Stafford Probus has a very active group of members who join in many activities arranged by the Activities Coordinator.
Our activities have been tours to the Back of Bourke; day tours to Toowoomba area; Brisbane river cruises; many morning teas and lunches, just to name a few.
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November 2024
City Cat up the River: This trip started from North Shore Hamilton to the University of Queensland, turning about and stopping at the Regatta Hotel for Lunch. This was truly a most enjoyable excursion for the 29 attendees. The weather gods were with us, presenting a fine but cloudy day until we disembarked at Toowong when there was a light shower. Most of the group started the journey at North Shore leaving 4 behind who were busy getting coffee. No worries, they jumped on the next ferry and by all accounts had a good trip. The stragglers who misread the instructions boarded the ferry at Brett's Wharf. Now we were ready for this wonderful sightseeing treat. Along the way we recognised a lot of old landmarks as well as new builds, some seeming very close to the water's edge. When will we ever learn. Lunch, enjoyed by all, was at the iconic Regatta Hotel dating back to 1874. On the return journey to North Shore we caught up on the sights we missed on the way up river as there was so much chatter and laughter catching up with the news. Great job everyone. This is truly what our outings are for. Some even ventured onto the back deck to take full advantage of the breeze, sights and sounds. All in all, a wonderful day of fun and fellowship.
October 2024
Train to Cleveland: On a Thursday, 20 Probians met at Platform 2, Central Station to catch the 9.15 a.m. train to Cleveland. We arrived an hour later to a beautiful 24 degree day. We stopped for great coffee and snacks at Crusoe Cafe whilst admiring the boats in the harbour. We then enjoyed a leisurely stroll throught the park gardens and up to the town centre. Here we looked through numerous interesting shops that had beautiful clothing, gifts and food. Some of us picked up bargains and early Christmas gifts, while others said they would be back. We then met at The Sands for lunch where all enjoyed a variety of tasty meals and good conversations. A chatty trip on the train home and a good day out was had by all.
Growl Theatre - the Book of Will: 20 Probians attended this performance, some having an enjoyable lunch at the Crown Hotel beforehand. The play is set in London and Stratford-on-Avon over the years 1619 and1623. William Shakespeare died in 1616. His plays were still being performed though the words of the plays were not strictly Shakespeare's. His fellow actors from the King's Men - Henry Condell and John Hemmings - determined to compile a folio edition of the plays and preserve the words that shaped their lives. After many setbacks - finding the original manuscripts, financial troubles and doubts about saleability - The First Folio was published in 1623. It contained 36 plays divided into three categories - Comedies, Histories and Tragedies. The rest is history. What a loss to literature it would have been if these magical works had been lost in the dustbin of history. Another polished performance by the Growl Theatre Group and enjoyed by all.
September 2024
Visit to Hunter and Scout: From the 25 who were expected at Graceville, 14 made it, there were 7 apologies and 4 no-shows. This was after a Qld Rail mix-up about which platform we should be on at Roma Street and an "incident" at Central Station which threatened to stop all trains through Central. However, arriving at Hunter and Scout we were ushered into an air-conditioned room at the rear of a very tropical garden where we were looked after by a delightful young lady from Sicily named Emma. The food was very good, the drinks were very cold and a very nice coffee rounded off an excellent meal. Most of us then strolled through the shopping centre but the 30+ degree heat didn't encourage us to linger. In hindsight, Saturday lunchtime probably wasn't the best time for this outing.
Tour of Parliament House: On a Wednesday, 16 Probians went on a tour of this lovely heritage building. The foundation stone was laid in 1865 and the building was completed in 1889. The solid colonnades keep the building cool in summer, and the sandstone from Woogaroo quarry is a beautiful colour and very impressive. The Speaker's Green where you see politicians do outside media broadcasts is flanked by this lovely building and the Parliamentary Annex which was added in 1979. Local Queensland timbers have been used throughout and add to the overall charm. In the front vestibule, there is a grand staircase - perfect for a group photo. The parquetry floor, 22ct gold leaf on the ceiling decorations, the hand stencilling on the walls and the beautiful stained glass window make for an impressive entrance. Queensland Parliament is unicameral, meaning it has only one parliamentary chamber, the Legislative Assembly. The upper chamber, the Legislative Council, was abolished in 1922. We went into both rooms. The magnificent Waterford crystal chandeliers in the Legislative Council room which were added in 1980s are spectacular. The room is used today for the opening of Parliament and ceremonial and formal occasions. We also made ourselves comfortable in the Legislative Assembly room and saw where 93 members sit on a sitting day. We also went into the impressive library, which was renamed in the 1980s "The Members' Reading Room", where the original shelving, ladders and furniture are home to Brisbane's oldest collection of books and publications. All of these can now be obtained digitally. After the tour, we headed down to The Kitchen in Old Government House for lunch to finish off an interesting outing.
Trip to Lightning Ridge. Sunday 11th, it was an early start for 25 travellers (15 Stafford Probians, 3 from the Gap, 5 from Springwood and 2 friends) to set of in Eugene's coach for an amazing 8 day trip. We toured through Toowoomba, (morning tea at Picnic Point), Dalby, Chinchilla for lunch and a visit to the Botanic Gardens with it's great water park and wire sculptures. Then on to Miles, Yuleba and Wallumbilla, arriving in Roma for our first stay and dinner. Next morning we went to the Roma Cattle Sale yards, morning tea at the Big Rig, and after lunch went on to St George via Surat for dinner and overnight. Visited Riversands Winery for morning tea and wine tasting before heading to Lightning Ridge via Dirranbandi (lunch) and Hebel. Our Lightning Ridge visit included 2 guided tours - the oldest miners' camp at Three Mile Flat and Lunatic Hill open cut mine, then after morning tea, opal cutting demo and a talk on Black Opal. We had a look-see at private opal collections , a visit to the John Murray Art Gallery then lunch at the Bowls Club. A dip in the Hot Springs for some ended the day. Next day we visited the home of Susie, part of the Mel and Susie duo, who entertained with song, stories, jokes and bush poetry and even served morning tea in fine china. Quite unexpected. We then visited Amigos Castle with it's incredible stone work and The Chambers of the Black Hand, going down 80 steps to see the remarkable sandstone sculptures carved with a butter knife. After Lightning Ridge we headed off to Collarenabri (morning tea by the river), lunch at Moree Golf Club, through Boggabilla then north to Goondiwindi for the night. We had a day to explore the town with a Cotton Tour, visit to the Customs House and Museum, lunch at the Railway Hotel and had a farewell dinner. Off to Brisbane next morning via the painted silos at Yelarbon, Coolmunda Olives at Inglewood and lunch at the historic Glengallen Homestead. Our sincere thanks to Bev Waldron who coordinated this tour. We had a memorable time with a great group of people. We all agreed we would travel with Granite Highlands Maxi Tours again.
Morning Tea at Soul Op Cafe, Bridgeman Downs. A lovely way to start a Sarurday. Cake and coffee on the lovely outside verandah of the old Queenslander. Then we shopped - or some of us did. They certainly set up the displays to make shopping enjoyable and the prices are very reasonable.
July 2024
Stafford Probus Birthday Party. On the 18th July, 51 Stafford Probians gathered at Geebung RSL Club to celebrate our 34th birthday. The function room was beautifully decorated by Kath Cook and her hard-working helpers. The theme was a "Hoe Down" and there were bales of straw, wagon wheels and barrels to set the mood, plus ballons and model farm animals on each table. By 11.30 a.m. most of the party guests had arrived and the room was awash with denim jeans, boots, checked shirts and akubras. There were also a lot of not-quite akubras, but they all looked wonderful. There were photos to be taken and games to play, and a boot-shaped pinata to whack with a baseball bat. Keith was the champion hitter, with chocolates cascading all over the floor. Graham Skelton did an excellent job as MC, keeping events moving along in a relaxed manner. Jake entertained us with lots of country songs amd music. We all joined in with "Old MacDonald Had a Farm", demonstrating that the passing years had neither dimmed our memories nor dulled our voices. As usual, Gebbung provided an excellent lunch. Among the thanks given by Graham was an acknowledgement of our late member, Carmel Sheehan, and all she had contributed to our club. We raised our glasses in a gentle tribute to a lovely lady. Magaret Stokes and Liz Brantley-Brown won the prizes for the best dressed country types, and there were more prizes for quizes, hoop-la and pinning the tail on the donkey, with yet more chocolates being distributed. Many, many thanks to Kath and her team for all their work in making the event so enjoyable for everyone.
Sausage Sizzle at Teralba Park. 51 Probus members descended on Teralba Park at Mitchelton for morning tea and a sausage sizzle on Wednesday 24th. We started with morning tea supplied by Liz BB, June S, Sylvia P and Judy C. A much appreciated contribution. The Queensland Pipes and Drum Band joined us for morning tea and then entertained us with fantastic music. This visit by the band was arranged by the late Carmel Sheehan. THANK YOU. Mike, Barrie, Keith, Ron C, Ian and Arch started cooking at 11.15 a.m. Sausages and onions for everyone. No one went home hungry. A very successful activity - plenty of food, sunny weather, no wind and lots of chatter among the members. A big thank you to Margaret and Brian for the planning and preparation for this great day topped off with the Pipes and Drums. WOW!
June 2024
Trip to St Helena. We had a bright sunny day for our boat cruise to St Helena Island which operated as a prison until 1932. We were welcomed on board and served a morning tea of warm muffins, tea and coffee after the boat left the wharf. At the river mouth the commentator identified many of the ships and gave us a background of their use and history. On arrival at St Helena we were given a choice of a short or long tour of the buildings and the history of the island. Many of the buildings were derelict but their original purpose was evident. It was impressive how people of that era made use of local materials to construct them. Conditions for the prisoners were distressing and cruel. On the return journey we were served a delicious meal from the barbeque with fruit to follow. The boat docked at Hamilton Wharf at 3.30 p.m. after a very enjoyable and informative day. Thaks to Carmel and Elaine.
May2024
Trip to Suncorp Stadium. On a sunny winter's morning, 17 Probians arrived at Suncorp Stadium, the majority alighting from BCC bus 375 from Stafford City. While waiting for our guide to arrive, we took photos and said hello to King Wally and his attendants of past rugby league glory. Liz, our guide, is part of the management team of Stadiums Australia. She recounted the history of Lang Park from burial grounds to modern stadium. We looked at some of the features of modern stadiums - quiet rooms, parent/children's rooms, lights to help the grass grow, collection of rainwater for cleaning and irrigation. Numerous outlets for food and drink, toilet facilities. Going behind the scenes, we visited the players' locker and warm-up rooms, coaches box, corporate boxes - very nice. And finally a walk to the edge of the "hallowed turf". Some members followed up an interesting morning with lunch at Newstead Brewing.
Aveo at Bridgeman Downs. 15 members visited Aveo Retirement Village at Bridgeman Downs. Unfortunately the heavens opened but that did not dampen our enthusiam for the job at hand. After our tour of the complex we were treated to a delicious morning tea (I recommend the lamingtons and danish). There was a draw for a lucky door prize which was won by the lovely Jan Y.
Growl Theatre. 10 members firstly lunched at The Crown Hotel, Lutwyche - delicious always. We were then joined by another 20 members at the theatre. This madcap 1930's American classic didn't disappoint as it was a very busy, noisy, hyperactive play! Mortimer Brewster, a drama critic, just got engaged to "the girl next door", Elaine. The two lovely eccentric aunts - Martha and Abby - are thrilled for them both. However the aunts have a secret as they have been quietly murdering a series of lonely old men to "put them out of their misery". The method used was arsenic flavoured wine and they were burying them in the cellar. There were two other rather extreme characters who were the older and younger brothers plus a few dithering policemen. It was a great play although unusually, there were two short intervals as it was quite a long two and a half hour play.
April 2024
Old Government House and the Commissariat Store If you think things are crook now, a look back at Brisbane's convict and colonial past should help you realise how lucky we are. On April 18, 21 Probians were enthralled as historian Kate regaled us with facts and anecdotes about Old Government House, in QUT grounds, and the people who inhabited it. Architect Charles Tiffin designed the building in the Classical revival style with distinctly Greek features, perhaps acknowledging Lady (Diamantina) Bowen, the Greek-born wife of Governor Bowen, for whom the house was built. Locally sourced materials were used including sandstone from the Goodna area, Brisbane tuff stone from Kangaroo Point quarry and mahogany from Brookfield. As we sauntered about in our comfortable summer clothes we pitied the Bowens arriving in December outfitted in layers and layers of heavy clothes - not to mention the hazardous corsets regarded as essential by women of the genteel classes. We got a feel for the servant's lives too as we trudged up the narrow and plain stairs that led to their quarters. Nothing grand there. Kate also detailed her research into the origin of lamingtons and assured us they were indeed invented by the chef of a later Queensland governor - Lord Lamington.
Following lunch at the Pancake Manor, 8 of us visited the Commissariat Store in William Street for another dose of history from Jeffrey and Jeanie. There was less about the upper classes here as we heard the full horror of life as a convict in Brisbane's early days. The building houses miniatures of the buildings of the old settlement as well as artefacts and memorabilia of the era. It wasn't hard to while away a couple of hours learning about our past. Life might have been bleak but the convicts knew how to build things to last. The retaining wall around the Commissariat Store was built with Brisbane tuff and is still held together by the original mortar.
March 2024
Visit to RAAF Amberley. On 21st March, 17 members navigated their way by road to the RAAF Base Amberley to visit the RAAF Heritage Museum. A pre-visit rendevouz was arranged at the Forty North Cafe at South Ripley to link up, be counted and have morning tea. The appointed rendevouz, located in a parkland setting, was an excellent choice with a tasty range of eats, good coffee and cool drinks. We then moved in a loose convoy to the Base. This was a wise move when some time-consuming journeys from home to the rendevouz were described. The employed navigation aids ranged from GPS through compass and sextant to out-of-date local knowledge and instinct. Our convoy arrived at the Base Induction Centre for RAAF security passes to be issued. This took some time, but the waiting provided a great opportunity for maintenance of our club's lively conversation tradition. Another more disciplined convoy (under Defence Force supervision) entered the Base and drove to the Heritage Museum where we met our guides, Kevin Gillespie (ex-RAAF) and Dave Newsome (ex- Army). The Museum, housed in several relocated and refurbished historic hangars, was excellent. Its exhibits , including many historic aircraft, were fascinating, wide-ranging and professionally displayed. Our very knowledgeable guides did a great job in herding two gaggles of golden oldies, despite not having good sheep dogs to assist. Navigation on the way home was easier - drivers just shifted into homing pigeon mode. All in all, a great outing. Our warm thanks go to Carmel and Elaine for their detailed planning and complex co-ordination of a very successful excursion.
February 2024
Trivia, Gaythorne Bowls Club. On a Thursday in mid-February, 36 adventurous Probians gathered to be challenged by Trivia Master, David Harris. Of course a scrumptious morning tea was necessary brain food and thanks to the ladies who supplied the slices. David started the day with a collection of brain teasers (IRIGHTI = Right between the eyes) to get the minds working with chocolates distributed for successful responses. There followed seven sets of trivia covering Australiana, Pot Luck 1, Entertainment, Animals, Towns and Cities, All Australian Celebrities and Pot Luck 2. Winners of each set had a choice of M&Ms, Turkish Delight, Mars Bars, Jubes or TimTams. The wins did circulate among the teams but Ron Boxall's team came out as overall winners on the day. All left with a feeling of enjoyment and sweetness. David is already preparing a much more challenging set for 2025.
Growl Theatre Visit. A group of theatre-loving Probians gathered at Growl Theatre in Windsor on Sunday 18th to see the play "The Female of the Species" by Joanna Murray-Smith. This play, first performed in 2006, is a satire/comedy about celebrity feminists. It is loosely based on a real-life incident concerning Germaine Greer in 2000, when a gun-toting student invaded Ms Greer's home and threatened to kill her. "The Female of the Species" is about a feminist writer, Margot Mason, who is chained to her desk by a student who accuses her of ruining her life. Margot is having a problem with writer's block and the situation is further exacerbated by her hysterical daughter, Tess, who is frantically trying to escape her very young and noisy family, while also demanding to know who her father is. The small cast played their parts well, but not everyone was happy with the seemingly unneccessary coarse language and there were several empty seats throughout the theatre after interval. The second act was much lighter and had more humour. The second half of the play was also when the three male members of the cast finally arrived on stage. An irate taxi driver, Tess's husband, newly returned from a business trip, and a friend of Margot's from her long ago student days, who just happened to be Tess's long lost father, brought the play to what everyone wanted - a happy ending. Many thanks to Carmel for arranging this activity for us.
January 2024
Morning Tea, Geebung RSL. Once again we started the year with a Morning Tea to bring members together again and get the Probus year underway. A great time was had by all, some fun and laughter, with lots of food. Members were tested with "individual table" quizzes answering a range of unusual questions. It was obvious that some tables (i.e. the winners) did better than others. Geebung RSL again provided a pleasant venue, and yummy scones and mince pies to go with the tea and coffee. Thanks to Linda and the team for arranging a day which was enjoyed by all.
December 2023
Christmas Lunch. Those Probus members who ventured out on a very hot Thursday in December, were surprised to find the Aspley Bowls Club venue was cool with air-con working. Seems our concerns over the possible hot room caused by roofing repairs in progress were "put on ice". On entering, we collected from Liz B-B our lucky door tickets and drink tickets before finding places at the well decorated round tables. The round table format makes catch-up chats easier. Our attention was soon centred on the MC, with Graham getting used to the microphone while he strolled the room. Question sheets (solve these Rebus) on the tables soon got the grey cells working, some more successfully than others. As Graham revealed the answers, any "discussion" was adjudicated by LizB-B. After a delicious lunch, the official guests, local Brisbane City Councillors Cr Tracy Davis and Cr Danita Parry, were warmly welcomed and door prizes were drawn. A big thank-you to Tracy and Danita for their donation of gift baskets and their support during the year. Also many extra thanks to club members and local businesses who donated prizes. We must thank Liz B-B and the team who not only worked before the day, but started early on the day - especially getting the air-con working just in time for our arrival. Thanks to Graham for the MC role well done, and a big thank you to all.
November 2023
Busways and Tunnels Tour. 39 of us boarded a chartered BCC bus at Stafford City terminus for an enlightening tour of Brisbane's busways and tunnels. We were soon into a tunnel and out onto the Inner-City Bypass, then into the Legacy Way tunnel out to Toowong, then out along the Western Highway to Moggill Road where we u-turned and proceeded up the back way passing by all the TV stations to Mt Cootha for morning tea. Then it was back to Roma Street under King George Square, over the Victoria Bridge and onto the Southern Busway, under the Mater Hospital and all the way to Eight Mile Plains. We then backtracked and joined the Eastern Busway which services Langlands Park, Stones Corner, Buranda then under Bogga Road Jail and onto the Eleanor Schonell Bridge to Queensland University where we were shown the clever recharging system for electric buses. Then through the Clem Jones tunnel under the river to Bowen Bridge, then back through that first tunnel to Stafford City. Our thanks go out to John, our very capable BCC bus driver ( a former airline pilot), and especially to our guide Mitch, the BCC Event Transport Services Officer, who was extremely knowledgeable, very friendly and prepared to answer all our questions with a big smile and a big personality. Afterwards most went across to Stafford City Tavern for a "buy your own lunch". Special thanks to Terry H for arranging a great day out.
Rosewood by Rail. 9am on the 23rd, 49 Probians assembled on Platform 8 at Roma Street Station waiting for the train to Rosewood, a small country town between Ipswich and Toowoomba. 90 minute and 28 stations later we arrived and headed off to explore. Coffee was on the agenda for many and Harry's Cafe and the bakery filled up rapidly for much needed refreshments. Next some retail therapy, especially for the ladies. There were two well stocked dress shops, one of which, Elly Rae Fashions, had been alerted to our visit and and promised a 10% discount. It was not long before the shop's distinctive mauve bags were seen in the hands of happy customers. Unfortunately we were unable to visit the church, the largest timber Catholic church in the country, but there was a Cobb and Co coach on display near the Vinnies Op Shop , also well patronised, and an old world Post Office (what have we lost!). The staff were very welcoming and helpful. Soon it was off for lunch at the Rising Sun Hotel circa 1908, currently being renovated and restored - should look impressive when fully restored. Very many thanks to Anne, Nev and Carmel Sh who worked hard to arrange this outing.
October 2023
Mt Cootha Botanical Gardens. On a clear sunny day, 21 members undertook a walk/amble along the garden paths led by volunteer guides. We were divided into 3 groups, and, as the Gardens are divided into specialised sections, we were able to explore different areas without crowding each other. Our guides gave us interesting information on the plants and sometimes their countries of origin. I don't know how many members were inspired to rush out to their local nursery with ideas of seeing their gardens look like these Botanical Gardens. After our exercise many members adjourned to the Cafe to enjoy a well-deserved lunch. Thanks to Liz Lysaght for organising this enjoyable outing.
September 2023
48 probians and friends undertook the trip to Toowoomba on Thursday 21st. It was BLOOMING from beginning to end, very well organised by our wonderful Activities officer Carmel. Not only were the gardens beautiful, but the weather was BLOOMING hot!
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Bus driver Bob did a fabulous job of driving us to the gardens, parks etc AND served our meals at the Bowling Club!
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Larkspur, lavender and ladies abounded.
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Outing was well managed and on time throughout the day.
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Ostentatious and overabundance of flowers both cottage garden and parks.
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Members from three clubs participated in the outing,
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Information was readily available from Bob and from the brochure we were given.
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Nourishment was enjoyed at morning tea at Picnic Point where Bob even washed the cups.
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Garden show was spectacu;ar with flowers and plants of every variety in private gardens and parks.
The author had a great day as I am sure everyone did. Our V.P. Barrie offered a vote of thanks to Carmel for all her hard work and to Bob for his punctual driving.
August 2023
Walk'n Talk at Sandgate: "Another beautiful day at Sandgate" was how the Probus outing was described by a number of members who attended this annual event. 26 members drove to the seafront at Sandgate for a chance to spend time with friends, play games and more importantly to partake of morning tea provided by members. The day was warm; the park was filled with laughter from many children and their mothers and we were entertained by the windsurfers out on the ocean. Cold winds blew in at lunchtime which prompted a ad rush over the road for the best fish and chips at Sandgate. All in all - a great day out, thanks to Margaret.
Jumpers and Jazz in Warwick: 45 people, rugged up in winter woolies, boarded the Cross Country Tours bus for a day out in Warwick. Apart from a brief stop in Aratula, the trip was uneventful with driver Bob pointing out places of interest including the new Coles warehouse which stocks items for all Coles stores in southern Queensland and northern New South Wales. It is a massive building and one could imagine the number of staff required to move items around ready for delivery. Bob put us on the right track - apart from a few administrative staff, all the work on the floor is done by robots. Arriving in Warwick we all went our separate ways and spent the day listening to the jazz bands and singers; investigating all the food trucks selling delicious food; having a look for items to buy at the suitcase rummage or making our way to the Art Gallery or Kings Theatre to check out the wares made by the creative folk of Warwick. The weather was kind to us. The community of Warwick had really put in a huge effort with all the knitted and/or crocheted covers on lamp-posts and trees. If looking for a knitted hat for winter, there were hundreds to choose from. Next year is the 20th anniversary of the Festival and who knows - we may revisit for another great day out. Thanks Carmel.
July 2023
Club Birthday Lunch: It was a glittering affair of Hollywood - Black and White. The stars turned out in the "thousands' tripping up the red carpet (dodging the intrusive paparazzi ) along the way. Entering the Grand Ballroom came Minnie Mouse, Cher, Cleopatra (less Asp), a two-gun pistol packing Gal, Ollie Hardie doffing his hat on entry, some unnamed spiffy men dressed to the tee, the whip cracking adventurer with hat pulled down. Anon also turned up looking lost. The room was full to overflowing with glamour and was set for the occasion with black and white table dressing and decorations by our host Geebung RSL. When settled down, our meal was served and talk at the tables filled the room while Graham the MC worked the room to keep proceedings moving along - with a few jokes, tall stories and lots of laughter. There was a bit of Hollywood trivia and some lucky door prizes to fill the day. The organising team, led by Bev, did an amazing job to provide members with an enjoyable day of friendship and fun. To each one of them our thanks for their time and skills in preparing and running such a successful function.
June 2023
Trivia Morning Tea: On Monday June 5th, two teams, A and B, representing Stafford Probus arrived at Geebung RSL Club with 22 other club teams for the annual Bridgeman Downs Probus Club Trivia Morning Tea. After answering numerous questions on many subjects, and enjoying a beautiful morning tea served at our table, Team B was announced as tied for second place. Upon answering a tie-breaker question ( what is height of Mt Cootha above sea level to nearest metre?) our leader accepted third prize on our behalf. Thank you to our team and to Margaret St for organizing another activity of fun, friendship and fellowship.
Breakfast at Tiff - no - at Crepe Cafe, Aspley: A crisp winter morning and 30 members scanned the delights of the menu. What choices we had and some even had "eyes bigger than their bellies" Service and food were thoroughly enjoyed by all and by the sound of our talking, we were all happy campers. Thanks to Liz and June for arranging the day.
Sausages in the Park: 42 members attended a morning tea and sausage sizzle held on a beautiful sunny day at Teralba Park, Everton Park. The outing started at 10.00 a.m. with home-baked goodies from Brian, Sylvia, Jan, Liz B-B and Margaret St. Then Brian, Terry H and helpers fired up the barbeques and cooked snags and onions to be eaten with sauce on slices of bread. Thank you to the men and women who took responsibility for making sure everyone in attendance was well fed. (And there were left-overs!) Margaret St was the lead for this event and as usual she excelled in organising this very popular annual winter Stafford Probus Club event.
May 2023
Bright, Victoria. Eleven happy Stafford PROBUS Club members recently ventured down to the Bright Autumn Festival in Victoria with members from the Springwood PROBUS Club who organised the 6 day five night escorted tour. With our suitcases full of jumpers, scarves, hats and gloves the eleven of us met the tour guide Val Henry and members from the Springwood club at the Brisbane airport early morning on Wednesday 26 April. It was a glorious day in Melbourne when we arrived at 10:30am and were met by our bus driver, Nick, who welcomed us all with a big Italian smile before setting off for our first stop near the Melbourne Airport, the home of equine royals, The Living Legends. We were all able to rub shoulders with these magnificent horses, some of which were previous Melbourne Cup and Caulfield Cup winners and stroll around the Woodlands Homestead heritage gardens before lunching at the Black Caviar Café. After lunch we drove to Glenrowan to take a look through the Ned Kelly Museum and replica homestead before driving on to Myrtleford and our accommodation at the Myrtleford Motel on Alpine.
Day two we left our lodgings early and travelled along the Scenic Great Alpine Road towards Mount Beauty stopping along the way at the Tawonga Gap Lookout and Sullivans Lookout where we were all afforded magnificent views. After a welcome cuppa in Mount Beauty we drove to the Kiewa Valley Hydro scheme before a self-guided tour through the museum. After lunch in town our first stop of the afternoon was at the Australian Stoewer Museum where John spoke about the family behind Germany’s Third Car manufacturer and showed off his well maintained Stoewer car collection. Back in Myrtleford later in the afternoon we visited the Old School Museum which provided an interesting insight into the township and tobacco industry which was driven mostly by the large number of Italian migrants who settled down in the Myrtleford region in the 1920’s.
Day three saw us travel back across the valley to Bright where we were joined by Helen our local guide who took us on a tour of the highlights of Bright and Porepunkah and through the National Trust registered Wandiligong Valley to the village of Wandiligong viewing orchards, tobacco farms, nut orchards and autumn colours of the towering Wandi Poplars along the way. We visited Nightingale Brothers, the producers of crisp juicy apples, chestnuts and persimmons and lunched at the 5 Acres Bar and Kitchen which was a perfect setting for an outdoor lunch before heading back into Bright to experience the delightful Elm Haven Garden. Our final stop of the day was at the Australian Pumpkin Seed Company which specialises specifically in growing a special variety of heirloom pumpkin originating in the founding family’s homeland Slovenia.
It was a very cool Saturday in Bright when we arrived back there to have a look through the Bright and District Historical Society Museum which was situated in the old Bright Railway Station. Morning Tea was at the Dougherty’s Bridge for an insight into the gold mining and crushing facilities and a tour of the Bright State Battery and Mining Museum by a local historian. Left to our own devices for lunch found most of us at the fabulous Pie Shop to experience a wide range of hot pies and/or delicious slices and cakes. After lunch Nick drove us to Tatanka Gardens so that we could walk off some of our lunch inspecting the gardens, gift shop and nursery. The final stop on our journey was a visit to the Red Stag Deer Farm where we were given an introduction talk on the 70 acre farm before a chance to feed, touch and learn about deer, emus and ostriches. Those of us who were lucky enough to find a seat on the café verandah were able to take in stunning alpine views including the beautiful Mount Buffalo National Park.
Another cold morning on Sunday saw us travel to Beechworth where we met up with our local historian before enjoying our tour of the Gold Rush History and Ned Kelly walking tour. Our tour led us into the Old Beechworth Goal, which is one of Australia’s most significant post-European cultural sites. Its role in the chain of events that led to the execution of Ned Kelly is significant as it housed Ned’s mother, Ellen Kelly, many of the Kelly sympathisers and Ned himself, alongside his brother Dan and the rest of the Kelly gang. The Robert O’Hara Burke Museum was next on the itinerary on Sunday which was absolutely fascinating.
With bags packed and farewells made to the wonderful staff at the Myrtleford Motel on Alpine, we departed on our final leg of the journey early on Monday morning and drove straight through to the Vietnam Veterans Commemorative Memorial Walk in Seymour. The Commemorative Memorial Walk is a wonderful tribute to those fine men, conscripts and regular Army, Navy and Air Force personnel, who fought in the Vietnam War. It is well worth a visit for visitors to Seymour.
Final stop after Seymour was the Melbourne Airport where we said our goodbyes to Nick who had driven us safely on our six day journey and also to some of our Springwood friends who had planned to stay on in Melbourne. The rest of our goodbyes were said at the Brisbane airport when we arrived home again at the end of a long but happy six days with a great group of friends.
April 2023
Anzac Square Museum. Just before ANZAC Day, members visited the ANZAC Square Memorial Gallery for a guided tour of the display and the friendly guide offered insights on the material in the memorial. A very moving coverage of the Anzacs through world wars, Korea amd Vietnam conflicts along with many other areas where Australian Forces have served their country. Following a lunch break in David Jones' food court, members went on to the World War 2 headquarters of General Douglas Macarthur at Macarthur Chambers. Macarthur arrived in Australia in March 1942 as Commander-in-Chief of the South-West Pacific area. Thanks to Carmel for arranging this outing in preparation for ANZAC Day.
March 2023
Trip to Kingaroy: 16 Probians and 3 friends left from Gaythorne on a Granite Highlands Maxi-Tours bus with driver Eugene. If ever we have another trip with them, be on it! A sightseeing and overeating tour with scones/slices for every morning tea. Rooms Motel in Kingaroy had no dining room, so after the first night we arranged for dinners to be served in an undercover outdoor area which was much better for pre-dinner drinks and fellowship. The tour included Nanango Power Museum, Kingaroy Art Gallery and Museum, "Bethany" with John Bjelke-Petersen and pumpkin scones, several wineries, shoe shops, the Endeavour Factory, Bunya Mountains with snake, the Peanut Van, Mulanah Gardens, Bunya Red Farm's capers, caperberries and alpacas, Wondai's South Burnett Timber Industry Museum and Woodcrafters Workshop, Bjelke-Petersen Dam, Murgon then sleep on the way home.
Growl Theatre: Paris 1934. One hotel suite, four tenors, two wives, three girlfriends and a soccer stadium filled with screaming fans. What could possibly go wrong? As our Probus group found, quite a lot as the ego-loaded tenors, wives and girlfriends changed partners, places and rooms frequently while producer Henry Saunders tried to stop runaway chaos. Very clever staging to have the singers perform to the large "stadium" crowd. Thanks Marilyn for another entertaining outing to Growl.
Murwillumbah and Margaret Olley Art Centre: 21 Probians had an 8.00 a.m. departure with Cross Country Tours for the trip south through the tunnel to join the morning "rush". Nerang for morning tea and comfort stop, across the border and roadworks on a major scale then lunch at a Service Club on the banks of the Tweed River. The Art Gallery building afforded us a beautiful view of the mountains and farming valley. Art works on display were well organized and featured Aboriginal works and large works of famous Australian women - Julia Gillard portrait. The Margaret Olley rooms were a replica of her original home and studio. The amount of furnishings & bric-a-brac cluttered artistically on tables, beside chairs on the floor included her famous Vases of Flowers. A stop at the Yatala Pie Shop was a must on the way home. Thanks Carmel and Margaret for another great day out.
February 2023
Crazy cards: 41 players lined up and were sorted into groups of 4 per table.Terry dealt out the cards,well not literally, but he did set the rules and mixed it all up, keeping the players on their toes. First rule: deal out the cards and follow suit - but what is a suit? However we were fast learners and the game was under way. We next had to come to grips with the "winners" moving on to the next table and the "losers" changing seats so all players had a change of partner. Did you win with the highest number of tricks or points? Rules kept changing so it was open to interpretation. Some players did not move tables a lot. The winner was Arch with a whopping 93 points and Margaret St won lowest score prize with 46 points. Lots of fun and laughter and arguing with the umpire for a very enjoyable morning topped off by a very tasty morning tea prepared by Liz, Sylvia and June. Great day and thanks to Terry for leading the fun.
January 2023
Morning Tea: This free event at the Everton Park hotel is always well attended, with some members arriving early as usual. A great mixture of members including Past Presidents and future Presidents arranged ourselves at 5 round tables. We played the Alphabet game with much hilarity and noise while waiting for scones and coffee. Well worth the wait. Does the jam go on first or the cream? A great morning of Fun, Fellowship and Friendship for the first event of 2023. Thank you Margaret.
November 2022
First Aid Course: 18 members attended the course at Gaythorne Bowls Club. Michelle our Queensland Ambulance Service instructor was brilliant. She showed us how to recognize and respond to medical emergencies. We had to practice CPR on the test mannequins. Those of us who could got down on the floor and discovered how much effort was required to do the chest compressions. We also got to see how the AED (Automated External Defribillator) machine worked. These machines are located in shopping centres, clubs etc. Epi pens and Ana pens (training versions) were passed around so we could recognize and use them. We had fun trying to make triangular bandages into arm slings. Most amazing were the bandages for snake bites. The rectangular shapes imprinted on these bandages changed to square shapes when the right amount of compression was reached. We discovered there is a smartphone app called Emergency Plus that will help you call 000 and allow you to accurately communicate your location to emergency call takers. Handy if not sure of an exact address like at the beach or on a bush road. A big thank you to Michelle and all our other wonderful paramedics.
Maleny Bus Trip: We left early from the old Stafford Bowls Club, took the Motorway then the Steve irwin Way to Beerwah having close-up views of the Glasshouse Mountains. As an alternative to the usual route, the driver took us through the villages of Coochin Creek and Peachester and the district of Crohamhurst. As we climbed on to the range we had magnificent views down to the coast and back to the Glasshouse Mountains. After morning tea at Mary Cairncross Park, next stop was Maleny where we had ample time to look at the township and its shops. Lunch was at Mapleton. No matter how often you travel the road from Maleny to Mapleton you are still amazed by the views. On the way home there was the mandatory stop at the Banana Bender complex (the old Aussie World) for icecream. Thanks to Peter for organising such a great day.
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