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.
We invite prospective new members to visit us on our website or come along with others to our monthly meetings at The Hub, Greythorn Community Centre 2 Centre Way North Balwyn meeting in the Foard Williams room. Ample parking onsite, map, (Melways map 46 ref H2).
Master of Carmoney Richard Heal presenting the outgoing President John & Annette Thwaites gifts for the appreciation of the hard work last year 2024-2025 at the changeover lunch on 15th April.
We meet on the second Tuesday of each month for a two-hour meeting commencing at 10 am. (Except Months January & December) There is an optional lunch at the Jolly Miller Cafe 315 Doncaster Rd Balwyn North (a short walk from the meeting rooms) Also refer to our Contact Us on this website. The Club on the 11 March this year inducted 11 new members to form a combined gender club and now look forward to significant growth. We welcome and celebrate this milestone in our 41st year.
As your new president I will commit to any new idea to grow the Club in membership and activities of interest to all. My role as President will be based upon Probus tradition with workable innovation under a combined gender Club.
Helen Courtney was inducted at the Change over Lunch 15/4/2025 by Stephen Millard
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Groups) are created from our members interests and opportunities, some of which last the test of time, while others are superseded by technical advances.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 Club has an established “Special Interest Group Morning Coffee 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.
Silo Art ColbinabbinSophia Uniting Church GoorambatPuffy Billy Tourist Train
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.
PHOTOGRAPHY TRAVEL SIG MEETING/EXCURSIONS ETC AGENDA FOR 2025
– 18/03: East Melbourne Historic Walk (Joint with Heritage SIG)
– 14/04: Notre-Dame Exhibition: Immigration Museum (Joint with Heritage SIG) Holders of Senior Card $10.00:
Pensioner Seniors Health Card Free
– 27/05: Block Arcade Walking Tour: $10.00 CASH on the day (maximum roughly 20)
– 22/07: Supreme Court Library Tour: 9.30am for a 10am start: Free
– 11/08: Melbourne Town Hall Tour: 10.30am for a 11am start: Free (Joint with Heritage SIG)
– 24/10: Newport Train Museum (Joint with Micham/Nunawading Probus Club)
– 25/11: Annual Club BBQ: Further details will be advised in due course
– 17/06: 16/09: 18/11 dates will be the regular SIG meetings at North Balwyn Uniting Church: Duggan St. North Balwyn at 10.00am.
Further details or changes will be notified at respecting SIG meetings and in the newsletter.
After all the excursions/walks, we will then organize lunch at a nearby Café’ for those who wish to attend.
All places allow photography opportunities except the Supreme Court Complex with no flash photography.
For further details please contact Photography/Travel convenor Nino Xerri (041 571 446)
Don Eltringham Project:
Stephen Millard project Leader and his team commenced shooting the Interview with Peter Smith (Channel Nine personality) in October 2024. This is a documentary on the extraordinary life of Don Eltringham our centenarian celebrating his birthday over a three-week period. See Activities Page for more details .
Andrew & Janet Selvay, Don Eltringham Daughter & Son In-law with Stephen Millard Project Leader and John Thwaites President
Video of Don Eltringham life was shown to the members at the AGM in March, with family members present.
Morning Tea/coffee before the showing of The Story of an Exemplary Australian.
Our Guest Speakers have traditionally been of extremely high quality covering many topics of particular interest to our members.
Guest Speaker for our General Meeting:
Our next Guest Speaker will be Peter Johnston topic will be “Preventing Dementia.” will be speaking on the 13th of May 2025
Dr Peter Johnston is an accredited practising dietitian with a Masters in Science, Nutrition and Dietetics, and a PhD in Human Genetics. Peter is also a fellow of the Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. He runs a private practice: Perfect Human Food Consulting, offering individual consultations, public speaking, webinars, workplace health programs, and residential reboot programs. He is a member of the advisory council for health charity Doctors for Nutrition and a partner with Melbourne Lifestyle Medicine, which offers a range of programs, including lifestyle medicine retreats in the Yarra Valley. He has spoken at numerous national and international conferences. Peter has a special interest in the links between food and environment and delivers university lectures in this area. Outside of his nutrition work, Peter is an avid yoga practitioner, loves to cook and garden, lifts weights, and competes in speed windsurfing.
Previous Guest Speakers 2018 – 2025
February 2025
Matthew Etty-Leal
“Barrie Humphries.”
November 2024
Dr David Gilbert Hay
The Battle of Binh Ba
October 2024
Alan Hall
The Four Men and the Walrus
September2024
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
