THE PROBUS CLUB OF NORTH SYDNEY Newsletter 387 21 February, 2025
PRESIDENT’S REPORT - Douglas I
The AGM is fast approaching and have you thought seriously on how you can help the Club become bigger and better. Many hands make light work is not just a Confucius saying. The crucial roles of Secretary and Vice President (President in 2026) have to be filled. I remind everyone that another bigger Club has collapsed as Committee positions weren't being filled.
At the end of every day think of the many things you are grateful for and what was the best thing that happened today. This will give a lift to your overall outlook. We are lucky to live where we live.
At recent Cluster meetings some Clubs had gone to a cashless system. This reduces the load on the Treasurer. A start would be to increase our membership fee and have no meeting fees. We would pay virtually the same amount each year with less work for the Treasurer. Some figures will be presented at the AGM for consideration.
MEMBERSHIP - report from Lyn M Membership is 55: 35 female and 20 men.
BIRTHDAYS
Norman McN, 11 February; Noreen B, 25 February; Brenda Os, 26 February; John G, 29 February.
SPEAKERS - report from Patrick W• Our speaker this month is Martin Orchard who will talk about his
experiences as a chorister at
Westminster Abbey.
• In March, three of our members have each kindly agreed to provide a five minutes vignette on subjects such as ‘my favourite hobby or pastime’.
WELFARE
If members are aware of another member who is not well or who would like to speak to someone for welfare support, please call Jackie M on 0412 836 997.
CLUSTER NEWS
Mary Ann joined a zoom meeting with other club representatives recently. For most clubs, succession planning for committee positions is difficult and bringing in more men and younger members are the next big challenges.
Probus South Pacific Ltd is advertising a lot on Facebook and getting a huge response from that. Monika suggested using local community pages on Facebook as well as Instagram as quite a few of the senior generation are now using
Instagram. She also advised that PSPL will send reports to clubs each June that provide demographic data relevant to each geographic area.
I asked about the movement of clubs from their original area. eg. North Sydney and
Waverton Clubs now meet in Northbridge. Monika advised that this does cause issues. Other clubs are in a similar situation to us. The North Sydney area is now left without a local club and if PSPL starts a new one there, naming the new club will be an issue.
Monika also advised that new clubs are now mainly using community centres and church halls for meetings, since service clubs often charge too much for the meeting venue. It's all about trying to keep costs down.
OUTINGS - Carole and Jocelyn
Jocelyn’s report on February Outing – Tour of Queen Victoria Building On Tuesday 4 February 22 members enjoyed a 45 minute tour of the famous QVB Building. Our guides entertained us with interesting historical and architectural snippets about the building.
Prior to the tour we met for coffee at Manon’s Brassiere on the Ground Floor of QVB and after the tour most of us lunched at Cellini’s on the top floor of the QVB.
NEXT OUTING - 4 March (Mary Ann)
The trip to the Western Sydney International Airport Experience Centre (Badgery's Creek) is now fully
subscribed. We have 25 people who have paid for the bus and an additional 2 people who will drive themselves and join us there.
Details:
Meet at Northbridge Golf Club for the bus to leave at 9am sharp.
Since the bus company no longer provides morning tea we ask that you bring your own. The bus will be full, so we suggest keeping extras to a minimum please. The WSI experience Centre is booked for 11am-12 noon.
Lunch will be at Lunden House and is booked for 12:30pm.
We are hoping to depart Lunden House at about 2pm to arrive back at the Golf Club at around 3pm.
For those who do not yet have a Transport Code for Community Connect transport, please see Mary Ann to complete a 'participation form'.
APRIL OUTING - 1 April ‘The Riverboat Postman’ (Geoff and Robyn)
The Riverboat Postman is a 3 hour trip by ferry along the Hawkesbury River delivering mail to waterways only settlements along the river. The cruise departs and ends in Brooklyn.
Morning tea is served at 10am with tea / coffee and Anzac biscuits. Lunch is served around midday and is a Ploughmans style plate with shaved ham, tasty cheese, tomato, zucchini, carrot, mixed lettuce, pickled onions, fresh Turkish roll (please advise gluten free/vegetarian). The boat is licensed and wine is available for purchase.
Date: Tuesday 1 April.
Cost: $59 (all inclusive). Payment: Pay to Club’s account on or before 18 March
Travel Arrangements:
Train: Central Station to Hawkesbury River Station. Departs: 8.50 am. Arrives: 9.50am
*Please check Indicators as Platform numbers can change.
*There is a lift at Hawkesbury River Station. Riverboat Postman is a short walk.
By Car: Drive to Brooklyn. Address 3 Dangar Rd Brooklyn. There is parking nearby.
Please indicate your interest to Robyn or Geoff at the March Meeting on 18 so we can finalise numbers for the ferry and make the payment in advance.
PREFERRED METHOD OF PAYMENT FOR OUTINGS
Probus bank account:
BSB 032-099
Acc number
Information in Description: name of the activity and your name.
TRAVEL - report from Mary Ann
Cook Islands Tour with OnCourse (phone 02 9986 2400 to book)
The Cook Islands Tour will be from 8-16 August. I have asked OnCourse to set aside 15 places for us. They have reported that they are only able to provide eight single rooms, the remainder need to be twin or doubles. So please book early if you are wanting to travel as a single.
Costs: $4890 twin share. Single supplement $1940. Upgrades with views cost more.
Includes return direct airfare, tours, 7 nights resort style accommodation, 8 tropical breakfasts, 2 lunches and 4 dinners. There are options for a trip to Aitutaki Island or to extend your tour for an optional 2-3 nights at Aitutaki Island.
MOVIES - report from Peter W The film selection for Tuesday 25 February at the Orpheum is A
Complete Unknown - time to be confirmed.
It is set in the early 60’s in New York and follows the career of Bob Dylan and his rise as a folk singer to
performing in concert halls and topping the charts.
Reviews have been excellent and no doubt there will be a lot of nostalgia when we hear some of the iconic songs.
WALKS - report from Lindsay
On Tuesday 11th of February, 28 members plus 1 guest attended our annual lunch at the Little Snail. This
time we had to sit in the upstairs room as Belrose Probus had got in early and booked the ground floor. It was a great lunch, and a good time was had by all. It was a bit noisier upstairs compared to the ground floor, and we overlooked a building site.
NEXT WALK: Tuesday March 11 McMahons Point to Waverton.
Meet at 10.30am at City Extra for coffee. We will depart from Wharf 5 to McMahons Point at 11.12am. The ferry stops at Milsons Point at 11.20 and McMahons Point at 11.23 am for those who want to join us at those points. The walk should take about an hour. it is rated easy but at the end there is a long slope up which is a little steep, but there is a seat on the way up! We will have lunch at The Third Rail next to Waverton Train Station, Bay Rd Waverton. We should be there between 12.30 and 12.45pm. We can catch a train to go home from the station. There is also a bus service as well to North Sydney.
REMINDER - the usual Probus Tuesday
monthly schedule
1st Tuesday outing
2nd Tuesday walk
3rd Tuesday committee meeting 9.15 am
followed by general meeting 10.15 am
4th Tuesday movie
5th Tuesday picnic/lunch/other activity
DATES FOR THE DIARY FEBRUARY, MARCH, APRIL Tuesday 18 February, 9.15 am Committee meeting, Northbridge Golf Club
Tuesday 18 February, 10.15 am normal Probus meeting, Northbridge Golf Club
Tuesday 25 February movie, A Complete Unknown, Cremorne Orpheum, time to be advised. More details p. 3
Tuesday 4 March, outing to new airport, Badgery’s Creek. 9 am departure Northbridge Golf Club. See p.2
Tuesday 11 March, walk McMahons Point to Waverton, 10.30 am City Extra coffee, details p.3.
Saturday 15 March, St. Patrick’s Day dinner, see Jan newsletter, p.4 Tuesday 18 March, 9.15 am Committee meeting, Northbridge Golf Club Tuesday 18 March, 10.15 am normal Probus meeting, Northbridge Golf Club Tuesday 1 April, Riverboat Postman, departure 9.50 am Central Station, p.2
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