Meeting Time: 7.35 am Tuggerah Station, Platform 1.

 Venue: Parramatta Park, George Street, Parramatta 2150.

 Journey: 7.46 train from Tuggerah Station, Platform 1 to Strathfield Station. Strathfield Station, Platform 6 to Parramatta Station. Short walk from Parramatta Station through Church Street Mall [coffee / tea break], continue walking along Church Street turn left onto George Street and enter Parramatta Park through Tudor Gatehouse.

What to photograph: Jacarandas [hopefully will be in full flower], Tudor Gatehouse, Old Government House (1799) [Unfortunately closed on a Monday]. Various vegetation, man made objects and Rumsey Rose Garden [Roses should be in full flower].

 Lunch:. Parramatta RSL Club, Corner Macquarie and O’Connell Streets, Parramatta.

 This is a mainly a small group social event in which photos are taken either by phone or camera. A great fun day is had and lunch venue is normally a group decision. A lot of camaraderie. All welcome. Names on the list at the back of the room or email me through the website or message by phone.

A gentle flat walk, from the Haven to the end of Terrigal Beach and back.
Park in spaces facing The Skillion, walk across road to meet at picnic table South end of Rugby pitch by 10.15am. The walk takes in lovely views from the Terrigal Boardwalk and Promenade.
On return, lunch spaces are booked on Trojans Balcony Bistro, for 12 noon.
Sign up and provide phone number at the October General Meeting please.
June Brennan

This walk is selected to be a relaxing and non-strenuous short walk in order to cater for those who would like to participate in the walking programme.

Please ensure you bring a hat and sunscreen for what we hope will be a beautiful day.

Save the Date.

More details to come.

Bus pick up times
Mingara eastern side of swimming pool coach arrival 6.35 departure 6.50
Edzaac Bateau Bay parking area near sports oval coach arrival 7.05 departure 7.20
Willoughby Rd eastern side Terrigal coach arrival 7.45 departure 8.00
Cumberland State Forest morning tea and comfort stop

Maximum number:  44 people plus the coach driver.

Day 1- Friday 30th October:

Leave Coast with Morning tea at Cumberland State Forest. Buffet lunch Fairmont – View Govetts Leap, Municipal Rhododendron Garden Blackheath, possibly visit to Hartvale.
Arrive Rydges Bathurst for D/B/B

Day 2 – Saturday 31st October:

Garden Ramble is still being put together, Milthorpe Hotel for lunch, Return to Rydges for D/B/B

Day 3 – Sunday 1st November:
Same as Day 2

Day 4 = Monday 2nd November:

Depart Rydges for Nepean Belle for cruise and lunch, before returning to Central Coast.

Deposit: Deposit $250.00 per Person by Friday 13th March 2026.

Final Payment:  The final payment of $850 P/P (twin share) is due by the 11th of August 2026. The single supplement is $287 P/P for members not sharing accommodation.

No Refunds after the Final Payment date.

 

Summer of the Seventeenth Doll is a seminal Australian play by Ray Lawler, first performed in 1955 and set in Carlton, Melbourne, in early December 1953. The story centers on the annual reunion of two Queensland sugarcane cutters, Barney Ibbot and Roo Webber, who spend their layoff season with their girlfriends, Olive Leech and Nancy.  This seventeenth summer marks a turning point, as Nancy has married and is no longer part of the tradition, prompting Olive to invite her co-worker Pearl Cunningham as a replacement.  The arrival of Johnnie Dowd, a younger, more skilled canecutter who defeated Roo in the previous season, further disrupts the group dynamics.

Roo arrives broken both physically and emotionally, having lost his position as head cutter due to a back injury and now working as a painter.  His pride is wounded, and he struggles to accept his diminished status. Barney, meanwhile, is restless and increasingly drawn to the new generation, bringing Johnnie to the house and attempting to reconcile the past with the present.  The play explores the erosion of youthful illusions, the harsh realities of aging, and the inevitable need for change. The central symbol, the seventeenth Kewpie doll that Roo brings Olive each year, represents the idealized, carefree romance of their past.  When Roo smashes the doll in a fit of rage, it signifies the final collapse of their shared dream. The play concludes with the group fracturing: Olive is left alone, Roo chooses to stay in Melbourne and propose marriage, Barney departs with Johnnie, and Bubba, the young neighbor, pursues her own chance at a similar life.  The play is a powerful meditation on nostalgia, identity, and the courage required to let go of the past.

Close date for booking and payment:  Tuesday 29 September 2026

Note: The cost of this event has been increased from $100.00 to $110.00 per person. Could members who have already paid please pay an extra $10.00 per person using the same EFT code.

THIS EVENT HAS TABLES OF TEN WITH A COST OF $110.00 PER CHAIR .

MINIMUM: 10 BRING A FRIEND & MAKE UP A TABLE
MAXIMUM: DEPENDING ON HOW MANY TABLES/ CHAIRS ARE PURCHASED.
PAYMENT: STRICTLY DUE BY MONDAY 31st August.

**NO REFUNDS ONCE THE TABLES HAVE BEEN PURCHASED BUT YOU CAN GET A FRIEND TO TAKE YOUR PLACE**

Details:

TWO COURSE BUFFET INCLUDING SEAFOOD.
THREE HOUR BEVERAGE PACKAGE
LIVE ENTERTAINMENT
SWEEPS
PRIZES FOR THE BEST DRESSED & MORE

Speaker: The Bateau Bay Fire Brigade will talk to us about fire safety in the home.

Refer to Meetings Tab for Details.

Tick name on sign on sheet at general meeting.

This intimate, ensemble-driven adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic novella reimagines Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde as a psychological thriller. Guided by two haunting chorus figures who narrate the story and embody multiple characters, the play explores the battle between good and evil within the human soul.

Obsessed with unlocking humanity’s darker nature, Dr Henry Jekyll creates a formula that transforms him into the ruthless Edward Hyde. As Hyde’s violent acts spiral out of control, Jekyll loses his grip on both his creation and himself. In the second act, Jekyll’s friend and lawyer, Gabriel Utterson, pieces together the mystery through memories and flashbacks, leading to a chilling final revelation

 

Close date for booking and payment: Wednesday 14 October 2026