Probus North Sydney

 THE PROBUS CLUB OF NORTH SYDNEY 

Newsletter 389 15 April, 2025  

PRESIDENT’S REPORT - Barbara B

This is my first report to you all. Over  the past 3 weeks I have been busy  familiarising myself with Probus  management guidelines and  

constitutional review information in  preparation for the year ahead. In  addition, Carol-anne, Douglas, Mary  Ann and I have updated banking  delegations, so we are prepared to  take over the reins. It has been a steep  learning curve! I would like to thank  Douglas for his leadership of the club  over the past year, and for his detailed  handover, which has been invaluable.  

I am looking forward to working with  you to ensure the club continues to  offer you all a range of relevant and  stimulating activities. If anyone has  suggestions for additional or  

alternative activities, it would be good  to hear from you so we can consider  any logistical issues, particularly the  thorny issue of who would take  ongoing responsibility for planning any  new activity.  

It is that time of year again - annual fees are due. The fee for 2025-26 has  

been set at $90, which incorporates  the monthly meeting fee and the  annual membership fee. Payment of your annual fee before April 30 is requested, as the club is required to  submit the 2025 Annual Return to  Probus South Pacific Limited on 30  April. Your attention to this is greatly  appreciated.  

I am looking forward to sharing lots of  interesting activities with you in the  next 12 months. 

WELFARE - Jackie M

Members will be interested to hear that  longstanding Probus member Valerie  W is moving to Queensland.  We all wish her well in her new home.  Valerie is unable to come to the April  meeting but will try to be here in May.  

Remember to call Jackie (0412 836  997) if you know of any members  needing welfare support. 

BIRTHDAYS 

Bob M 5 April, Gillian W 9 April,  Enzo S 18 April, Geoff P 29 April. 

 

SPEAKERS - Patrick W 

• Ian Barnett is giving a talk on the author  Joseph Conrad at our meeting this  month. 

• On 20 May David Wilkins will be giving a  talk on ‘Patrols and Escapades in Papua  New Guinea. 

MEMBERSHIP - report from Lyn M

Current membership is 56 - 36 women and  20 men. 

We have a new member joining this  month, Prudence Thomson. Two more members are joining in May, John and  Denise Branson. Welcome. 

I would like to place an order for name  badges - is there anyone who would like a new badge? You can have it with a  clip and pin, or with a magnet. 

Please send me an email:  

lyn.molloy@gmail.com or let me know at  the meeting. Badges cost $15. 

The recruitment drive at North Sydney  Produce Market is not yet finalised. More  information later. Lyn will be looking for  volunteers to help. 

RECENT OUTING - RIVERBOAT  POSTMAN - Robyn and Geoff P. Fortunately the rain held off as 26 of us  made our way to Brooklyn for the  Riverboat Postman. We started with 30  attendees but Patrick and Dion had to drop  out at the last minute. Robyn dealt with  the Riverboat admin people and was able  to secure 4 vouchers that they could use  at their convenience. It was a very  interesting cruise hearing the history of the  area and seeing all the little settlements  along the river. It is surprising seeing how  many people choose to live the water  access only lifestyle in some quite isolated  communities. Earliest settlements were  around 1829.  

The Riverboat Postman delivers the mail  and parcels everyday to the public  

wharves along the way. We enjoyed the  morning tea and a ploughman’s lunch and  arrived back at the wharf in time to make  our train connection home. Some of us  hopped on the Metro at Epping. What a  great new addition to Sydney transport.  

Thanks everyone for your support. 

MOVIES - report from Douglas 

Film outing, Tuesday 22 April at the  Cremorne Orpheum. Session time to be  advised. 

The Correspondent, a dramatisation of  Australian journalist Peter Greste's time in  an Egyptian jail, starring Richard  Roxburgh. 

PROBUS PICNIC - Douglas I Tuesday 29 April at 11.30 am, Tunks  Park. 

We ask that everyone bring a plate of  finger food to share, with a suitable label in  case of allergies.  

Bring drinks to share and your own plate,  cup, glass and chair. 

There might be a van selling coffee in the  Park. In any case we will provide hot  water, tea bags, instant coffee, milk and  sugar. 

Bring any suitable outdoor games. We ask for a $1.00 donation per head. 

If the weather looks bad check your email  by 9 am in case of cancellation, then enjoy  your own food for lunch! 

Waverton Probus has been invited. Please  wear your name badge. 

Warning. Last year four people lost  sausages between plate and mouth to  hungry kookaburras. 

MAY OUTING - Ivan B

Our May outing will be a three-hour  Historical Cruise on Sydney Harbour run  by the Naval Historical Society of Australia.  Because these cruises are only organised  from time to time we have had to book for  Thursday May 15. Could those who  have not paid, please do so before this  month’s meeting. 

Check-in time at King St Wharf No 3,  Barangaroo is 9.30 am and boarding  time is 9.45 am. The wharf can be  reached by a short walk from Wynyard  through the tunnels or by ferry to  Barangaroo from Circular Quay. 

The MV Bennelong will depart at 10 am  and we will be visiting key spots of the  Japanese attack of May 31, 1942. There  will be expert commentary supported by  information and photos on TVs to bring the  commentary to life. Morning tea will be  served on the cruise and a complimentary  booklet will be provided to everyone on  board. 

We return to King Street Wharf at 1 pm  where we can eat at the Sussex Hotel, a  short walk from the wharf and on the way  to Wynyard.  

We have only 25 places available and the  list of names has been circulated by email.  If anyone is unable to come, please let  Ivan know as there is a short waiting list.  Cost of the cruise is $70 a head and this  must be paid by April 15. 

WALKS - report from Lindsay K On the day of the last walk the Ferries  threw a spanner in the works with an  unexpected stop work meeting, which  meant we were unable to get to  

Greenwich Point for our walk. So, we met  at City Extra as planned and we decided  to do a walk around the foreshore of  Sydney Harbour to Barangaroo. The  Quantum of the Seas was parked at the  Overseas Passenger Terminal, which we  

ogled at as we walked by. From  Barangaroo we walked up to Wynyard  Train Station where we caught the train to  St Leonards and went to the Belroy Hotel  for lunch, as originally planned. The hotel  was very busy. Ten of us did the walk. Bill  B, Peter W, Ivan B, Joan B, Carol-anne B,  Mary Ann & Douglas, Penny and I and  Louise L. And Elizabeth S joined us for  lunch. 

Which means that next month on 13 May we will be going to Greenwich Point.  Here are the details: 

We will meet at City Extra for coffee at 10.15 am. We will be catching the 10.45  am ferry from Wharf 5, Circular Quay to  Greenwich, arriving at Greenwich Wharf at  11.06 am, then walking around  

Greenwich. It is an easy walk, the path is  undulating rather than having any steep  climbs. It is mostly a rough gravel path. There is one steep downward climb on a  set of stairs, with the stairs in good repair  and a supporting rail for most of the  stairs. We have to be back at the wharf to  catch the 267 bus to St

Leonards at 12.24  pm. We will have lunch at the Belroy  Hotel on the corner of Atchison and  Christie Streets. For those joining us for  lunch we should be there by 12.45 pm. Hope to see you all there. The following  month, June, we will be going to Sydney  Olympic Park. 

ANOTHER REMINDER: Getting your  Transport Code  

It is really important for as many  members as possible to get Transport  Codes from MyAgedCare. If we can have  20 members with these codes on an outing  we become eligible for a huge discount on bus costs. 

PROCEDURES: 

1. The initial phone call takes about 20  minutes and you'll need your  

Medicare number. Ring My Aged  Care on 1800 200 422 and select  the option "1" when requested.  

Eventually you will be given a My  Aged Care number,  

e.g.ACxxxxxxxx. 

2. Then request an assessment for a  transport code which will take  

another 10 minutes of questions.  That is part 1 finished.  

3. Someone will ring you back to make  an assessment appointment in 2-4  weeks time. Try to get a phone  

assessment rather than a house  call. The phone interview will take  about 30 minutes. They may try and  get you other services, shopping,  home help etc. Emphasise that you  just want it for the bus company,  North Sydney Community Connect.  However, if you are having  

difficulties at this stage, hang up  

and call back to start again. Explain  that you were cut off. You will  

eventually be given a Transport  

Referral Code (Transport Code).  4. Send this Transport Referral Code  to Mary Ann  

(maryann.irvin@gmail.com) who  has been keeping track of which  

members have valid codes.  

5. This code is then sent to the bus  company Community Connect (now  Stryder). Once they have verified it  you are able to join bus outings  at a vastly subsidised rate. 

NOTICE OF OUTING 1 JULY - Jocelyn  M

Attached at the end of the newsletter  are instructions for attending a  proposed outing to Australian Nuclear  and Scientific Tech Org (ANSTO) at  Lucas Heights. Please read carefully  and if you wish to attend complete the  form and email it to Jocelyn. 

CHRISTMAS IN JULY - Jocelyn M

We have made a tentative booking for 29  July 2025 for a Christmas Lunch at  Bygone Beauties at Leura. This is where  we had a successful Christmas Lunch last  year. 

The cost would be $85 per person for  19+ people. A deposit of $25.00 per  person would need to be paid by 1 June. Would members please give some  thought to this Outing before the next  meeting so that we can gauge the  number of people interested.  

Request from our  Treasurer, Elizabeth  Svenne.  

Please pay your membership subscription of $90.00 by 30 April.  

PREFERRED METHOD OF PAYMENT  Probus bank account: 

BSB 032-099 

Acc number

Information in Description: name of the  activity and your name. 

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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, APRIL, MAY, JULY 

Tuesday 15 April, 9.15 am Committee meeting, Northbridge Golf Club Tuesday 15 April, 10.15 am Probus general meeting, Northbridge Golf Club 

Tuesday 22 April film, Cremorne Orpheum, p.2. The Correspondent, Time to  be announced 

Tuesday 29 April (5th Tuesday) picnic, Tunks Park, Northbridge, p.2 

Tuesday 13 May, walk, 10.15 am City Extra then 10.45 am ferry from Wharf 5  to Greenwich, p.3. More details at meeting 

Thursday (Note: NOT Tuesday) 15 May, Historical Sydney Harbour Cruise,  King Street Wharf, 9.45 am, p.3 

Tuesday 20 May, 9.15 am Committee meeting, Northbridge Golf Club Tuesday 20 May, 10.15 am Probus general meeting, Northbridge Golf Club Tuesday 27 May, film TBA 

COMING IN JULY 

Tuesday 1 July Lucas Heights outing. SEE attachment pp 6-7 Tuesday 29 July Christmas in July Leura, p4 

ATTACHMENT 

PROPOSED OUTING 1ST JULY 2025  

AUSTRALIAN NUCLEAR AND SCIENTIFIC TECH ORG. (ANSTO) AT LUCAS HEIGHTS  

Due to security requirements this 2.5 hour tour requires a good deal of organization so we would like members to indicate their interest early.  

We will be travelling by community bus so members with Transport Numbers will be given priority. At this stage it is not possible to give a definite price but the costs involved should only need to cover the bus fare and your lunch.  

The following regulations should be noted:  

1) On the day of the Outing you MUST bring your identification with you for verification by ANSTO representatives on arrival at the site. IF YOU DO NOT BRING THIS IDENTIFICATION WITH YOU ON THE DAY OF THE TOUR YOU WILL NOT BE PERMITTED TO PROCEED ON THE TOUR.  

2) Footwear: Fully enclosed footwear. No sandals, thongs or high heels.  

3) No photography. Mobile phones will need to be stored in the provided lockers.  

4) No bags permitted on site. If you need to take snacks, drinks or medical supplies they must be carried in a clear plastic bag. Everything you bring will need to be stored in the provided lockers. They will not be allowed to stay on the bus.  

5) There are no refreshment facilities on site, apart from water. Outside the site and adjacent to the Centre is an ANSTO café open to the public.  

Health Considerations:  

Due to the presence of high magnetic fields in certain areas, visitors who are fitted with the following medical devices MUST inform Discovery Centre Staff on arrival.  

.  a cardiac pacemaker or implantable defibrillator  

.  a catheter that has metal components  

  a metal clip placed to prevent bleeding from an intercranial aneurysm  

  a medication pump (such as that used to deliver insulin or a pain-relieving drug)    a cochlear (inner ear) implant.  

If you would like to put your name on the list please fill in the form on the next page and return it to Jocelyn Millett via email (jonem@bigpond.com.au).  

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