President’s Welcome
John Thwaites
Welcome to The Probus Club of North Balwyn Inc. A0016781Z website, you are encouraged to visit the various pages within. Please use our Contact Us page for further information on our Club or on any topic that might be of interest.
Having the opportunity to serve as Club President for 2024 it is now my privilege as current President in our Club’s 40th year to move the current times and announce that next year following a Club survey a unanimous decision was reached to become a Mixed Gender Club from 1st April 2025.
Our incoming President, Stephen Millard will commence to lead an extremely strong and resourceful Club into the future with a sound history of Probus commitment.
My personal thanks go to a stable and competent Club committee with an extensive history of service commitment.
You are also warmly invited to come to any one of our MONTHLY GENERAL MEETINGS at the Greythorn Community Centre, 2 Centre Way, Balwyn North, meeting in the Foard Williams room. Ample parking onsite, map, (Melways map 46 ref H2) held on the 2nd Tuesday of each month, 10.00am – 12.00pm, and afterwards for a casual lunch get-together at The Jolly Miller Café 315 Doncaster Road, Balwyn North.
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We also extend a warm welcome to attend any of our SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS, (SIG’s), which are for example, Investment, Walking Group, Computer, Photography/Travel to name a few. Further information regarding all SIG’s can be explored on the website and convenors can be contacted for further information.
Our SIG’s (Special Interest Groups) are created from our members interests and opportunities, some of which last the test of time, while others are superseded by technical advances. If members have any ideas to improve our existing interest groups or create new ones now is the time to come forward with suggestions.
Our attendance at SIG’s is paramount and we encourage all members to share ideas and assist our hardworking convenors. SIG’s provide a wonderful opportunity for new members to become acquainted with the activities and benefits of becoming a member of our Club.
We are always keen to attract new members to maintain the Club’s ongoing strength and vitality going forward into the future.
Our commitment, – “You will be a stranger but once”.
Our President John Thwaites and Immediate past President Ken Mitchell had the honour at our Change Over Luncheon at Kew Golf Club to wish our Member Don Eltringham a happy birthday celebrating 100 years of age. Don has been a member of our club for 35 years serving as a committee member for 4 years. He has also served as President, Jnr Vice & Snr vice president and various SIG convenors. Don Thanked everyone for their wishes and appreciated their warm greetings.
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Induction Ceremony on 13th August 2024 President John Thwaite inviting Graeme Adam & Peter Barnett to become members of Probus Club of North Balwyn.
Graeme Adam & Peter Barnett being official welcomed to joining our club by the President
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Our Guest Speakers have traditionally been of extremely high quality covering many topics of particular interest to our members.
We are always very keen for new members to join our Club, and they can be assured of an enthusiastic welcome from our current members.
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New members have been introduced to our club recently with the contact points being Golf and retirement accommodation. We have been delighted with the welcome offered to the new members and also their enthusiasm in accepting our club.
Our Club has an established “Special Interest Group Probus Ladies Group” was established which is made up of wives/partners of our members who meet occasionally for morning teas outings etc. and enjoy attending the other social activities throughout the year.
PLEASE WATCH THIS SPACE – OFTEN!
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Special Interest Group of the Month
Photography / Travel
Convenor: Nino Xerri M:0410 571 446
Our Special Interest group are keen photographers/travellers who are willing to share their knowledge and experiences in this wonderful art form “Photography.” We meet on the third Tuesday of each month between 10am – 12.00 noon during February to November and I consider myself privileged, being the Convenor of this group.
The group undertakes regular daily excursions to Museums, Exhibitions as well-known Melbourne locations. During March, this year 15 Members of the group enjoyed a 3 day stay in Lancefield. A planned 4-day excursion to Echuca in October, exploring the Solo Art Trial and surrounds. 
The regular Monthly Meetings consist of Video, Tutorials, images taken by Members of excursions/outings, workshops have been on macro photography and the use of vintage lenes on modern DSLR cameras, use off-line flash photography followed by a break for Morning Tea to allow fellowship and discuss mornings events. Finishing the morning with an open forum as to contents for future meetings.
Guest Speaker for our General Meeting:
The Guest Speaker Matthew Etty-Leal topic will be – “Barrie Humphries.” will be speaking on the 11th of February 2025
John Barry Humphries AC CBE (17 February 1934 – 22 April 2023) was an Australian comedian, actor, author and satirist. He was best known for writing and playing his stage and television characters Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson. Humphries’s characters brought him international renown. He appeared in numerous stage productions, films and television shows. Originally conceived as a dowdy Moonee Ponds housewife who caricatured Australian suburban complacency and insularity, the Dame Edna Everage character developed into a satire of stardom – a gaudily dressed, acid-tongued, egomaniacal, internationally fêted “housewife gigastar”.
Previous Guest Speakers 2018 – 2025
| November 2024 | Dr David Gilbert Hay | The Battle of Binh Ba |
| October 2024 | Alan Hall | The Four Men and the Walrus |
| September 2024 | Peter Tully | Friends of the Cerebrus |
| August 2024 | Sue Corvasce | Discover the World |
| July 2024 | Isabel Simpson | Women Achievers of Melbourne |
| June 2024 | Raylene Schriever | The Aged Care Journey |
| March 2024 | Ross McMullin | Life So Full of Promise – Further Biographies of Australia’s Lost Generation |
| February 2024 | Geoff Chambers | History of Jazz to Australia |
| November 2023 | Denis Davis | The Kokoda Trail |
| October 2023 | Leigh Hay | Henry & Louisa Lawson |
| September 2023 | Pamela O’Brien | Goldfields Presentation |
| August 2023 | Stephanie McCulloch | Neighbour Disputes |
| July 2023 | Bruno Zielke | Astronomy |
| June 2023 | Matthew Etty-Leal | Tibet – Part 2 |
| May 2023 | Tony Shaw | AFL Football Coach & Player |
| March 2023 | John Barlow | Will your next car be Electric |
| February 2022 | Matthew Etty-Leal | Tibet |
| November 2022 | Ken Davis | Melbourne Suburban Signalling System |
| October 2022 | Graham O’Rourke | Macpherson Robertson |
| September 2022 | Graham O’Rourke | The State Library of Victoria: The first 60 years 1853-1913″ |
| August 2022 | Max Harris | Seniors Stepping Out Safely |
| July 2022 | Hazel Maynard | Volunteering |
| June 2022 | Matthew Etty-Leal | Cobb & Co |
| May 2022 | Ted Baillieu AO | Sir John Monash |
| February 2022 | Andrew Campbell | Could Ageing be a treatable disease |
| November 2021 | Dr Janet Patford | Living – Apart – Together (Lat) Relationships |
| October 2021 | Ross McMullin | Farewell Dear People |
| August 2021 | Rohan Brown | My Story – Personal Stories |
| July 2021 | Megan Goulding | Swanston Street Excavations |
| June 2021 | Tim Roberts | Diabetic and general foot care |
| May 2021 | Bev Moss | Come Fly with Me |
| April 2021 | Elida Brereton | Travel to Antarctica & South Georgia |
| March 2021 | Ken Parker | Electric Vehicles, Renewable Energy |
| February 2021 | Andrew Campbell | Hearing and Brain Health |
| November 2020 | Ross McMullin | Pompey Elliott – in his own words |
October 2020 | Vikki Petraitis | Crime stories “ Hodsons and Nicola Gobbo ” |
| September – 2020 August – 2020 | Julian Battistella Andrew Mitchell | Estate Planning Electric Cars and Clean Energy – Why? |
| July – 2020 | Anthony Caruana | Home Automation |
| March – 2020 | Brian Williams | Scams and Fake Tradies |
| February – 2020 | Radha Raghunath` | Add Years to Your Life |
| November – 2019 | Gary Ferguson | Elder Abuse and Seniors Rights |
| October – 2019 | Fiona Campbell | The Spencer Street Bridge |
| September 2019 | Thorold Merrett | Story of Collingswood Premiership 1958 |
| August 2019 | Rodney Richards | Angel Flights |
| July 2019 | Beverley Moss | Buckingham Palace in my underwear |
| June 2019 | Lloyd Phillips | Poetry can be fun |
| May 2019 | Joffa Corfe | My life and Gold Coat |
| April 2019 | No Speaker | Change over lunch |
| March 2019 | Kevin Trask | Myself and the media and the Australian singer Diana Trask |
| February 2019 | Madryn Sanderson & Alex Carter | Personalised In-home care and health |
| December 2018 | No Speaker | Christmas Luncheon |
| November 2018 | U3A Choir | Songs of Screen and Stage |
| October 2018 | Jacqueline Dinan | Racing the Boys |
| September 2018 | Anthony Knight | Beleura House Mornington |
| August 2018 | Cliff Hardy | The London Blitz |
| July 2018 | Natalie Durkovic | Shen Yen Performing Arts and Traditional Chinese Culture |
| June 2018 | Jessica Watts | Bladder & Bowel Health |
| May 2018 | Ross McMullin | Villers Bretonneux |
| April 2018 | No Speaker | Change Over Luncheon |