A Song for Austrek’s 50th Anniversary
Published celebrating Picard Day.
Today this humble ditty honours fifty years of local Australian Star Trek fandom and the joyful, chaotic, creative communities that make our futures bigger than we collectively imagine.
Lyrics written by AI Copilot, musical adaptation by Deep AI.
(Hey Data, I reckon this beats your “Ode to Spot”!)
This music is an adaptation of the following song:
Verse 1 — The Beginning of the Voyage
Back in ’75, when the future still felt new,
A handful of dreamers gathered with a vision bold and true.
Some school students yearned to join the Melbourne science crowd
Sparked a club called Austrek, and the fans all did it proud.
The oldest Trek club in Australia, second oldest in the world,
A banner raised in fandom, and the delta shield unfurled.
Chorus — Fifty Years at Warp
Fifty years at warp speed, and the stars still call our name,
Thousands joined the journey, and the heart of it’s the same.
From zines to cons to friendships that time could never bend,
Austrek’s not just a club… it’s where galaxies and real lives blend.
Verse 2 — Fanlore Lives Here
There were zines like Trekkie Talk and The Captain’s Log,
Pages filled with passion, every fan a demigod.
Meetings, marathons, away missions, too—
From the Ritz in ’77 to the Melbourne Moomba crew.
And the history kept expanding, as new fans came aboard,
Each generation adding to the stories we adored.
Chorus — Fifty Years at Warp
Fifty years at warp speed, and the stars still call our name,
Thousands joined the journey, and the heart of it’s the same.
From zines to cons to friendships that time could never bend,
Austrek’s not just a club… it’s where galaxies and real lives blend.
Bridge — Where Fiction Meets Reality
Some came for Spock, some came for Kirk,
Some just needed a place where their weirdness could work.
And somewhere between the panels, the parties, the lore,
Friendships formed that lasted—
and love walked through the door.
Marriages sparked from chance meetings at a con,
Proof that fandom builds a future you can build a life upon.
Verse 3 — The Living Legacy
Now the meetings still run monthly, families welcome at the door,
New fans join the voyage like the many years before.
Austrek’s kept the flame alive through every Trek rebirth,
A Melbourne-made starship with the strongest crew on Earth.
Final Chorus — Boldly Going Still
Fifty years at warp speed—what a legacy to claim.
Thousands found their people, and the stars still call our name.
Here’s to fifty more adventures, and the stories yet to send,
Austrek forever boldly goes… with every fan, every friend.
Starfleet was founded to seek out new life; well, there it sits!
This is a bit of fun with some AI, showing that our future will be more inclusive than we imagine. This blog ©2026 Geoff Allshorn, with material provided by the abovementioned AI. I show my respect for Elders past and present and acknowledge the Wurundjeri-Willam people, the Traditional Custodians of the Land on which this blog was prepared.