Probus concentrates on making sure that retired and semi-retired persons, enjoy the fellowship of each other.
To achieve those aims, our club, as well as staging interesting monthly meetings each with a speaker, endeavours to have a range of activities based on member interest. Groups are formed around activities such as picnics, golf, walking, entertainment, drone flying, photography, monthly film day, Monday morning coffee group and lunches at various places e.g. RSL's and Clubs in ther vicinity.
Each group needs a convener to ensure its' smooth running so if you are interested and able please consider volunteering for these positions as new groups are formed.
FORTH - COMING CONFIRMED ACTIVITIES
Mini Golf at Morack Golf Club
Thursday April 23
Mini Golf at Morack Golf Course, Corner Morack & East Roads, Vermont South
$11.50 per game followed by lunch in the Club Café. Starts at 11.30am.
Pay on the day
Organiser Anne Osman 0408 733 066
Victoria’s Government House Tours
When: Monday 4 May
Time: Tour starts 9:45 am (until 12:00 pm)
Where: King's Domain, Government House Drive Melbourne
Adult: $18 Concession: $13. National Trust Member: $12
A guided tour of the grand State Rooms of Government House will provide a unique insight into the constitutional, ceremonial, international and community engagement duties of the Governor.
Visitors will be guided through the State Apartments which includes the State Hall, State Drawing Room, State Dining Room and the Ballroom to learn about the history of the house.
The tour will incorporate a visit to La Trobe’s Cottage, the original home of Victoria’s first Lieutenant-Governor, Charles Joseph La Trobe.’
I understand there is 4 hour parking in Birdwood Avenue.
We will be taken to Latrobe’s Cottage some time after the House tour and plan to eat at ‘The Observatory’ at 1.00 Birdwood Avenue adjacent to The Botanic Gardens Information Centre.
Anne Osman 0408 733 066.
MAY - TENPIN BOWLING
Thursday 14
Healthways, Mont Albert North.
Cost: $17.50pp
Ray King 0416 014 646
JUNE – MIDWEEK MATINEE – BERNADETTE ROBINSON – They Played at Carnegie Hall.
Wednesday 10 June at 1.30pm.
The Round, Nunawading
Our booking must be paid for early April so attendees please make payment to the Probus Account by April 5 with reference for the Treasurer.
– Organiser Anne Osman 0408 733 066
Anyone else wishing to attend please advise me before the April 5
JULY - CHRISTMAS
Tuesday 14 - Box Hill Golf Club
Organiser - Anne Osman 0408 733 066
OCTOBER – The Australian Barbara Streisand Show
Wednesday 14 October.
The Round, Nunawading.
Cost $22pp
Organiser - Ray King - 0416 014 646
DECEMBER - CHRISTMAS LUNCH
Canterbury International Hotel, Forest Hill
Tuesday 8 at 12.30pm
Organiser Anne Osman 0408 733 066
OUTINGS – PROPOSED FOR 2026
APRIL – Museum of Chinese Australian History - David Brown
Outing date: Thursday 30th APRIL 2026
We are planning a visit to The Museum of Chinese Australian History. This is an opportunity to celebrate the Year of the Horse. It will be a self-guided tour. Lunch in the city at a venue to be advised will follow.
The Chinese Museum is located in the heart of Melbourne's Chinatown at 22 Cohen Place, Melbourne 3000. Entry is via Lonsdale or Little Bourke Streets.
As in previous outings to the city, we could all go together by train or otherwise make one’s own way there. This will be discussed closer to the event.
Museum cost: Adult $17.00 Concession $14.00 (Pay at the door)
Time: 10.15 am
JUNE - Tour of Ambulance Museum and Lunch
Thursday 18. Bayswater.
Cost $10 donation at the door.
Organiser -
Glenn Ewing 0439 898 207
JULY - TENPIN BOWLING
Wednesday 22. Cost $17.50pp
Organiser - Ray King 0416 014 646
AUGUST - TOUR OF JAYCO FACTORY
Wednesday 19 and Thursday 20
Organiser David Brown 0400 023 878
Free.
SEPTEMBER - NOVA THEATRE COMPANY - HELLO DOLLY
Sunday 13. The Round Nunawading
Cost $47pp
Organiser - Ray King 0416 014 646
SEPTEMBER - TOUR OF FYANSFORD PAPER MILL
Thursday 17. Fyansford Geelong
Cost TBA
SEPTEMBER - TENPIN BOWLING
Cost $17.50pp
Healthways, Mont Albert North
Organiser Ray King 0416 014 646
COMPLETED ACTIVITIES
MARCH 2026
SOUND OF MUSIC
On a lovely Autumn’s Day at The Round in Nunawading, twenty members and friends turned up to see a great performance of “The Sound of Music”. Nova has a reputation for putting on better than average shows, but this performance (the last for their limited season) was a corker. The voice of “Mother Superior” was particularly beautiful.
Those members I spoke to were feeling uplifted and joyful after seeing the show and the final bonus was to walk out into a warm and beautiful afternoon, to go about our business and reflect on the warmth which also radiated from the performance we had enjoyed.
Ray King, Event Organiser
Chris Summers
Thank you Ray for organising this wonderful performance at our local theatre, The Round.
The start of the performance was wonderful – 20 nuns walked in from the sides of the auditorium and across the centre aisle with soft overhead lights illuminating them. Their singing was magical. Later, when Captain von Trapp was ordered into the navy of the Third Reich, two flags with the ‘crooked spider’ were lowered from the theatre fly and were ‘spotlighted’. Storm Troopers also came on stage and then walked alongside the audience and stood guard, while the von Trapp Family Singers did their farewell performance.
Photos Courtesy Ray King
FEBRUARY 2026
BOX HILL CEMETERY WALK
On a mild February morning more than twenty Probus enthusiasts met at the grave of C J Dennis to embark on a tour of the Box Hill Cemetery visiting the graves of 16 notable persons. Glenn Ewing has created an inspired tour which brings to life some of the characters from our past who are now left only in memories.
From a sunny start beside the grave of C J Dennis 1876-1938 ‘the Laureate of the Larrikan’ and author of ‘The Songs of a Sentimental Bloke’ we made our way under dappled light from the tree-lined avenues to the graves of another 15 personalities who Glenn has researched so we could hear their story.
There is a family grave where Maurice and Doris Blackburn, 1889-1970, both politicians who fought for Civil rights, are buried. Tributes in the papers spoke of a remarkable couple who worked for justice at all levels.
The family grave of Sydney Myer is a significant space with a beautifully maintained garden.
Edouard 1902-1959 and Xenia Borovansky born in Czechslovakia settled in Australia and founded the Boronansky Ballet Company, a forerunner to the National Australian Ballet company established 1962.
We learned of Gustav Kovacs 1895 – 1969 a founder of the film industry in Hungary who emigrated to Melbourne with his family in 1950 to escape the communist regime. His movie of the journey can be watched on Youtube.
The most moving moment came as we all gathered around the grave of Amy Castles. Born in 1880 she was a young Opera singer hailed as the new Melba. As if from the grave, we were suddenly hearing the voice of Paris-trained Amy, singing from a recording made in 1906.
Take a walk in this beautiful tree lined cemetery and you can see many more persons whose life story will impress you.
Several more we visited are: Sir George Tallis 1869-1948, John Grainger 1854-1917, Constance Dickens 1859-1914, Jane Sutherland 1853-1928, Charles Merfield 1866-1931, John Mitchell Christie 1845-1927, Joy Hester 1920-1960, Cyril Callister 1893-1949, Sir William Anglis 1865-1957, Georgine Gadsden 1920-1943.
Glenn described each personality and some of the intriguing detail of their life.
A big thank you to Glenn for a fascinating trip to a picturesque cemetery followed by a perfect lunch at The Red Cup Café just around the corner.
Anne Osman
Quiet please, class has started.
Photos Courtesy: Anne Osman and Dale Perkins
