Events

Volunteers give thousands of their hours to maintain Victoria's 140 years of railway heritage but you can only see the fruits of their labour once every two years!

As well as the Railway Museum and its static displays, a ticket gives you access to guided tours of the workshops and working yards. Many steam and diesel locomotives will be running. You can blow the whistles and stoke boilers.

Relive your youth in a restored Red Rattler or watch the last steam weighbridge. See the turntable in action. Visit historic aviation cockpits, model railways and the restored clocktower. There are 29 steam locos to visit, many of them belching steam and smoke and hauling trains. It's a fun filled day out.

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The Annual General Meeting will follow on from the March General Meeting and will take place at the Community Hub at the Dock which  is  located next to the Library at The Dock and Buluk Park, on the extension of Collins Street in Docklands (in the direction of North Wharf Road towards the Bolte Bridge).

We will be meeting in the large multipurpose room on the first floor.  Go up the stairs or use the lift and walk down the hall towards the back of the building.

Please note there are two attached documents.

Beleura offers something for everyone interested in history, art, gardens and music. A heritage house museum with five hectares of gardens located in Mornington, it is classified of State significance on the Victorian Heritage register for its architectural and cultural merit. Beleura is exceptional not only for its fine architecture and gardens but for the intimate and personal life it reveals of its last owner, the gentleman and composer, John Tallis.

Annual Oscars' Dinner to discuss the films nominated for an Oscar and the possible winners.

Join Bearbrass friends for a long Sunday lunch at one of Melbourne’s fabulous pubs!

• Monday – travel to start point in the morning. Short walk in the afternoon 
• Tues/Wed/Thurs/Fri and come home
• Saturday 21^st travel back to Melbourne

Gauging Interest in Multi day hike along the Surf Coast

Planning is underway for a five day hike along the Surf Coast from Torquay to Fairhaven. Although planning for this is in the early stages it is anticipated accommodation will be required in Torquay, Aireys Inlet, and Anglesea.

• be fit and able to walk at least 17kms per day at a reasonable pace on undulating paths with some short, steep sections
• organise their own accommodation and transport.

• decline If you are not interested at all, or will not be able to attend
• accept if you are interested in doing the hike and would like to know more

Further information and details regarding the itinerary and logistics will be provided once the number of possible participants is known.

Come along to the Wharf Hotel on the first and third Tuesday of each month for a friendly board game or Mahjong.

No prior experience needed. Mahjong coaches will happily introduce new players to this fascinating game. 

Otherwise, join in on Scrabble or bring along your favourite game.

Drinks and food available.

Join Bearbrass friends to catch a late afternoon movie (generally at either the Kino or the Nova) and kick on for dinner and a chat about the film.

This group meets on the 3rd Friday of the month to walk around various landmarks close to the city. Walks are generally around 5k and certainly no further than 8k with big hills avoided. A suitable stop for coffee is normally part of the walk. It is a good opportunity to get some exercise and have a chat at the same time. The actual destination will be advised with the invitation or earlier if available.

Bearbrass Book Club meets on the third Monday of each month at Little Bean, 850 Collins Street, Melbourne. Before officially beginning the meeting at 11:30am, we take the opportunity to start themorning with a coffee.  There is also the option to stay on for lunch following the meeting.  Each month, the discussion is led by a club member, with books and leaders planned ahead for the year.  New members are warmly welcomed! 

The book for March 23 is "All the Broken Pieces" by John Boyne and the discussion leader is Colleen 

Internationally renowned soprano and celebrated star of The Phantom of the Opera, Claire Lyon brings the magic of Broadway to Hamer Hall. Claire will perform musical theatre classics including ‘Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again’ (The Phantom of the Opera), ‘Climb Every Mountain’ (The Sound of Music), ‘Memory’ (Cats), ‘I Feel Pretty’ (West Side Story) and many more unforgettable favourites.

Cost - For groups of 4 or more, tickets are discounted to $26 per head.

The wine aficionados of Bearbrass Probus Club gather on the last Friday of the month to sample a collection of wines we may not have tried before. Apart from having as much fun as possible, the aim of each session is to taste a range of wines which we might not have considered buying previously - for whatever reason.

 The New York Times calls it "the best musical of this century." The Washington Post says, "It is the kind of evening that restores your faith in musicals." And Entertainment Weekly says, "Grade A: the funniest musical of all time." It's THE BOOK OF MORMON, the nine-time Tony Award®-winning Best Musical.

This outrageous musical comedy follows the misadventures of a mismatched pair of missionaries, sent on a mission to a place that's about as far from Salt Lake City as you can get.  

The cost of tickets is $90. Please pay to Bearbrass Bank account. 

BSB 633 000

Account 174 771 725

Please write your name and then Mormon in the reference. Eg Hanan, Mormon.

Come along to the Wharf Hotel on the first and third Tuesday of each month for a friendly board game or Mahjong.

No prior experience needed. Mahjong coaches will happily introduce new players to this fascinating game. 

Otherwise, join in on Scrabble or bring along your favourite game.

Drinks and food available.

Kitty Flanagan is coming to Melbourne with her new stand-up show. Asking but not necessarily answering all the big questions. Were we smarter before social media? Has your call ever been used for training purposes? And what exactly is an empath?

This is your chance to see the award-winning star of Fisk, Utopia and Have You Been Paying Attention? doing what she does best, stand-up comedy, live on stage at a theatre near you – like, actually near you, possibly just down the road depending on where you live. Don’t miss it!

Cost is $67.00. Guests are welcome. 

Please pay to Bearbrass Probus account by Friday January 9th, 

BSB 633 000

Account; 174 771 725  Please state your name and then "Kitty : in the reference. 

The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), rising on the edge of the Giza Plateau near the pyramids, opened last November as one of the most spectacular cultural projects of the 21st century. Vast in scale, its angular alabaster façade glows in the desert light, while its elevated terraces frame sweeping views of the Pyramids of Giza. Inside, visitors enter a soaring atrium dominated by a colossal statue of Ramses II, setting the tone for a journey through 5,000 years of history.  Tony and Margaret are visiting the museum in March and Tony will “show and tell” about this mighty edifice.

Join Bearbrass friends for a movie followed by dinner and lively discussion.

Generally at either the Kino (Collins Street) or the Nova (Lygon St Carlton), the details of movie and cinema are advertised a week prior.

The Walking Group meets on the 3rd Friday of the month to walk around various landmarks close to the city. Walks are generally around 5k and certainly no further than 8k with big hills avoided. A suitable stop for coffee is normally part of the walk. It is a good opportunity to get some exercise and have a chat at the same time. The actual destination will be advised with the invitation a week before.

Join Bearbrass friends for a long Sunday lunch at one of Melbourne’s fabulous pubs!

Bearbrass Book Club meets on the third Monday of each month in the meeting room at Concavo-Convesso Apartments, Docklands 3008.  Members usually have a morning coffee at Saluministi Cafe, ground floor Concavo-Convesso Apartments, before officially beginning the meeting at 11:30am.  There is always the option to stay on for lunch following the meeting.  Each month, the discussion is led by a club member, with books and leaders planned ahead for the year.  New members are warmly welcomed! 

The book on our list for April 20 is "The Names" by Florence Knapp and the discussion leader is Heather 

Come along to the Wharf Hotel on the first and third Tuesday of each month for a friendly board game or Mahjong.

No prior experience needed. Mahjong coaches will happily introduce new players to this fascinating game. 

Otherwise, join in on Scrabble or bring along your favourite game.

Drinks and food available.

The wine aficionados of Bearbrass Probus Club gather on the last Friday of the month to sample a collection of wines we may not have tried before. Apart from having as much fun as possible, the aim of each session is to taste a range of wines which we might not have considered buying previously - for whatever reason.

Relive a defining era of pop music history when The 60 Four sing the biggest hits of the ’60s and ’70s in a spectacular Vegas-style show. Backed by a powerhouse live band, The 60 Four will be performing classics from Elvis Presley, Stevie Wonder, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Frankie Valli, The Bee Gees, Johnny O’Keefe, Tom Jones and more.

The Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne offers a natural bushland experience alongside the Australian Garden, an award-winning, contemporary botanic garden celebrating the beauty and diversity of Australian landscapes and flora and featuring over 100,000 plants from 1,900 plant varieties. The bushland has over 450 indigenous plant species and is a precious remnant of the vegetation that once covered the broader region.

Come along to the Wharf Hotel on the first and third Tuesday of each month for a friendly board game or Mahjong.

No prior experience needed. Mahjong coaches will happily introduce new players to this fascinating game. 

Otherwise, join in on Scrabble or bring along your favourite game.

Drinks and food available.

Across the past couple of years, members have suggested that we visit towns in regional Victoria and undertake guided tours. As a result, a visit to Ballarat planned for Thursday 7^th May 2026.

We will take a guided walking tour for an overview of Ballarat’s marvellous gild rush era buildings. The guided amble runs for approximately 90 – 100 minutes as we delve into the storied past pf Ballarat – as evident in its historic main street.  Our guide will meet us at the corner Sturt St and Lydiard St in Ballarat at 11:30am. The tour runs 11:30am – 1:00pm. Afterwards members can enjoy lunch at one of the hotels in Lydiard Street.

Ballarat is a little over 90 minutes away from Melbourne, be it by train or car.  Members can chose to

• drive or travel by train to and from Ballarat on the one day, Thursday 7^th May
• travel to Ballarat on the 6^th , stay overnight and be in situ for the tour on Thursday 7^th May
• stay overnight in Ballarat on the day of the walking tour and return to Melbourne on Friday 8^th May. 

• The 9:16am train from Southern Cross arrives at Ballarat/Lydiard St station at 10:53am
• Drivers need to plan to leave Melbourne in time to be parked at the Lydiard St station in Ballarat by 10:53am

Swing, style and plenty of laughs will light up your day when acclaimed entertainer Rhys Tolhurst brings his hit show A Swing Affair. Rhys will be joined by guest vocalist Nina Ferro. Together they pay tribute to the Great American Songbook with timeless hits from Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Harry Connick Jr and Michael Bublé

The Walking Group meets on the 3rd Friday of the month to walk around various landmarks close to the city. Walks are generally around 5k and certainly no further than 8k with big hills avoided. A suitable stop for coffee is part of the walk. It is a good opportunity to get some exercise and have a chat at the same time. The actual destination will be advised with the invitation one week before.

Join friends from Bearbrass as you journey behind heritage diesel locomotives aboard the Grainlander to explore the spectacular Mallee region of Victoria. Be amazed by the once-busy silos that have been transformed into giant canvases hosting spectacular artworks along the Silo Art Trail

Join Bearbrass friends for a long Sunday lunch at one of Melbourne’s fabulous pubs!

Bearbrass Book Club meets on the third Monday of each month in the meeting room at Concavo-Convesso Apartments, Docklands 3008.  Members usually have a morning coffee at Saluministi Cafe, ground floor Concavo-Convesso Apartments, before officially beginning the meeting at 11:30am.  There is always the option to stay on for lunch following the meeting.  Each month, the discussion is led by a club member, with books and leaders planned ahead for the year.  New members are warmly welcomed! 

The book on our list for May 18 is "Limberlost" by Robbie Arnott and the discussion leader is Rose 

Come along to the Wharf Hotel on the first and third Tuesday of each month for a friendly board game or Mahjong.

No prior experience needed. Mahjong coaches will happily introduce new players to this fascinating game. 

Otherwise, join in on Scrabble or bring along your favourite game.

Drinks and food available.

Join Bearbrass friends for a movie, followed by dinner and lively discussion.

Generally at either the Kino (Collins Street) or the Nova (Lygon St Carlton), the details of movie and cinema are advertised a week prior.

The wine aficionados of Bearbrass Probus Club gather on the last Friday of the month to sample a collection of wines we may not have tried before.

Apart from having as much fun as possible, the aim of each session is to taste a range of wines which we might not have considered buying previously - for whatever reason.

After the tidy up, tasters may choose to go on for a cheap and cheerful dinner at a venue nearby, to be advised.

Cost for the tasting is $25 per head and the group size is capped at 12.

En Pointe — The Australian Ballet School

The Australian Ballet School’s annual performance captivates audiences with a breathtaking new program each year. Featuring the School’s talented full-time students, this vibrant mixed show celebrates the art of ballet, from uplifting contemporary pieces to beautiful classical works.

Bearbrass Book Club meets on the third Monday of each month in the meeting room at Concavo-Convesso Apartments, Docklands 3008.  Members usually have a morning coffee at Saluministi Cafe, ground floor Concavo-Convesso Apartments, before officially beginning the meeting at 11:30am.  There is always the option to stay on for lunch following the meeting.  Each month, the discussion is led by a club member, with books and leaders planned ahead for the year.  New members are warmly welcomed! 

The book on our list for June 15 is "The Benevolent Society of Ill-mannered Ladies" by Alison Goodman and the discussion leader is Pam

Join Bearbrass friends for a movie, followed by dinner and lively discussion.

Generally at either the Kino (Collins Street) or the Nova (Lygon St Carlton), the details of movie and cinema are advertised a week prior.

The Walking Group meets on the 3rd Friday of the month to walk around various landmarks close to the city. Walks are generally around 5k and certainly no further than 8k with big hills avoided. A suitable stop for coffee is part of the walk. It is a good opportunity to get some exercise and have a chat at the same time. The actual destination will be advised with the invitation one week before.

Join Bearbrass friends for a long Sunday lunch at one of Melbourne’s fabulous pubs!

The wine aficionados of Bearbrass Probus Club gather on the last Friday of the month to sample a collection of wines we may not have tried before.

Apart from having as much fun as possible, the aim of each session is to taste a range of wines which we might not have considered buying previously - for whatever reason.

After the tidy up, tasters may choose to go on for a cheap and cheerful dinner at a venue nearby, to be advised.

Cost for the tasting is $25 per head and the group size is capped at 12.

Join Bearbrass friends for a movie, followed by dinner and lively discussion.

Generally at either the Kino (Collins Street) or the Nova (Lygon St Carlton), the details of movie and cinema are advertised a week prior.

The Walking Group meets on the 3rd Friday of the month to walk around various landmarks close to the city. Walks are generally around 5k and certainly no further than 8k with big hills avoided. A suitable stop for coffee is part of the walk. It is a good opportunity to get some exercise and have a chat at the same time. The actual destination will be advised with the invitation one week before.

Join Bearbrass friends for a long Sunday lunch at one of Melbourne’s fabulous pubs!

Bearbrass Book Club meets on the third Monday of each month in the meeting room at Concavo-Convesso Apartments, Docklands 3008.  Members usually have a morning coffee at Saluministi Cafe, ground floor Concavo-Convesso Apartments, before officially beginning the meeting at 11:30am.  There is always the option to stay on for lunch following the meeting.  Each month, the discussion is led by a club member, with books and leaders planned ahead for the year.  New members are warmly welcomed! 

The book on our list for July 20 is "TThe Burgess Boys" by Elizabeth Strout and the discussion leader is Cate 

Orchestra Victoria With Caroline O'Connor — Music And Me

Australian theatrical legend Caroline O’Connor AM has delighted audiences across the globe: on London’s West End, Broadway in New York and throughout Australia on our stages and screens. Her incredible career has featured many of musical theatre’s most powerful leading roles. For this special performance, Caroline will be joined by Orchestra Victoria to present music she has handpicked for the significance they play in her life.

Our annual celebration of Christmas in July will take place at the ever popular P. J. O’Brien’s Pub in Southgate, so get ready to jingle your bells. 

Doors will open at 5:30pm for pre-diner drinks and socialising. Dinner will be served from 6:30pm. Please advise any dietary requirements in the comments box when you register.

The wine aficionados of Bearbrass Probus Club gather on the last Friday of the month to sample a collection of wines we may not have tried before.

Apart from having as much fun as possible, the aim of each session is to taste a range of wines which we might not have considered buying previously - for whatever reason.

After the tidy up, tasters may choose to go on for a cheap and cheerful dinner at a venue nearby, to be advised.

Cost for the tasting is $25 per head and the group size is capped at 12.

Join Bearbrass friends for a long Sunday lunch at one of Melbourne’s fabulous pubs!

Bearbrass Book Club meets on the third Monday of each month in the meeting room at Concavo-Convesso Apartments, Docklands 3008.  Members usually have a morning coffee at Saluministi Cafe, ground floor Concavo-Convesso Apartments, before officially beginning the meeting at 11:30am.  There is always the option to stay on for lunch following the meeting.  Each month, the discussion is led by a club member, with books and leaders planned ahead for the year.  New members are warmly welcomed! 

Victorian College Of The Arts Music Theatre Showcase — Echoes Of Broadway

The Victorian College of the Arts’ graduating cohort honours the legacy of Broadway’s Golden Age. These rising stars – some of Australia’s finest emerging music theatre talent – bring timeless classics to life in a performance brimming with heart, harmony and high-energy ensembles

Join Bearbrass friends for a movie, followed by dinner and lively discussion.

Generally at either the Kino (Collins Street) or the Nova (Lygon St Carlton), the details of movie and cinema are advertised a week prior.

The Walking Group meets on the 3rd Friday of the month to walk around various landmarks close to the city. Walks are generally around 5k and certainly no further than 8k with big hills avoided. A suitable stop for coffee is part of the walk. It is a good opportunity to get some exercise and have a chat at the same time. The actual destination will be advised with the invitation one week before.

The wine aficionados of Bearbrass Probus Club gather on the last Friday of the month to sample a collection of wines we may not have tried before.

Apart from having as much fun as possible, the aim of each session is to taste a range of wines which we might not have considered buying previously - for whatever reason.

After the tidy up, tasters may choose to go on for a cheap and cheerful dinner at a venue nearby, to be advised.

Cost for the tasting is $25 per head and the group size is capped at 12.