Its early establishment makes Rostrum the longest running public speaking organisation in the world.

[2] Wicks who was an author, an advertising executive for the Manchester Guardian, public relations practitioner Company Director and Newspaper Chief Editor.

He came to believe that people needed to think through their own decision-making processes rather than just accept the promotions of the press and other interested parties.

Crook, with the help of Robert Swainson and Stuart McPhee, formed a Rostrum Club in Sydney.

However, there was some growth to the north, with the AHG Rostrum Club running in the Changi POW camp from 1943 to 1944.

It had groups in every state and in 1956 the Federal President, Jean Ellis, witnessed a first branch in Canberra.

[17] A book titled Rostrum in Victoria: 1934–1959 by RE Tonkin was released by the Victorian Dais around this time.

[1] Take the Chair, a book on meeting procedure was written for Rostrum by WA members Cecil Carr and Alan Foyster in 1962.

[18][19] In 1965 Alan Crook died, shortly after receiving an MBE for his work establishing Australian Rostrum.

[1][20] Have something to say: a text book for public speakers was written in 1969 by ACT member Laurie Burgess.

[18] Chairmanship and Public Speaking was written for Rostrum in the 1960s by NSW member Evan Bowen-Thomas.

[16] Until 1978, Rostrum in Australia was restricted to men but in that year, the national constitution was changed to allow the entry of women.

The release of "History of ACT Rostrum" by Roy Ayrton and Tom Trebilco was another 1978 event.

[1] The first "Sidney Wicks Speaking Competition" was held in Sydney in 1980 to celebrate 50 years of Rostrum in Australia.

It was won by David Mead from WA and presented by the Governor General of Australia, Sir Zelman Cowen.

[18] The second Sidney Wicks competition was held in Canberra in August 1988 during the Australian Bicentenary celebrations, and was won by Bill Smith from WA.

The conference was joint project of Australian Rostrum and the Penguin Club of Australia, aimed to promote oral communication, especially to children.

[18] In 1990, a new version of popular Take the Chair (rewritten by Rostrum WA members David Julian Price, Harold Luxton and Bill Smith) was released.

[22] The fourth Sidney Wicks competition was held in Hobart on 7 August 1999 in conjunction with the first Rostrum National Convention.

2000 saw the release of The torch of truth and freedom: the South Australian Rostrum history, 1936–1999 by Colin Chiverton,[18] and Tips on Public Speaking and Meeting Procedure: Volume 2 by Ron Johnson.

[22] In 2005 the fifth Sidney Wicks competition was held in Perth on 15 October at the National Convention celebrating 75 years of Rostrum in Australia.

In 2011 the sixth Sidney Wicks competition was held in Adelaide South Australia in October in conjunction with the National Convention.

The seventh Sidney Wicks competition was held in Brisbane in conjunction with the annual Australian Rostrum Council conference and the forty third Voice of Youth National finals in late July 2017.

The first On-Line Rostrum Club has been formed with members in most states of Australia and, at time, overseas.

In Victoria the competition is called the state Jo Davis Cup in recognition of a previous active and respected member.