Welcome to our second newsletter. What a month it’s been at Bearbrass Probus!
We had two great speakers - member Ingrid Brophy held everyone enraptured with her very personal story about her journey to find out about her father’s experiences as a POW in WWII. Then the bubbly, enthusiastic Katia Loisel, provided valuable observations about body language and relationships in our locked-down world.
Another of our members, Kerrie Matthee has been selected by Probus South Pacific HQ as an interviewee for their Podcast to Members series – quite an honour. Well done Kerrie! And our club featured in HQ’s latest newsletter to its 125,000 Australasian members.
The book club, movie group and coffee mornings continue to be well attended, involving a lot of serious and not so serious conversations to exercise our minds.
Today’s meeting report, Sept 8: Rowan Callick on China’s aims
The meeting was recorded. To replay Rowan's talk, click HERE. Apply passcode DWj1JWW% This meeting attracted record attendance of about 80 for Bearbrass, including visitors from Rotary Central Melbourne, Sunrise Probus, two think-tanks based at the Savage Club and friends from afar as Seymour Rotary. No-one was disappointed as Rowan’s talk was rivetting, based on his many decades of covering China for the Australian and international press. Among those attending was Hugh Morgan AC, a Reserve Bank Governor from 1996-2007, Founding Chairman of the Asia Society Australia, a President of the Business Council and ex-CEO of Western Mining. We also welcomed Research Professor of Public Policy Michael Porter of Deakin University and many other leading citizens.
Pic left: Rowan in China with a young friendly local
Member Julia Fraser has had the most diverse career imaginable, and it’s not over yet. It’s covered everything from overseeing a party for nearly 750,000 Melburnians to bring in the new Millennium, to high-level roles building collaborations in mental health with our northern neighbours. Julia’s mother Milly Symons was a wardrobe mistress for Channel 7, much like our co-member Linda Rowe. Her father, Arthur was a socialist, engineer, Mason, Synagogue-attender and intellectual while his own grandfather David Hyman was one of the first secretaries of the Trades Hall Council and an agitator for the Eight Hour Day. Our member grew up in Elwood and studied English, History and Middle Eastern Studies at Melbourne University. “I had great professors, like Ron Ridley and Greg Denning (history), Donald Broadribb (Asian studies) and Chris Wallace-Crabb (English). They influenced my whole life and taught me the importance of understanding cultural difference.” She’d forgotten that the price of her studentship was three years teaching. But the upside was that she met and was hooked on smart spunky Paul Fraser in the Dip Ed cohort, whom she eventually inveigled to the altar.
Our membership continued to grow in August with five new members. Please welcome Jim Dixon, Karin Dixon, Julie Reid, Clive Gartner and Jill de Araugo.
Total Members
Active
At Foundation, Feb 2020
22
22
At September 4
47
39
The gender balance is 60% females and 40% males.
The ongoing vitality of the club does depend upon continuing to attract new members, so that more opportunities for fun, fellowship and friendship become available and specific interest groups can thrive. Over the next few weeks we will be getting publicity flyers posted in larger apartment blocks around town to attract new members and. I’m hoping that members will help with that task.
Of course, if you know someone who would enjoy what the club has to offer, do please invite them to a meeting or activity.
Anyone who thinks teacher-administrators have a cushy job, hasn’t spoken to our member Heather Ablett. Heading up four Junior Schools in the independent sector, she worked up to 60 hours most weeks, along with her colleagues. “I’d be at school well before school started and well after school hours finished, with meetings and school events into the evenings. Especially in the independent sector, there are a myriad of night-time school events like concerts, performances and parent meetings.” Heather semi-retired late last year. She’d planned a move from her Berwick home, perhaps to a city location, but is happy to wait awhile, given the pandemic. She still does some consulting, exam supervision and relief work. Her latest consulting job was a review of a kindergarten’s systems and procedures, interviewing the staff and doing detailed recommendations.
From Cate Thompson: This group meets every third Monday of the month at 1.30 pm. Under current COVID lock down, our book discussions have taken place via Zoom. While not our ideal choice for a way to meet and discuss books, it's proving effective enough.
We have some great discussions around the key ideas/concepts of the novels, often with these discussions going beyond the actual novel. I think members would agree that some books may be ones that they might never have chosen, however, often these present the best discussions and provide lots of ideas to ponder, well after the meeting has finished.
We currently have six active members, with the total number capped at 10. So, if you are interested in joining this great group, or finding out more about how it operates, please email the Book Group Convenor, Cate Thompson at: cthompson28@bigpond.com and she’ll make contact with you ASAP.
Another very interesting discussion August 26 on Spike’s recommendation of the Australian Film “Predestination”, made in Melbourne at the Dockland Studios with Australian actors & on limited budget. Thanks Spike Sparkes & Susan Bower for your extra contributions to stimulate our thinking.
Great to see 10 members attending, (Anne, Spike, Susan, Mel & Pam, Linda, Tony plus 3 new ones. Lynne, Giovanna & John B. With input from everyone, we discussed individual suggestions/ preferences, genres & the desire to ensure variety on a rotating watch list. Next meeting, September 9, discussing “Mr Hulot’s Holiday” a French comedy with some subtitles. Some light relief, suggested by Lynne Wenig. Enjoy it! Stay safe. Stay well. Anne Fairhall
Amid the COVID-19 gloom, our members have relished the fun and socialising of fortnightly Trivia Nights. The next Trivia is at 5.30pm Friday Sept 11 - be there! We'll email the link shortly.
The surprise element is the cooperation among members of Bearbrass Probus, Sunrise Probus and Rotary Central Melbourne to share the hosting and bulk up the contestant numbers. In effect, the workload of organising each Night is rotated among us all. (The system is that the Night's winner becomes the host for the next meeting). The September 11 night will be hosted by two members of none of our clubs (yet), who are 'friends of Bearbrass'.
As we have stressed, Trivia nights are not about winning but about having fun and getting to know each other. Moreover, alcoholic drinks are served along with gourmet junk food such as potato crisps.
Pic: Some of the contestants at the August 28 Trivia Night. Note that several aliens dropped by to check that Tony's cosmology/planetary quiz was kosher.
One avid member of speaker Katia Loisel’s audience on August 25 reflected the diversity of Bearbrass. She was Ingrid Brophy’s toy poodle cross Baci (Italian: “Kiss”) who sat on Ingrid’s lap throughout (as per picture). We interview Baci below.
Bearbrass: Tell us a little about yourself?
Baci: In human terms, I’m 77-year-old bitch, retired.
Bearbrass: What was your pre-retirement occupation?
Unemployed and on benefits. Never done a day’s work in my life.
Bearbrass: Your take-home message from Katia’s talk?
The club meets on the second Tuesday of the month, 10am for 10.30am start. Speakers offer a presentation at each meeting on a variety of topics.
Next meeting April 13, 2021. Then May 11 and June 8. Mask wearing obligatory except during tea/coffee
Welcome to our second newsletter. What a month it’s been at Bearbrass Probus!
Among those attending was Hugh Morgan AC, a Reserve Bank Governor from 1996-2007, Founding Chairman of the Asia Society Australia, a President of the Business Council and ex-CEO of Western Mining. We also welcomed Research Professor of Public Policy Michael Porter of Deakin University and many other leading citizens.
ad the most diverse career imaginable, and it’s not over ye
t. It’s covered everything from overseeing a party for nearly 750,000 Melburnians to bring in the new Millennium, to high-level roles building collaborations in mental health with our northern neighbours.
ve a cushy job, hasn’t spoken to our member Heather Ablett. Heading up four Junior Schools in the independent sector, she worked up to 60 hours most weeks, along with her colleagues. “I’d be at school well before school started and well after school hours finished, with meetings and school events into the evenings. Especially in the independent sector, there are a myriad of night-time school events like concerts, performances and parent meetings.” 
From Cate Thompson: This group meets every third Monday of the month at 1.30 pm. Under
Hello Movie Buffs. 
Amid the COVID-19 gloom, our members have relished the fun and socialising of fortnightly Trivia Nights. The next Trivia is at 5.30pm Friday Sept 11 - be there! We'll email the link shortly.
Katia Loisel’s audience on August 25 reflected the diversity of Bearbrass. She was Ingrid Brophy’s toy poodle cross Baci (Italian: “Kiss”) who sat on Ingrid’s lap throughout (as per picture). We interview Baci below.
