[Jason]

FREEMASONS aren't so secretive after all, SARAH HUDSON discovers
Its members have included cricketer Donald Bradman, entertainer Graham Kennedy and former Prime Minister Robert Menzies.
Dan Brown's new thriller, The Lost Symbol, paints it as a clandestine brotherhood with ancient mysteries.
Freemasons have long been viewed as a male-only secret society for the politically and socially connected.
But according to Freemasons Victoria grand secretary, Barry Reaper, aside from an identification handshake that establishes rank, his members aren't hiding anything.
"Over the years it's been regarded as a secret society - that conjures up suspicion," says Barry.
"But the handshake goes right back to medieval stonemasons, who were skilled craftsmen, but were illiterate and so used signs as a means of identification.
"It's no more than that. There's certainly a lot of misinformation out there."
Freemasonry dates back to stonemasons guilds in 17th century England, while the first lodge was established in Australia in 1820.
In Victoria there are 14,000 members in 330 lodges, a third of which are in country Victoria, with some lodges accepting women.
While not a religion, all members are expected to practice tolerance, equality, charity and honour and believe in a supreme being


Country Living Freemasonry in country Victoria - Weekly Times Now