The story of U3APP and its people

We are delighted that U3APP has published The story of U3A Port Phillip and its people 2003-2021.  

The first chapter of our story starts in 2003; the latest chapter is 2021 with the understanding that many chapters will be added in years ahead.

We owe much to the six founding members. They were able to translate their vision and philosophy for the fledgling organisation into its establishment as a growing concern. They set the tone and direction for U3APP’s development into a thriving modern learning community. Theirs was a vision of a learning community that would welcome, embrace, provoke and challenge Members.

The information in the story was compiled in 2020 and 2021 by a small team of members who researched the records – public notices, minutes of meetings, newsletters, newspapers, databases – and, most significantly, conducted interviews with and requested submissions from a range of contributors.  We trust that their voices can be heard in the publication.

We hope that you will enjoy the story of our U3APP.

The story is available as an online book or a printed book.

The printed book is available to borrow from the U3APP office and from the local and state libraries.  The printed book can also be purchased through Amazon.  Find it by going to  https://www.amazon.com.au/  and typing in “The story of U3APP” in the search.

To read the online version of the story, click on the image above.

Options when reading the book online

If you read the story using the Chrome browser on a Windows or Apple laptop, there are a number of options across the top of the screen, which allow you to change the way the story is displayed:

  1. menu (3 lines on the left) displays a small image of each page on the left and you can go to any page by clicking on it
  2. zoom out (-) makes the letters smaller
  3. zoom in (+) makes the letters bigger
  4. the next icon (2 arrows in a box) displays either the whole page or displays the width of your screen
  5. more actions (3 dots on the right) shows more options:
    1. Two page view displays two pages at a time
    2. Present displays using the full screen (press Esc to return)

The display is more like a book if you choose whole page (option 4) and Present (option 5.2).

There are similar but slightly different options if you are using Microsoft Edge on a Windows device or Safari on an Apple laptop (right click on Safari).

How to Enrol

On-line: after bookings have opened

On-line enrolments are preferred as this significantly reduces the amount of back-office work for our volunteers.

  • Login to the U3APP.org.au website.
  • Go to the Courses & Enrolling page.
  • Scroll down to find the course that you are interested in.
  • Does the course have spaces available?
    • Click on the course name to go to the booking page.
    • Click on “Book for this course or event”.
    • You will receive a confirmation email.  Please check your Junk/Spam folders as these automatically-generated emails often finish up there.
  • OR is the course shown as FULL?
    • Click on WAITLIST.

Paper Enrolment Form: before bookings open for First Semester

  • Obtain a paper Enrolment Form either from the Office or by printing an online copy available here.
  • Complete the paper Enrolment Form and submit it to the Office.

The start date for acceptance of paper Enrolment Forms for first semester is published on the U3APP website and in the e-Bulletin. Enrolment Forms received before this date are treated as though they had been received on the start date (ie there is no advantage to be gained by submitting early). On the start date and thereafter, paper Enrolment Forms are numbered in order of receipt.  Paper Enrolment forms are processed by U3APP volunteers on the same day as on-line bookings.

If your enrolment is successful, you will receive a confirmation email.  Please check your Junk/Spam folders as these automatically-generated emails often finish up there.

If your enrolment is unsuccessful,  you will receive an email telling you that you have been waitlisted.

Via the Office: after bookings have opened

  • Contact the office in person, or by email or phone.