Lodge Gymea No. 796
In the year 1949, with the Second World War over, many Masons from the inner suburbs began to make their homes in the Sutherland Shire. New suburbs, such as Gymea began to expand. Soon the brethren began to get acquainted with one another, and in Gymea, like the other areas, they banded together with the object of forming a new lodge.
Under the leadership of Wor. Bro. Sam Bunton many brethren were contacted and from several meetings held in the residence of a new shop which had been erected in Gymea Bay Road came the formation of Lodge Gymea.
Lodge Sutherland agreed to sponsor the new lodge with a membership of 40 petitioners. A charter was granted by Grand Lodge and Lodge Gymea was consecrated on 19th October, 1949 in the Sutherland Masonic Centre by Most Wor. Bro. John Hodgson, Deputy Grand Master. Most of the members were from outside the district and therefore did not reduce the membership of existing district lodges.
The Worshipful Master was Wor. Bro. Arthur Kell, the S.W. Bro. J. Brown and the J.W. Bro. T. Barden.
Lodge Gymea was successful from its inception. Wor. Bro. Kell was small in stature but he made up for it with his dynamic personality and the possession of a good voice. With the great potential of the area many good candidates were obtained.
Land was purchased in Gymea Bay Road for the purpose of building a Masonic Centre but unfortunately, through the lack of finance, the idea was abandoned and the land was sold. The land was situated in the main shopping centre of Gymea. The Lodge retained its meeting nights in the Sutherland Masonic Centre.
The symbol of the lodge is the Gymea Lily.
Lodge membership in 1972 was 142.