JANUARY 21, 2025 - PICNIC IN ROTARY PARK

The weather was a little hot but being the brave Probians that we are, we made our way to Rotary Park Pakenham. 

There we placed our tables and chairs under the beautiful oak trees and enjoyed a chat and lunch. Some brought sandwiches and others made use of the BBQ in the park. 

It was lovely to catch up with the 31 members who attended. 

Thank you to all who came.   I hope you all had a good time. 

Here’s to a future of fun, friendship and fellowship during the coming year. 

 

 

 

 

On Monday, 12^th May, a large group of eager Pakenham East Probus members ventured into the world of art, creativity and culture when they visited Mulberry Hill, the former home of two of our renowned artist/writers, Sir Daryl and Lady Joan Lindsay. 

In the backblocks of Langwarrin, the home sits majestically amongst a bushland of huge gumtrees.  Sadly, the magnificent gardens, which Sir Daryl had often painted lovingly on canvas, have long since gone.  All that remains of the past is an aged mulberry tree and evidence that rabbits have taken over the former manicured lawns.

As we respectfully removed our shoes before entering the American colonial Cape Cod style home, a feeling of being in a time warp took over as the home was exactly as it had been left after Joan’s death in 1984.      The house was not particularly grand but, in each room, there were fine examples of period furniture and an interesting display of eclectic objects.  Art works by Australia’s foremost artists of the twentieth century are hung in every room and one can only wonder at the value of the collection.  

Renovated during the depression era from salvaged and reclaimed materials there are very few decorative features to mention.    The upstairs bathroom, with its plain white pedestal basin and bath would have held no interest until our guide revealed the saucy details of Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier’s antics in the tub!

These famous stars of the stage and screen were amongst a long list of notable guests that graced the rooms of Mulberry Hill.   It was easy to imagine the pink and green lounge room, filled with cigarette smoke, as guests relaxed in the ambience of art and culture.

Dame Elizabeth Murdoch, herself a frequent visitor to Mulberry Hill laughingly described her friend Lady Joan as being rather risqué.    

After Sir Daryl’s death, Joan took many items of furniture to the tip including his favourite arm-chair and their double bed.  A wave of nostalgia came over as we viewed her closets that were crammed with her shoes, handbags and clothing.  ,Sir Daryl’s wardrobe revealed his top hat and formal racing attire befitting of a former member of the VRC.

Lady Joan chose to playdown her talent as an artist, choosing instead to concentrate on her writing.    Her work room was quite dark as a lack of light lent itself better to creating her works.   It was here, on a small table and beloved typewriter that she wrote her most notable novel “A Picnic at Hanging Rock”.    Strangely, she chose to write whilst on her knees!

On entering Sir Daryl’s workroom, a waft of chemicals was still in the air.  It was a room stuck in time – where his masterpieces were created.   There was a feeling of great warmth generated by the filled bookcases, the fireplace with its tongs and watching over it all, a very lifelike portrait of Sir Daryl himself painted for the Archibald prize.

The tour ended after viewing the kitchen with its original woodstove and shelves filled with Staffordshire collectables.

Leaving the ghosts of Mulberry Hill behind we made our way to Beretta’s Langwarrin Hotel for lunch and a chat about the morning’s adventure.

Thank you, Carolyn and John, for choosing and organising an outing of great interest and education.