora Group Charities based in Australia LGBTQ organisations based in Australia 1999 establishments in Australia Non-profit organisations based in New South Wales