The room fills with the murmur of conversation as cups clink and sandwiches are passed around – the unofficial highlight of the Probus Club of Tamborine Mountain’s monthly meeting.
With nearly 80 members, all men, the club provides retirees and semi-retirees with regular social connection through structured meetings, guest speakers and a wide range of interest groups.
But while the formal agenda keeps business ticking along, it is the morning tea break that many members quietly admit is their favourite part of the day.
Over coffee and neatly prepared sandwiches, laughter carries across the room as small groups form and reform, sharing stories, debating ideas and catching up on the month that was.
Morning tea convenor Neville Warner, who is stepping down next month, has overseen the catering for the past two years and says the role is about far more than simply organising food.
“It provides good food and good drink,” he said.
“And good food and good drink stimulate great conversations.”
Each month Neville works with a small team of volunteers to prepare and present the spread, a role he describes as both rewarding and social.
“It’s a good way to get to know who’s who,” he said.
Club leaders agree the morning tea plays a central role in the Probus experience, describing it as “an integral part of what we do here and what the club is all about”.
Beyond the morning teas, the meetings offer insightful guest speakers, who provide knowledge or motivational stories for members.
The club’s Special Interest Groups cover everything from technology and golf to wine appreciation and the mysteriously named Grumpy Old Men, a group whose activities were met with smiles but few explanations.
There are also opportunities for day trips, often centred on the performing arts, with recent outings to the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre and HOTA on the Gold Coast.
As the room settles and members return to their seats following the well-loved morning tea break, the chatter gradually fades and attention turns to the guest speaker, another part of a gathering that keeps connection at its core.
To become a member of Probus Tamborine Mountain, email membership@tmprobus.au or call Joe McDermott on 0431 690 595.
