From the President: Probus North Sydney has started the year with a flourish and thanks to Evelyn for organising January’s Train Trip to the Hawkesbury River, to John for an enjoyable Fifth Tuesday lunch at The Oaks, and to Oriel for this month’s “walk” which consisted of a trip to the bathroom and back whilst enjoying lunch at The Little Snail restaurant….for some reason Oriel’s February walk always seems to be better supported than most months! In fact there was a bit of role reversal, as the walk to the river and back during the Train Trip, was considerably further than to The Little Snail’s bathroom and back!
It was a pleasure to see all these Probus outings were well supported, which augers well for the rest of our activities during 2019. For those who haven’t yet got into their stride for the New Year, I recommend taking advantage of all the interesting activities which the Committee organises each month, especially as we transition from the heat of summer into Sydney’s lovely autumn months.
Membership Report: Our membership remains at 56, (34 women, 22 men).
Many Happy Returns of the Day for Your February Birthday: Joan H 04, Fran McL 04, Brenda O 26, John G 29.
Guest Speakers: Today we welcome Clinton Moore, whose talk is entitled, “Recording Family History.”
Note: All our Probus meetings are generally held on the third Tuesday of every month at 10:15am. The next meeting will be held on 19th March 2019. The committee meetings are conducted in the Northbridge Golf Club at 9:15am on the same day as the meeting. Members are welcome to attend.
Program of Activities
Probus Walkers: Tuesday 11th March 2019. Manly Lagoon and Return.
We will take the ferry from Circular Quay to Manly, walk through the Corso and continue along the esplanade. We will then go down some steps and continue the path around the Manly lagoon, returning back along the sea front and through the Corso for lunch/refreshments.
Easy walking. Approx. 5 klms.
Meet: Wharf 5, Circular Quay at 9:15am to catch 9:30am ferry to Manly.
Probus Outings:
Tuesday 26th February 2019. To the Ken Duncan photographic gallery in Erina. Recognised internationally as a gifted and prolific landscape photographer, and has won numerous international awards. $4 per entry for ‘package’: tour, talk, film and post card. Bus departs 9:00am. Lunch TBA.
Tuesday 26th March: Camelia Gardens in Caringbah. The Gardens began as a project under the 1970 Captain Cook Bicentenary program, the first plantings were made in 1969. They are named after the late Professor E.G. Waterhouse, a leading world authority on camelias. The garden has grown over the years into its present beauty. Bus departs 9:00am. Lunch TBA.
Meet a Member: Kevin D. After I completed the Leaving Certificate at Waverley College, I spent many years developing my hobby of stamp collecting into a significant stamp mail order and publishing business. In 1981 the Readers Digest organisation purchased the company. The Digest was developing its mail order division and had plans to apply its international “know how” in marketing to growing my business from its existing staff of over 70 people.
Following the sale of the stamp business I moved into other commercial activities and in the 1990’s I became involved on a voluntary basis in one of the world’s oldest and large non-government organisation, PLAN International. As chairman of the international Board of Directors I travelled to underdeveloped countries from Albania to Zimbabwe, which continually reminded me how true is the description of Australia as “the lucky country”.
In 1950 I had the wonderful good fortune to meet Margaret. In 1953 she said “yes” and in 1954 we married. We struggled to obtain finance to purchase the cheapest house we could find, in Lane Cove. Margaret introduced me to the pleasures of bushwalking which eventually developed into taking four of our children trekking in Nepal (my mother couldn’t believe it: “You’re paying money to go to a place no-one has ever heard of (1982), you’ll be walking for 10 days, and you call it a holiday! Why don’t you go somewhere interesting like Disneyland?”). But our trekkers still remember the grandeur of the Himalayas, which called us back in 2008 when Margaret and I had the opportunity to spend two weeks in the Kingdom of Bhutan. A backpacking holiday in some of the Greek islands gave our family another perspective on the beauty of nature and the hospitality of the Greek people.
Margaret and I enjoyed traversing the Camino to celebrate our 70th birthdays, walking the King Ludwig trail through southern Germany, Austria and into Switzerland, and similar adventures, but I must admit that in recent years coach transport is our preferred means of land travel. Nowadays our interests are very family-centred upon our six married children and seventeen grandchildren, and the pleasure of celebrating just a couple of weeks ago our 65th wedding anniversary.
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