Probus North Sydney

 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. 

Page 3

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