THE PROBUS CLUB OF NORTH SYDNEY
Newsletter 388 18 March, 2025
PRESIDENT’S REPORT - Douglas I
There was a good response to the
It has been a good year for the Club. From Samoa to Christmas in July in the Blue Mountains our members have travelled far and wide. This year some intrepid travellers will be going to the Cook Islands.
And a big thank you to the Committee and Members for all their work for making the Club so successful. It is truly a joint effort. The more you put in the more you get back.
I’ll propose to the Committee that we hold a picnic on the fifth Tuesday in April (29/4). It would be good to invite the Waverton Club for fun and fellowship. More details at the next meeting.
I had some concerns about the
changeover at the Bank after the AGM and made an appointment. I was called away at short notice and Mary Ann stood in for me. It is a bit complicated but hopefully will be straightforward now.
An interesting development during the past year was the Cluster of nearby Clubs meeting to co-operate in their activities.
Please keep an eye out for a Christmas in July venue for this year. OnCourse Travel have two overnight trips on offer. One to Abercrombie House near Bathurst and the other to the Hawkesbury.
proposal that the fees be increased and the Meeting fee be dropped. This simplifies the Treasurer’s job. It used to be that profits from the excursions go towards the Xmas Lunch. I’d like to see this come back. This makes it especially important for everyone to get the Transport Number. It can cut the cost of the bus by a third. We can’t miss this saving.
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.
BIRTHDAYS
Kristina T 1 March, Lis T 18 March, Elizabeth S 30 March.
SPEAKERS - report from Patrick W • After the March AGM several members will give brief talks on their favourite hobby.
• Our April Speaker will be Ian Burnet with a talk on the author, Joseph Conrad.
MEMBERSHIP - report from Lyn M
Membership numbers for March are: 55 members, 35 women and 20 men. Our numbers have remained relatively static during the year with new members joining but then other members leaving us..
We are planning on having a recruitment drive at the North Sydney markets soon.
At the March meeting I will be distributing Discover Probus flyers. The flyer contains details of our Club - where we meet, when we meet, and who to contact to find out more. It also lists the types of activities and interest groups we have. I'll be putting them together in bundles of 5, and ask that you distribute these to friends and people who may be interested in joining our Club. Or just in nearby letterboxes, or on your local noticeboard. You can take as many bundles of 5 as you like.
I'd also like to thank Robin S for welcoming new members to our meetings and for taking their details. This is really important in making new members feel welcome. I am often held up at the Committee meeting which we hold just prior to our regular meeting. Robin's welcome smile is so appreciated.
BADGERY’S CREEK OUTING 4 March - Report from Mary Ann
23 members and 3 members of Waverton Club attended the March outing to the Western Sydney International Airport Experience Centre (Badgery's Creek). We were provided lots of interesting
information about the new airport. It was also great to see how it is progressing – the runway and aprons, the cargo sheds and terminal buildings and to understand
how it will be served by the new Metro line from St Marys.
APRIL OUTING - Robyn and Geoff Riverboat Postman
3 hour cruise on the Hawkesbury River. Departs 10am Brooklyn. Returns 1pm.
DATE: Tuesday 1 April
COST: $59 (all inclusive – cruise, morning tea, lunch)
Pay into Club Account by 21 March PROBUS Account:
BSB 032-099
Account Number Reference: Riverboat Postman TRAVEL
Train : Departs Central Station at 8.50am. Hawkesbury River Station.
Car: Drive to Brooklyn
Parking nearby
NOTE: See either Robyn or Geoff after the meeting to confirm your interest.
⛩ Mosman Probus has invited our members to join them for an OnCourse Travel day tour to the Nan Tien Temple, Wollongong on Thursday, 10 April 2025. They will have a guided tour of the shrines and pagoda, enhance their understanding of the principles of Buddhism, enjoy lunch from the famous Nan Tien Temple kitchen and experience Tai Chi.
Cost of $80 pp includes luxury coach, morning tea, lunch, admission to the temple & the Tai Chi. Departing at 8:30am
from The Mosman RSL Club, 719 Military Rd, returning at 5pm.
For bookings or further information, contact Robyn Yates from Mosman Probus on 0407 432 642. Payment is direct to Mosman Probus BSB 032 097; Acc 750 233. Please put your name, and Nan Tien Temple on the reference line.
➡︎ ➡︎ ➡︎ ➡︎ 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. We still get a decent discount if we have 15 members with the code.
However, some members have had real difficulty in obtaining the code. These are the procedures to follow:
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.⬅︎⬅︎⬅︎⬅︎
MAY OUTING - Ivan
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.
Check-in time at King St Wharf No 3 is 9.30 am and boarding time is 9.45 am. 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 Ivan will endeavour to book one of the cafes for lunch. Sadly Ivan will not be at this month’s meeting so Jocelyn will be giving more details.
Unfortunately we have only 25 places available and a short waiting list in case there are cancellations. The names of the passengers who put their names down in January will be read out by Jocelyn at this month’s meeting. Cost of the cruise is $70 a head and this must be paid by April 15. Payment can be made to Jocelyn or to our bank account.
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TRAVEL - Cook Islands Tour with OnCourse - report from Mary Ann
The Cook Islands Tour will be from 8-16 August. There may still be room available if you contact OnCourse Tours at 99862400. It promises to be a fabulous tour.
Costs: $4890 twin share. Single
supplement $1940.
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
With the French film festival and the difficulty of determining too far in advance what films are being shown, I have not been able to decide on the film for Tuesday 25 March. But I hope to ensure that our movie will be screened early afternoon on this day at the Orpheum.
My apologies but I hope to provide more definitive information at the March meeting with a follow up email. Once again, sorry for the uncertainty.
WALKS - report from Lindsay
In spite of the weather 11 of us turned up to do the Waverton walk on 11 March, and at the end of the walk, 14 of us sat down to lunch at Third Rail. Bill B, Peter W. Ivan, Joan B, Mary Anne, Deon, Judy C and Geoff and Robin, Penny W and I did the walk. Apart from a brief shower at the beginning the weather was okay, apart from a few sprinkles. Lis T, Anne Marie and Carol Anne joined us for lunch.
The next walk will be around
Greenwich. On Tuesday 8 April meet at City Extra at 10.15 am for coffee. We will catch the 10.45 am ferry from Wharf 5 to Greenwich Point, arriving there at 11.06 am. On the day Penny and I trialled the walk, we arrived back at the wharf in time to catch the 12.27 ferry back to the city. Which means we may have lunch in the city.
I want to have a look at this walk to see if I can tweak it so we end up at Greenwich village and have lunch there. I will report on this at the meeting.
It is an easy
walk on a rough
gravel
undulating
track, not too
steep. There is
one long
downward set
of sandstone
stairs, which is
in good repair.
There are
railings for most
of the descent.
In May I am
planning a walk
in Homebush.
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
PREFERRED METHOD OF PAYMENT FOR OUTINGS
Probus bank account:
BSB 032-099
Acc number
Information in Description: name of the activity and your name.
DATES FOR THE DIARY MARCH, APRIL, MAY
Tuesday 18 March, 9.15 am Committee meeting, Northbridge Golf Club Tuesday 18 March, 10.15 am Probus AGM, Northbridge Golf Club Tuesday 25 March film, Cremorne Orpheum. P.3.Details to be announced Tuesday 1April, Riverboat Postman, departure 8.50 am Central Station, p.2
Tuesday 8 April, walk, 10.15 am City Extra then 10.45 am ferry from Wharf 5 to Greenwich, p.4. More details at meeting
Thursday 10 April, Nan Tien Temple Wollongong (Mosman Probus). 8.30 am Mosman RSL, pp2-3
Tuesday 15 April, 9.15 am Committee meeting, Northbridge Golf Club Tuesday 15 April, 10.15 am normal Probus meeting, Northbridge Golf Club Tuesday 29 April (5th Tuesday) picnic, to be discussed at meeting.
Thursday 15 May, Historical Sydney Harbour Cruise, King St. Wharf 9.45 am, p.3
