Sidney Wicks was the founder of Rostrum. Wicks, an author, journalist and public relations practitioner, 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. On 21 July 1923, he founded a club in Manchester with the prime purpose to encourage people to listen to many sources before formulating their own opinions, and then to speak their minds to groups of others in a way that would encourage them to listen.

A few Australians living in Manchester joined this club, and later returned to Australia. They founded Australian Rostrum in 1930, which soon spread across the country. It reached Mildura in 1937.

To commemorate Sidney Wicks, a prestigious national public speaking award was established in his name. It is held every seven years in an Australian capital city. The next Sidney Wicks National Speaking Competition will be held in 2012. More information will be published here when it is available.