Domain Name

Brian Bendigo club 9608
I became president of Bendigo club in July. We have a FreeToastHost website and I notice we make several payments a year to a company called "Crazy Domains" apparently for a name "bendigotoastmasters.org.au"
When I access this name via google it brings up the Bendigo FTH site. I'm confused; last time I was involved as administrator with a FTH site as a member of club 4185 I do not recall making payments for a domain name.
Is this now necessary or has it always been so and my memory is failing?
Regards
Brian

Roughly 800 clubs worldwide choose to pay a domain name registrar a fee for a custom domain name of their choosing.

FTH's implementation supports the use of a custom domain name if a club wishes to use one, but it is not required. Website aliases are a free alternative provided by FTH that most clubs use instead.

Please read the following to understand the difference:

support.toastmastersclubs.org/doc/item/a...whats-the-difference
support.toastmastersclubs.org/doc/item/d...tical-considerations

this is the person at your club who is paying for the domain
Domain Name: BENDIGOTOASTMASTERS.ORG.AU
Registry Domain ID: D407400000000992245-AU
Registrar WHOIS Server: whois.auda.org.au
Registrar URL:
Last Modified:
Registrar Name: Web Address Registration Pty Ltd
Registrar Abuse Contact Email:
Registrar Abuse Contact Phone:
Reseller Name:
Status: serverRenewProhibited afilias.com.au/get-au/whois-status-codes#serverRenewProhibited
Registrant Contact ID: R-006181481-SN
Registrant Contact Name: Simon Duthie
Registrant Contact Email: duthiesimon@hotmail.com

9608 Brian,
Thanks Steve and Brian for your prompt reply. The information provided was very useful and leads me to one hopefully final question:

When I open the admin console the Alias box contains "bendigotoastmastersclub" and the domain box is empty.

So if I understand correctly we are not actually using the domain name we are paying for and if we cease payments our FTH site will continue without change?

Correct. You can always access you club website using the number.
9608.toastmastersclubs.org