PROBUS Club of Hawks Nest and District celebrates a double anniversary in October 2026.
The month marks the 50th birthday of the Australian Probus movement and the 15th birthday of the local club.
Probus began in Australia with the formation of the Probus Club of Hunters Hill in 1976, following similar concepts of ‘professional and businesspeople’ gatherings extending from Rotary Clubs in New Zealand and the UK.
Ray Hosking, one of the founders of the local Club, is a former president of Epping Probus, one of the first five groups in Australia.
“The whole concept of Probus is predicated upon getting retired or semi-retired professionals together in fun, friendship and fellowship,” Mr Hosking told NOTA.
“When I moved to Tea Gardens/Hawks Nest in the 2000s, a men-only Probus club existed.
“But Rotary Tea Gardens was aiming to get a combined club going because that was the way that all successful clubs around the country were going.”
Several unsuccessful attempts were made to get the existing club to accept female members.
“The most successful (Probus Clubs) are not gender-discriminatory,” Mr Hosking added.
“Rex Sargeant and I decided to put this club together in 2010. It formed in 2011, making 2026 our 15th anniversary while the national movement turns 50.”
Rex Sargeant was past President of Rotary Pennant Hills, while Ray Hosking’s Rotary experience spans more than 30 years.
The pair met again in Hawks Nest years later.
The initial meeting of the Hawks Nest and District Probus Club had a mixed membership of 80. The second meeting was attended by 120 members.
The club has had to cap its membership at 160 for practical reasons, but there’s always a waiting list.
Ray Hosking continues to serve as Returning Officer each year, happy to use his experience at the AGM.
He was nominated as a life member along with Ann Scully, for their contributions over the years.
For the big birthday, the local club’s members enjoyed a well-organised day out in the sunshine at Winda Woppa, complete with a sausage sizzle and an enormous cake in Probus’ blue and gold colours made by Tea Gardens’ own Mema’s Bakery.
By Thomas O’KEEFE
You can help your local paper.
Make a small once-off, or (if you can) a regular donation.
We are an independent family owned business and our newspapers are free to collect and our news stories are free online.
Help support us into the future.
