NEWSLETTER 307 July 2017
From the President
PROBUS SOUTH PACIFIC Limited has recently issued all new Presidents with a 71 page Handbook, 2017-18 edition, as a “helpful guideline” in the conduct of Club activities. The introduction to the handbook outlines the spread of the movement particularly in the South Pacific region, mainly Australia and New Zealand but including territories from Timor Leste to the Solomons. Membership of 1400 Clubs total 134,000 in a total of 34 countries.
As most members of this club know, North Sydney was the second Probus Club to be formed and the first mixed Probus club in NSW. The date was 8 February 1983, there were eight foundation members and eighty dollars “in the kitty”.
The date highlights the fact that in seven months time, on February 8, 2018, this club will celebrate its 35th birthday as the oldest mixed club in NSW.
An item of interest to share, from Kevin D: “Many civilisations across the world have worshipped the Sun as a deity. Modern science has established that the Sun is in fact just an average star. Astronomically the Sun is important because it is the only star scientists are able to study close up. Its light takes just eight and a half minutes to travel the 149 million km. to the earth. From the next nearest star to earth, Proxima Centauri, it takes a lot longer—four and a half years for its light to travel the vast distance (=more than 250,000 times as far away as the Sun, from earth).
The Sun does not burn like a fire. Rather it is a nuclear powerhouse, producing energy by converting 4 million tons of hydrogen into helium (mainly) and energy EVERY SECOND. If the Sun were a hollow ball, this average size star could comfortably fit over one million earths into its interior. And there are hundreds of millions of stars in our Cosmos!”
Membership report: Current membership stands at 50, (28 women and 22 men).
Many happy returns of the Day for your July birthday: Oriel T 12, George T13, and Ann G 26.
Note: All our Probus meetings are generally held on the third Tuesday of every month at 10:15 am. The next meeting will be held on the 15th of August. The committee meetings are conducted in the Northbridge Golf Club at 9:00 am, on the same day as the Club meeting. Members are welcome to attend.
Program of Activities
Guest Speakers: Today we welcome John Walker, who will talk about the interest in superannuation. Next month, Graham Wilcox speaks to us on the topic “The Struggle for Unity. The Life of Sir Arthur Rutledge”.
Probus Walkers: Tuesday 8th August 2017. Little Manly to Fairy Bower.
Today’s walk will commence from Manly Wharf proceeding to Little Manly (coffee) and continuing through bushland and across Collins Beach then exiting at the Commonwealth Police Training Barracks in Sydney Harbour National Park. We then transverse streets to Fairy Bower and along the ocean front returning to Manly Corso. Walk involves bushland, steps, hills and is classed as medium. It is approximately 5 klms.
MEET: 9:15am Circular Quay Wharf 3 for the 9:30am ferry. Lunch at Manly.
PROBUS OUTINGS:
Probus Outings: July outing is on Saturday, 29th July. Metropole Hotel Katoomba for a ‘Christmas in July’ dinner and the replaying ‘live’ of 3 old scripts of The Goon Show. The plan is to take the train to Katoomba on Saturday, for dinner and the show in the evening, and the train home on Sunday. We already have fixed bookings for this with the deposits paid. If anyone else is interested in joining in, I can see if further bookings are available.
Tuesday August 22nd: Whale watching with Fantasea Cruising. From Circular Quay 1:30-4:30pm. We will be going out through the heads. The cost is $49 concession (it has been reduced from previous information). At our June meeting a good number of people indicated they wished to go. I will need this money in advance in order to book today for those who have paid. Others may join at a later date if numbers on the boat allow. We will meet and have lunch at Buckleys Restaurant at 12 noon. Both the restaurant and Fantasea Cruising are located on the east side of Circular Quay (walkway between the Opera House and Circular Quay).
Fifth Tuesday Luncheon, 29th August at 12 Noon. At the ‘Simple and Irresistible Kitchen’, which specialises in Thai cuisine, 283 Miller St., North Sydney, 9929-6696. Please contact John Nixon, 9929-6054, for further information.
Proposed Overseas Probus Trip in 2018/9
Time: During the period April to October.
Duration: 8—9 days. Stays of 3 nights, 3 nights and 2-3 nights. (Not too much unpacking) Where: New Caledonia. 2000 km, about 3 hour flight, most exotic.
Vanuatu. 2500 km, a bit over 3 hours, not as exotic but a nice volcano.
Fiji. 3000 km, about 4 hours.
How many? 10—12 would be a good party.
How many stars? Somewhere between backpackers and 5 star. Say 3.5-4 star.
To be completely organised by a Travel agent.
Give the proposal your consideration, and let us know if you are: Not Interested, Interested or Very Interested.
Suggestions welcome! Douglas
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