Melbourne Sunrise Probus meets on the First Thursday of each month at 10am at:

THE LIBRARY AT THE DOCK  107 Victoria Harbour Promenade, Docklands.

Located on the waterfront at Dock Square near where Bourke Street west meets Collins Street.  Take Tram 48 in Collins Street to Collins street west terminus.  100 m walk to Library.

FUTURE CLUB MEETING DATES FOR 2014 

7 Aug     4 Sept     2 Oct     6 Nov     4 Dec

POSTAL ADDRESS  

                              PO Box 23308 

                              Docklands 8012  

 CONTACTS

                              Membership Officer -Joan

                              Phone 96421680

                              Mobile: 0433292977

                              Email: [email protected]

                              Secretary -Elaine

                              Phone: 96455686

                              Mobile: 0477022673

                              Email: [email protected]

Twenty members had a varied and exotic tour of buildings east of Melbourne during Open House 2014 on Saturday July 26. This was our fourth annual tour.

We began at Circus Oz headquarters in Perry St,  converted from Collingwood Technical School (where Ken Tabart once taught) and now full of the paraphernalia of show business and gymnastics. We enjoyed watching toddlers and primary-schoolers being put through their paces for potential circus careers.

Our next stop was the Collingwood Masonic Hall in Gipps St., a venerable building.  The senior Mason and his colleagues introduced us to the symbolism and rituals of the Masonic creed, embodied in many curious artifacts and designs.  It was all quite a revelation – including the fact that Masons dress in dinner suits not as elitists but so that rich and poor members are on equal footing.

It was short walk then to the cosy restaurant Lemon Middle & Orange, where we jammed into one corner with many of us sitting on steel drums as we dined on Boston chowder and other hearty food.

We walked to Victoria Parade and trammed to the Catholic Theological College, a fascinating blend of architecture old and new. It was certainly a space most of us had no idea existed. A senior person gave us an excellent guided tour which included the College’s copiously-stocked library.

The Open House tours are a marvelous educational experience, introducing us to normally hidden parts of Melbourne.

As Melbourne's weather gets colder the AFL comp gets hotter! 19 hardy souls braved a freezing Docklands Park for a sausage sizzle. Chicken and beef snags were smothered in tomato sauce and fried onions and lovingly wrapped in a slice of bread. Yum!

To add to the fun John Freeburn ran a footy trivia comp. 3 teams vied to prove their footy knowledge. Our illustrious president, Marg, lead her team to victory with all 20 questions answered perfectly!

It was great fun and thanks must go to John Freeburn and Dennis Hardisty for their work.

Good fun was had by all the women who spent many enjoyable hours shopping for that elusive treasure!

Afterwards we rewarded ourselves with a lunch at "Tusk" with a glass or two of wine. Much laughter was had comparing our purchases and some new friendships were made and we all agreed to do it again!

Members Soak Up NGV Show!

On 22^nd May, twenty-one members and friends spent a delightful morning viewing the “Italian Masterpieces from Spain’s Royal Court at the Prado” exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria.   The exhibition presents a rich selection of paintings and drawings spanning 300 years of Italian art. The Spanish Royal Family were avid art collectors and it is their magnificent collection that forms the basis of the Prado.

Prior to viewing the exhibition, an enlightening introduction was delivered to the group by one of the very knowledgeable NGV curators. This allowed the group a greater understanding of the importance of this collection.   The exhibition will only be seen in Melbourne, many of the works having previously never left Spain.   The exhibition is extensive and one can only be impressed with the colour and grandeur of these magnificent works of art.   As is tradition, the group adjourned to the NGV cafe for lunch and animated conversation.

In organising this excellent event, many thanks must be given to Marg Thomas.

Our intrepid group – following in the footsteps of the previous even more intrepid group on April 10^th – assembled at the front of ABC Southbank at 9:45. Well, all except one, who shall remain nameless, who didn’t make it until about 10:05, blaming unspecified transport complications. Yeah, right…

One of our guides was vaguely familiar – and with good reason – as he had only recently delivered the RACV presentation to Melbourne Sunrise Probus Club, regarding the implications of the ever-increasing numbers of senior citizens on our roads. It seems he can’t get enough of volunteering & even has a third gig at a local museum, too. He was ably assisted by a colleague & the two of them operated as tag-team commentators on the tour – beginning in the lobby, which featured delightful 1940’s plaster murals, depicting aspects of the ABC’s coverage of all things Australian. They had been discovered behind the false ceilings at one of the previously scattered ABC premises, during the consolidation for the move to Southbank, 25-odd years ago.

We moved on to the Iwaki Auditorium, which serves as a performance space for the MSO & others, with an audience capacity of about 400. Then along a corridor, past numerous rehearsal rooms, to the balcony looking into the ABC774 radio studios. Jon Faine is on holidays, so Nicole Chvastek was in the chair, chatting with a guest & supported by the production team in the adjoining booth. Nicole actually found the time to give us a wave, too. We then peered into the Triple J space, tech services, various production suites & thence to a compact but extremely well-equipped performance space – complete with oddly-angled walls, movable baffles & a sound desk reminiscent of the bridge of the starship Enterprise! Then, past the ‘Tardis booths’, where on-air guests can be interviewed in complete ‘privacy’ – if you don’t count the thousands of listeners out in the community - past the Radio Australia beehive & on to the record/CD archive & finally, the ABC TV studio, which, unfortunately, was in use, preventing us from slipping in for a gander. It was interesting to hear that nowadays, the cameras are actually mounted on remote-controlled pedestals, which are driven around by an external operator, who also monitors the performance of the autocue, so whoever is ‘on-air’ always knows the right thing to say.

After a very informative & enjoyable hour, or so, we all made it safely back to the lobby, where we swapped our visitor badges for a showbag full of ABC souvenirs & emerged back into the reality of another stunning Melbourne morning.

Fifteen members enjoyed a glimpse of an old and savage civilisation on April 24. They explored The Aztecs exhibition at the Melbourne Museum, with its impressive displays of the warlike culture wiped out by the Spaniards in the early 16th century.

While the displays included many carved stone items and the spectacular illustrated codex from 1555, the lifelike reconstructions of the way of life were also illuminating. 

Particularly remarkable was the compulsory schooling system, where boys and girls were educated for their roles in serving the leadership. Even for the aristocratic children, discipline was strict, including poking with spines and forced inhaling of chilli smoke.

Afterwards, 12 members adjourned to the Pumphouse Hotel in Nicholson Street for lunch. Tony Vujic, the licensee, gave us a short history of the hotel. A very convivial ending to an excellent day!

Members were enthralled listening to Don Riddington's talk on how he successfully crossed the English Channel at the ripe old age of 68. He is the oldest Australian to complete the swim. A life member of the Brighton Icebergers, Mr Riddington made the 35km crossing wearing only his Speedos and a swimming cap.

He said for him the conditions were mostly pristine. "It was very flat, very calm, no wind. Until we got to within 3km of France and then we hit an unusually strong tide, it was almost like a rip, like white water rafting without the white water, and it took me 3 hours to do the last 3km."

Mr Riddington said he kissed a Frenchman when he came ashore at the French town of Wissant.

"It was a tough swim in the end and my coach Grant Siedle said I'd earned my stripes. I felt terrific. I actually pulled up pretty well."

Some members have asked if they may bring guests (ie non-Probus members) to Probus outings.

There are just three requirements regarding guests. First, if advance booking and payment are required, guests need to be booked in and paid for in advance just like members.

Guest name and contact phone number are required, as well as host member's name.