President’s Report

James Kimpton President

James Kimpton
Welcome to The Probus Club of North Balwyn Inc. A0016781Z website, you are encouraged to visit the various pages within. Should you find an interesting topic please use our Contact Us page for further information or please come to one of our monthly meetings at the  Greythorn Community Centre 2 Centreway Balwyn North on the 2nd Tuesday of the month commencing at 10 am – 12 pm

Special Announcement from the Committee 

As a result of information concerning the Corona virus, the Committee has passed the following resolution.

That all  Face to face meetings, functions and events, including general meetings, Special Interest Groups have been cancelled until further notice as a result of the increasing threat from the Corona virus.

The Committee in making this decision believes it is acting in the best interest of members particularly considering the age group of our membership. Our next Zoom Conferencing General Meeting will be our Christmas breakup – Tuesday 8th December @ 11.00am. 

President’s Report continued

I became President of Probus Club of North Balwyn in April 2020.
Almost immediately the Governments (Federal and State) imposed requirements flowing from the need to avoid the spread of corona virus. “Covid-19” We have been concerned to comply with those requirements and believe that we have done so, notwithstanding the short-term impact  upon our activity. Thus we have been unable to meet whether to discuss our interests via special interest groups or as an entire membership to hear a speaker of interest to all of us.

As the situation improves we look forward to returning to normal. The special interest groups will flourish, and our entire membership will enjoy meeting together again.

Meanwhile, we have been using the Zoom Video Conferencing over the internet to keep in touch for our committee meetings and our SIG meetings. It is proposed that our General meeting on 14th July will also be conducted by Zoom Video conferencing facility.

General Meeting in July via first Zoom Video Conference

This web site has an important role in keeping us all up-to-date. It sets  out all the activities that we encourage, and members can use it to see  what we are doing. In these ways our membership is always active.

The Probus Club of North Balwyn looks forward to meeting you very soon.

Special Interest Group of the Month

New Special Interest Group “SIG” has been set up called Zoom Lunch and Chat.

Graydon Findlay is hosting the above new SIG to fill the void whilst we are not able to go to Dine-Out venues, Cinemas or Theatres. Further Lunch & Chat zoom meetings will be held on the fourth Thursday of the month while these restrictions are in place. 

About a fortnight before the zoom lunch meetings, two or three movies are selected and details sent to participants so they can decide which films to watch at home in comfort prior to the zoom lunch.

An invitation is emailed to participants with a link so they can join the zoom lunch meeting at home. While having a light lunch they talk about the films thy have watched and chat about what they have been doing and how their families have been coping during the changing COVID-19 restrictions.

The Zoom group that joined on the 25th June

 Zoom Lunch & Chat SIG monthly meetings that have been held since May.

  1. Opal Dream – SBS OnDemand – May 2020
  2. Love Alaska – Beamafilm (using your Council Library card to view) _ May 2020
  3. Charlie and  Boots – SBS OnDemand – May 2020
  4. Florence Foster Jenkin – SBS OnDemand – June 2020
  5. A Street Cat Named Bob – SBS OnDemand – June 2020
  6. The King’s Speech – Channel 32 (SBS Movies) – July  2020
  7. Maggie’s Plan 2015 – Channel 32 (SBS Movies)- July 2020
  8. Hunt for the Wilderpeople 2016 NZ Film – Channel 32 (SBS Movies) _ July 2020
  9. The Guernsy Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (2017)-Channel 76 (7Flix) – August 2020
  10. The man who invented Christmas (2017) – Channel 32 SBS Movies – August 2020
  11. Two is a Family – SBS On Demand – August 2020
  12. Viceroys House (2017) – Channel 32 – September 2020
  13. Interlude in Prague (2017) – Channel 32 – September 2020
  14. The Best Offer” (2017) – SBS On demand – September 2020
  15. Get Low (2009) – Channel 32 – October 2020
  16. Tracks (2013) – Channel 32 – October 2020
  17. Chalet Girl (2011) – Channel 32 – October
The next SIG meeting will be Thursday 26th November to discuss the following Movies: –
  1. Lion (2016) Channel 32 – Saturday 14th November @ 8.30pm
  2. A United Kingdom (2016) Channel 32 – Sunday 15th November @ 6.25pm.
  3. A Little Chaos (2014) Channel 32 17th Novemeber @ 7.30pm.

Please contact Graydon Findley E:graycol7@bigpond.com for more information and invitation process for the zoom meeting.

 Guest Speaker’s

Our guest speaker for our Zoom General Meeting on Tuesday 10th November will be presenting  “Pompey Elliott – in his own words”  

Ross McMullin

Harold Edward Elliott
Major General Harold Edward “Pompey” Elliott, CB, CMG, DSO, DCM, VD was a senior officer in the Australian Army during the First World War. After the war he served as a Senator for Victoria in the Australian parliament.

Pompey Elliott was a remarkable Australian. During the Great War he was a charismatic, controversial, and outstandingly successful military leader. An accomplished tactician and ‘the bravest of the brave’, he was renowned for never sending anyone anywhere he was not prepared to go himself. As a result, no Australian general was more revered by those he led or more famous outside his own command. A man of unimpeachable integrity and unwavering commitment, he was also forthright and volatile. His tempestuousness generated a host of anecdotes that amused his men and disconcerted his superiors. Yet surprisingly little had been written about Elliott until the original edition of this book appeared in 2002. Now in a new format and with a foreword by Les Carlyon, this comprehensive, deeply researched biography tells Elliott’s fascinating story. It vividly examines Elliott’s origins and youth, his peacetime careers as a lawyer and politician, and his achievements – as well as the controversies he aroused during his years as a soldier. Ross McMullin’s masterly work retrieves a significant Australian from undeserved obscurity. It also judiciously reassesses notable battles he influenced – including the Gallipoli Landing, Lone Pine, Fromelles, Polygon Wood, and Villers-Brettoneux – and illuminates numerous aspects of Australia’s experiences during his lifetime, particularly the often-overlooked period of the aftermath to the Great War. ‘Australian who don’t read this book are short-changing themselves.’ Peter Ryan, The Australian ‘A striking aspect of Ross McMullin’s scrupulous biography is how little Elliott has been exaggerated by posterity . . . Pompey Elliott is a large book, and rightly.’ Gideon Haigh, The Age ‘May be the best Australian military biography yet to appear.’ Stephen Loosley, Sunday Telegraph

Previous Guest Speakers 2018 – 2020

October 2020Vikki PetraitisCrime stories  “ Hodsons and Nicola Gobbo ” 
September – 2020
August – 2020		Julian Battistella

Andrew Mitchell		Estate Planning

Electric Cars and Clean Energy – Why?
July – 2020Anthony CaruanaHome Automation
March – 2020Brian WilliamsScams and Fake Tradies
February – 2020Radha Raghunath`Add Years to Your Life
November – 2019Gary FergusonElder Abuse and Seniors Rights
October – 2019Fiona CampbellThe Spencer Street Bridge
September 2019Thorold MerrettStory of Collingswood Premiership 1958
August 2019Rodney RichardsAngel Flights
July 2019Beverley MossBuckingham Palace in my underwear
June 2019Lloyd PhillipsPoetry can be fun
May 2019Joffa CorfeMy life and Gold Coat
April 2019No SpeakerChange over lunch
March 2019Kevin TraskMyself and the media and the Australian singer Diana Trask
February 2019Madryn Sanderson & Alex CarterPersonalised In-home care and health
December 2018No SpeakerChristmas Luncheon
November 2018U3A ChoirSongs of Screen and Stage
October 2018Jacqueline DinanRacing the Boys
September 2018Anthony KnightBeleura House Mornington
August 2018Cliff HardyThe London Blitz
July 2018Natalie DurkovicShen Yen Performing Arts and Traditional Chinese Culture
June 2018Jessica WattsBladder & Bowel Health
May 2018Ross McMullinVillers Bretonneux
April 2018No SpeakerChange Over Luncheon
March 2018Don McQueenThe Bush Balladeer
February 2018Elida BreretonTravel Stories