Probus North Sydney

 THE PROBUS CLUB OF NORTH SYDNEY  Newsletter 375 16 January 2024 

PRESIDENT’S REPORT  

The Xmas lunch was a fitting end to an eventful year. Many thanks to Geoff and his  helpers for making it such a success. Thanks to Patrick as the incomparable MC. 

I am proposing that we have three or four Probus picnics  

every year and that they be held on the first Tuesday, now a  

free day. A nearby Probus Club can be invited to participate  

in fellowship and fun. Any suggestions for suitable and  

enjoyable activities are welcome. To keep things simple and  

Covid safe I’m suggesting shared finger food. Let’s make the  

first picnic Tuesday March 5th. 

Huge thanks to Noreen and Peter and the other assistants for all their work on many 

wonderful excursions over the years. I am looking for helpers to assist in organising our  Club excursions. Having members who can drive a small bus makes it possible to save on  these trips. Just a reminder, do you all have your Aged Care Number for the Community  bus subsidy? Ring 1800 200 422 or ask Mary Ann or me if you need help. 

All suggestions for activities are welcome. Another possible activity could be a book club.  Let me know if you are interested.  

Remember, the more you contribute to the Club the better you get to know fellow members  and the more rewarding is your participation. The AGM will come around soon, and now  is the time for people to consider taking on committee positions. 

We are looking into some major travel options for the year. Cook Islands, Samoa or New  Caledonia, as in Mary Ann’s report. 

Another question, has everyone received the new improved shingles vaccine? The two  doses are available free for over 65s. One in three people will get shingles in their lifetime. 

Let 2024 be a wonderful fun packed year for our Club. 

Douglas

MORE ON TRAVEL OPTIONS FOR THIS YEAR - from Mary Ann.  At the November meeting I raised the possibility of joining On Course Tours for a trip to  Mudgee from 10 - 13 March at a cost of $1250.00. On Course Tours also has a 9 day  tour to the Cook Islands from 28 June - 6 July at a cost of $4690.00. "A truly spectacular  9 day tour with deluxe waterfront accommodation at Muri Beach Club, Rarotonga. Includes  a lagoon cruise with a beach BBQ, progressive dinner, orientation tour, school visit,  Polynesian dinner and show, Ukulele workshop, traditional church service and lots of other  options to enjoy in this piece of paradise. The resort has a variety of levels of  accommodation which will reflect a price difference." 

There is also the possibility of joining Waverton Probus for a trip to Samoa 5 - 13 August for $4950.00. "9 Day tour experiencing the warm friendly culture, breathtaking scenery and  laid back lifestyle that make this topical Polynesian paradise an ideal destination.  Features 7 nights deluxe ocean view accommodation at the beautiful Taumeasina Island  Resort with Qantas return flights, Fia Fia dinner and show, Upolu Round Island tour,  Namua Turtle Tour, Savaii Island tour, National Park and Lava Fields, Samoa Cultural  Village, Apia Markets, Robert Louis Stevenson Museum, Vailima Botanical Gardens, lots of  adventurous options or simply relax and enjoy the tranquillity." I haven't yet received any  interest in either of these trips away. 

If we want to organise a group to join any of these we will need to book places as soon  as possible. Please let me know if you are interested so that I can pursue them further. 

REMINDER: Probus meetings are held on the third Tuesday of the month at 10.15 am at Northbridge Golf Club. Committee meetings take place at 9 am on the same day.

BIRTHDAYS  

Carole E 10 January, Barrie G 11 January, Judy  McD 12 January, Penny W 26 January. 

MEMBERSHIP - report from Ivan  

Membership stands at 54 (34 women and 24 men).

OUTINGS - report from Noreen  

Our next outing is to St Mary’s Cathedral and Crypt. Meeting time 11.15 am Tuesday 23  January Inside the College Street entrance to the Cathedral, corner of College Street  and St Mary’s Road, Sydney 

Please bring the guide fee of $5.00 to the meeting or make a direct deposit to the Probus  North Sydney Account. BSB 032 099, Acc 255 375. In the description please put your  last name and the word “St Marys”. 

Lunch at 12.15pm will be at ‘Legal Grounds Café’, 225 Macquarie Street Sydney, five  minutes walk away. 

Architect William Wardell was commissioned by Archbishop John Polding to design a new  St Mary’s Cathedral following the devastating fire in 1865 which razed the original  Cathedral. St Mary’s is Australia’s largest Cathedral building, an English-style Gothic  revival building, constructed of honey-coloured Sydney sandstone. Wardell used Australian  native flora throughout as a decorative element. 

It took close to 100 years to complete St Mary’s. It seemed that the two towers of the  original Wardell design would not be built. A donation saw the towers completed in June  2000. The cathedral then soared to 75 metres in height and 107 metres in length. 

It is not a copy of a particular medieval cathedral, but is a unique design, relying on  English lengthwise construction, with French features such as twin towers each side of a  rose window. 

The ornate crypt highlights a beautiful terrazzo floor, considered to be one of the finest  mosaic floors in the world. It was created by the Melocco Brothers, who introduced  terrazzo flooring to Australia. The stunning Celtic cross inlayed in the floor of the Crypt is a  striking feature, 42 metres long by 21 metres wide. 

Front entrance College St side Inside Crypt  

Next month’s outing will be on 27 February, lunch at the Davis Town RSL, ‘The Davo’. The club is situated on Brisbane Waters and is a short ferry ride from Woy Woy Station.  We are catching the train from North Sydney Station at 9am. 

Your OPAL card will get you to Woy Woy and the ferry fare is about $10.00.

WALKS - report from Lindsay  

Keeping to tradition a delicious French lunch at The Little Snail will replace the February  walk on 13 February.  

Meet at 12.00 pm The Little Snail, 3/50 Murray St, Pyrmont. The restaurant is very  close to the Australian Maritime Museum and easily accessible by F4 ferry to Pyrmont Bay. 

https://www.thelittlesnail.com.au/ 

Wilson Parking - Harbourside 100 Murray St, Pyrmont NSW 2009 

Need directions? Please click the link 

Numbers for the lunch will be collected at the meeting. Bring $45.00 on the day, 13  February. 

SPEAKERS - report from Patrick  

Our speaker this month is Louie Kelber who is an apiarist. He also has a collection of  exotic birds, and I’ve suggested he calls his talk “The Birds and the Bees”. Louie is  bringing along some of his honey to sell. 

The speaker in February will be Hans Kunnen, who was in New York during 911, and will  tell us about his unique and scary experiences. 

EVENTS - 5th Tuesday in the month Movie Outing - report from Peggy  

Tuesday 30th January at Roseville Cinema 

The Holdovers, described as a wonderful drama with a hint of comedy. 

I shall not be here for the outing but Mary Ann and Douglas have kindly offered to deputise  for me during my absence. We are hoping this movie will still be showing at Roseville on  our movie day having been released on the 11th January but as a backup have chosen a  movie called Anatomy of a Fall. Another email will be sent to you once the finer details are  known. There are some lunch venues nearby, in spite of some closures during the  pandemic. I suggest you all meet up outside the theatre about one hour prior to the movie  and go as a group together for lunch. Please look out for an email sent to you nearer the  30th January for further information of this movie outing. 

THEATRICAL EVENT - report from Mary Ann 

Mary Ann has reserved tickets for a group of  

20 at $70.00 each for 19 June at 1pm to see  

& Juliet  

What if Romeo’s ending was Juliet’s  

beginning? 

Shakespeare's script has been flipped in this  

hilarious and poignant story of self-discovery  

and second chances. Legendary songwriter,  

Max Martin, delivers one of the most  

addictive and joyous soundtracks to ever hit  

the stage, in this inspiring new musical that  

proves there’s life after Romeo. 

After premiering on the West End and earning 8 x Olivier Awards nominations, & Juliet  has also been one of the most unexpected and spectacular theatrical triumphs on  Broadway, with Forbes Magazine boldly saying: “This is easily the best musical of the  year”. 

I will be asking for interest at the January meeting and if we do not have 20 people I will  contact other Probus clubs to see if we can get the numbers. 

Payment of $70.00 to the Probus bank account with your name and the description “&  Juliet”. Details - BSB: 032-099 Account number:

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DIARY DATES FOR JANUARY & FEBRUARY 2024 ⏰ 

Tuesday 16 January 9 am Committee meeting (3rd Tuesday) Tuesday 16 January 10.15 am Probus meeting (3rd Tuesday)

Tuesday 23 January 11.15 am outing, St. Mary’s Cathedral (4th Tuesday)

Tuesday 30 January film Roseville Cinema The Holdovers OR Anatomy  of a Fall. Details closer to the day (5th Tuesday) 

Tuesday 13 February 12.00 pm Lunch at The Little Snail, Pyrmont

20 February 9 am Committee meeting

20 February 10.15 am Probus meeting (3rd Tuesday)

27 February 9 am N Sydney train for outing to The Davo, Brisbane Waters (4th Tuesday) 

FULL DETAILS IN THE NEWSLETTER