Sunday Golf with the Harp Golf Club

Chris Corry

The Harp Golf Club was established by a diverse group of interested golfers in 1983 in order to provide an opportunity for social golf played not only at Freeway Golf Course, its home course, but also at other premier public golf courses on Sunday mornings.

The club runs A and B grade competitions and welcomes golfers of any level. Many of our current members were new to the game of golf when joining the club and have progressed through as their handicaps have improved.

The club welcomes both men and women who enjoy the challenge and the camaraderie offered by a social golf club. All members have an opportunity to play with each other; this also has the benefit of allowing new members to meet and get to know existing members within a short period of time.

The club is a member of the Victorian Golf League (VGL) and can provide an official golfing handicap for those new to golf, along with golf link membership.

Following our home games, we meet in the club rooms for presentation by the President or club Captain. A few laughs can always be guaranteed at the 19th!

Annual membership fees are modest ($130 pa in 2025) to cover the cost of VGL fees and liability insurance. Members and guests pay green fees when they play.

Whether you are an experienced golfer or a learner wishing to develop your skills, we encourage you to try us out before committing to join the club. If you like the club, you can join and enjoy the benefits of a social golf club. We look forward to hearing from you. In order to play at Freeway on a Sunday, we need to hear from you by COB on a Thursday.

If you are interested in Sunday Golf, we encourage you to get in touch with the club via an email to theharpgolfclub@gmail.com or through our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093852450749

Love singing? Join in the fun with Swinburne Chorale.

Rosie Cannington

The Swinburne Chorale is a Community Choir that sings a diverse range of acapella and accompanied songs including folk songs from around the world, spirituals, madrigals and contemporary pop songs.

The choir is a wonderful demonstration of the benefits of choral singing and of belonging to a group of supportive members who come together to achieve a common goal. It has brought much joy and social connectedness to its members who have benefited greatly, in a physical, psychological and emotional sense from singing together.

What Swinburne Chorale members are saying.

That the choir is a friendly and informal group is confirmed in comments from members:

I love Tuesday nights at choir practice. I always come away feeling relaxed, happy and energised.

I look forward to Tuesday nights. Singing is good for the soul and we sound wonderful!.

The Swinburne Chorale is not just a choir but a group of people who care about each other and the joyful process of music making.

I like the sense of achievement that comes with the learning of new songs and the friendship and happy collaboration with members. Really, I go to choir ‘cos it is fun.

Come join in the fun

Anyone who likes singing is welcome to join this non-audition, community choir which has been making music for over 20 years. At present, it consists of about 20 singers but is always looking for more members.

The repertoire of the choir is mainly chosen and directed by the current musical director, Sarah Mandie, but she encourages input into song choices by choir members. Songs are arranged in three to four parts. The Choir is always changing, evolving and adapting to the needs and abilities of its members. Swinburne Chorale, or as Sarah calls it, the Swinny Singers, has achieved much, completed projects and grown together during Sarah’s leadership.

The Choir rehearses at the Canterbury Neighbourhood Centre, 2 Kendall St. Canterbury on Tuesday evenings from 7:30 to 9:30pm during school terms. The Choir performs in the local, Boroondara area throughout the year, culminating in a family friendly end-of-year concert.

If you love singing, come along and experience the joys of singing together at a number of free workshops to be held soon. Go to the notice above to find the dates for these workshops.

Scottish Country Dance Victoria

Melbourne’s inner east is full of folk of Scots descent but you definitely don’t need to be Scottish to enjoy Scottish Country Dance (SCD). It is danced around the world – same dances, same music.

According to Julie Shelton, secretary of Scottish Country Dance Victoria, it is the best dance style for fitness and sheer enjoyment. ‘It was always the party dance style of Scotland, from ceilidhs to the heart of social life on Scotland’s grand noble estates. And it’s for normal people.’

‘It’s a gazillion times more fun than the gym, not that I ever actually go to the gym. I hate them,’ says Shelton. ‘But Tuesday is dance night for me and I’m there every week. Best night of the week in fact. It really is true that dance is a shortcut to happiness.’

It’s not Highland Dance. No Sword Dance, no Highland Fling and NO Bagpipes.

‘We dance in sets of 6 or 8, you don’t need to bring a partner, you just need soft soled shoes to start, and a reasonable level of fitness. And, no, the kilt is never compulsory, even on the most formal occasions. And it is hand contact only. Men and women do pretty much the same thing- none of that ‘backwards in high heels nonsense in SCD’.

SCD is firmly structured and not at all improvised. The dancers in each set combine in regular sequences called ‘figures’. Some dances and figures are centuries old. Some were devised yesterday. If you like your hobby with sprinkling of history, SCD has plenty of it. But it can be enjoyed simply as an energetic dance style too.

Most of us encounter Scottish Country Dance at weddings and 21^st parties, and if you have ever done the Gay Gordons or the Dashing White Sargeant, you are way ahead of the game.

Our area has multiple SCD groups. There are four along the Burke Road axis, more or less. (Deepdene, Box Hill on Canterbury Road, Scotscraig near Camberwell Junction, and Stonnington in Glen Iris). They have regular weekly classes, a few daytime classes, there are frequent Saturday night social dances and the occasional ball.  More information is available on our website at scdvictoria.com or by emailing info@scdvictoria.com.

Camberwell Magpies Cricket Club

The Camberwell Magpies offer a unique pathway through the Australian cricket system; starting with the Junior Blasters program, through to the Master Blasters, our 10 Junior teams and into the four Senior teams. In 2019/20, the Club fielded its first junior girls team, the Blazers, who won the premiership in their first year in the Inner East Girls Cricket (IEGC) competition.

The Club is based at the Camberwell Sports Ground (CSG), which is located on Camberwell Road (on the corner of Bowen Street) and is shared with the Old Scotch Football Club. The CSG hosts First and Second XI matches and club training on Tuesday and Thursday nights during cricket season. Our Third and Fourth XIs play at Watson Park in Ashburton. To find out more go to our website at https://www.camberwellmagpies.com.au/about-cmcc

Camberwell Hockey Club

Camberwell Hockey Club is the largest hockey club in the state, with over a thousand members, fifty+ playing teams.  To find out what they are doing and how to join them, click here.

The Koonung Bushwalking Club

Bushwalking for fitness and fun

Koonung Bushwalking Club

Want to improve fitness, discover natural environments, and enjoy social activities? Then the Koonung Bushwalking Club (KBC) may be for you. Local residents formed the club 40 years ago to explore nearby bushland tracks and interesting hikes further afield in state and national parks.

KBC has a varied walks program including short Tuesday walks in the Templestowe/Doncaster area, longer walks in the wider eastern suburbs on Wednesdays and more rugged longer hikes out in the bush on weekends.

Occasionally, base camps over several days or a week are held at locations such as Phillip Island, the Bogong High Plains, and the Bellarine Peninsula. Each day has a variety of walks with group dinners at night. These camps are popular and often booked out.

The scheduled walks suit all fitness levels and age groups. Trained, experienced leaders who have scouted the area and know the terrain and conditions, head each walk. Depending on each walk’s length, morning tea and lunch breaks are included.

KBC also has regular social activities such as dinner nights and club meetings. It will celebrate its 40th anniversary with a special night that includes original members attending to share great memories and adventures.

For details or to join, visit koonungbushwalkingclub.org.au and click “Join us”.

Photos by Ross Kimber

The Koonung Bushwalking Club schedules several bushwalks for most months throughout the year.  Go to their website here to see their latest planned walk

Visitors who have received double COVID vaccinations are welcome to join the walk. Please book with secretary@koonungbushwalkingclub.org.au

North Box Hill Tennis Club: a club for all abilities and ages

North Box Hill Tennis Club is a friendly club catering for players of all levels for social or competition play. The club has six porous courts with four under lights.  We embrace diversity and welcome people from all backgrounds and cultures.

The club’s setting in the beautiful surrounds of Frank Sedgman Reserve is perfect, with no traffic noise to distract classes. Plenty of free parking, plus a comfortable clubhouse with a wide verandah, make it enjoyable for parents, too.

The clubhouse provides disabled access and facilities. A playground is nearby. There is even a convenient bus stop in Station Street that leads to a path that follows the freeway reserve to the club, just a very short walk.

The club offers social tennis at various times plus night and weekend competitions. The club’s coach, Ian Peter-Budge, encourages and nurtures his students of all abilities and ages.

Take the time to visit us at 24 Elizabeth Street, Box Hill North. It’s a lovely family friendly environment where everyone is welcome. Also, check us out at https://play.tennis.com.au/northboxhilltennisclub. The club president, Dallas Newton can be contacted on 0401 990 013 and the secretary, Mark Langdon on 0419 560 506.

Line dance with Marie

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday.  Day or evening.

Classes are held at Forest Hill, Ashburton, Rowville, Camberwell, Vermont South and Keysborough.  They range from Introduction, Beginners, Improvers, Easy Intermediate to Intermediate

COME AND GIVE IT A TRY.  All ages welcome. A workout for your whole body with a thorough and patient instructor.

Contact Marie about specific class times and locations, how to register and any other questions by email at mariepietersz@hotmail.com or by phone on 0412 296 827.  If you pre-register, please pay online. Casual attendance available. If paying cash at the door, please arrive a few minutes early so as not to disrupt the class.

Whitehorse Activities Club

Whitehorse Activities Club is a not-for-profit club run by volunteers. It has the sole purpose of providing meaningful activities for people planning for, commencing or who have already retired.

Coffee Club

For more information or if you have any questions, please contact us at www.whitehorseactivitiesclub.org.au

Line Dancing at Balwyn Evergreen Centre

Diane Falzon

Balwyn Evergreen Centre is a community centre dedicated to ensuring that older individuals stay active, healthy and socially connected. The Centre is launching a new line dancing class aimed at promoting fitness, community, and joy through dance.

Line dancing is a fantastic way for both men and women to stay active while enjoying the camaraderie of a group activity. Led by experienced instructor Joanne Campbell, the class will commence on 1 May and continue every fortnight thereafter. Each class will run for one hour from 11:30am to 12:30pm.

Joanne Campbell, the performing arts teacher behind the program, and also an Evergreen volunteer, says, ‘Line dancing is not just about moving your feet; it’s about connecting with others, enjoying great music, and improving overall wellbeing, coordination, balance, cognitive function and fitness. I can’t wait to share the joy of dance with everyone at Balwyn Evergreen Centre.’

Tina Hogarth-Clarke, CEO Balwyn Evergreen Centre, emphasised the importance of introducing activities like line dancing to the community. ‘We believe in providing opportunities for our clients to stay physically and mentally active, while fostering a sense of belonging. Line dancing perfectly aligns with our mission of promoting holistic wellbeing and social inclusion. It’s an opportunity to laugh, move, and connect with others in a way that lifts the spirit and for our clients to simply have fun.’

For new student, Audrey, 88, this will be her first lesson in line dancing, and she simply cannot wait. ‘I fondly recall my brief encounter with line dancing over 25 years ago, a moment that left me captivated and intrigued. I look forward to stretching my legs, enjoying some brain-boosting fun, and immersing myself in the diverse melodies that I adore. I love all sorts of music and the opportunity to meet new friendly faces along the way.’

The benefits of line dancing extend far beyond just exercise. It provides a platform for social interaction, reducing feelings of loneliness and isolation, especially in older adults. The rhythmic movements and uplifting music also contribute to stress reduction and overall mental wellbeing.

To encourage participation, Balwyn Evergreen Centre is offering the first class for free. Subsequent sessions are priced at $15 for those approved under the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) and $19 for non-assessed individuals. There are no up-front term fees; Evergreen runs on a simple pay-as-you-go system, ensuring accessibility for all interested participants.

Don’t miss this opportunity to pull on your cowboy boots, meet new friends, and reap the benefits of line dancing at Balwyn Evergreen Centre. Join us on 1 May to kick off this exciting new journey towards health and happiness.

For more information or to register, visit https://www.balwynevergreen.org.au/

The Women’s Woodwork Group creates a Community Library for Lusher Road

Community Housing Limited

The generosity of the Women’s Woodwork Group is on full display at Lusher Road Community Housing in Croydon, following their gift to residents of a community library.

After hearing about how the children and families at Lusher Road love books, the Women’s Woodwork Group decided to build a library that would enrich their passion. Heidi Butler-Moore, CEO of Glen Park Community Centre and Women’s Woodwork Member, helped develop the idea. She said, ‘It was great to see the skills of the Women’s Woodwork Group being utilised for the benefit of the community.’

Kate Daddo, Community Housing Limited’s (CHL) Victorian Community Development Manager, said partnerships between housing providers and community groups deliver great outcomes for people living in community housing.

‘The partnership between CHL and the Women’s Woodwork Group is a perfect example of how we can work together to build great communities and promote inclusion. CHL provides essential housing in local communities, but we also invest in the wellbeing of our customers through our partnerships,’ Kate said.

Steven Kline, a shed facilitator at the Women’s Woodwork Group, enjoyed being able to work on a such a meaningful project. He said, ’It was so good to be able to create something that was going to be donated. The ladies are all very generous, community-minded people who thoroughly enjoyed the process of creating and giving from start to finish.’

Stephen was delighted to see the library so well received, and especially the excitement of one little boy at being involved and able to paint a bookend provided.

Caz, a resident at Lusher Road, is grateful to the Women’s Woodwork Group and their thoughtfulness. She said, ‘The library is beautiful. It has enriched our lives and given us the opportunity of learning at our doorstep. It has invited us to connect and create joy within the Lusher Road Community.’

To celebrate the donation, the Women’s Woodwork Group met with residents for a day of soup and stories. ‘Such a beautiful day,’ Moore said. ‘The reward for us was far more than what we could have imagined. It was thrilling to see how much residents appreciated our gift.’

The library was stocked with books donated by Glen Park Community Centre, with genres ranging from thrillers to romance, children’s books to cookbooks, and more. ‘We have a great selection of books for all ages and readers. We appreciate all the hard work dedicated to us and the beautiful craftmanship of this library,’ said Caz.

Gateball

Kew Croquet Club

Gateball is a mallet sport similar to croquet.  It is a fast-paced, non-contact, highly strategic team game, which can be played by anyone regardless of age or gender.  Although relatively new in Australia, it is played by millions of people throughout Asia and South America.

Kew triumphs over adversity to win 2022 National Gateball Championship

Neither COVID delays nor unusually long grass could hold back the Kew team at the 2022 National Gateball Championship.  The contest was held April first to third on the Gold Coast.  Kew won all nine games they played, including an eventual 11-9 triumph in the final over a strong Southport side.

The Kew team had been beaten grand finalists at the previous National championship in 2019 and their captain had plotted a course to go one better in the next contest.  However, 2020 and 2021 were not the smooth years of training and improvement originally envisaged.  COVID restrictions frequently prevented the team from practising and from attending tournaments beforehand.  Indeed, COVID delayed the National Championship by six months.

So it was with an air of heady freedom that the team embarked on the tournament.  Unlike previous years, the tournament was held at a multi-purpose facility with excellent amenities, but uneven lawns with very long grass.  The difficult lawns meant non-standard tactics were rewarded, with success found by the teams best able to adapt to gateball played on such an unusual surface.

Unreliable lawns also meant depth of talent in a team became a major factor.  Here Kew excelled, with all team members playing to a very high standard and different players coming to the fore at different times.

After a moderate start involving close wins over weaker teams, Kew hit their straps on the second morning, playing as best as could be done in the conditions.  Kew beat a strong Canberra side in the block stage before winning a semi-final over the Toronto Macs and the grand final over Southport Red.

The Australian Gateball Championships have been held on eleven occasions, generally every two years, and the win by Kew is only the third time that an Australian based club has won.

For more information, go to Gateball Australia at https://gateball.com.au/wordpress/ or Kew Croquet Club at https://croquetvic.asn.au/clubpage.php?clubnameclicked=Kew