Community
9 October, 2024
Cobden Probus Club Notes Honoring Nookie Teal
COBDEN Probus Club had 37 members and nine apologies for the September meeting
President Margaret welcomed everyone and we all stood for a minute silence to honour Dorine “Nookie” Teal who sadly passed away last month.
Nookie was a founding member of the Cobden Probus Club and just recently received a certificate of appreciation for her services to our club.
Our thoughts are with David, Jo, Laronde and their families.
A beautiful person. R.I.P. Birthdays for September - Mary H, John Van L, Anne V, Isabel B, Neville R, Jennifer K, and John B.
Also, congratulations to Ron and Joy Hill who celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary - a wonderful achievement.
Our guest speaker for September was Peter Rohan.
Peter is an aviation pilot, and over the last years has been a fire-bombing pilot.
Peter started his career as a crop-dusting pilot, and now he is a specialist fire-bombing pilot who has played a big part in saving many houses and properties.
Over the fire season Peter can work between 11 and 14 hours per day.
Peter told of the great delight and satisfaction of fighting fires and being able to save people’s houses and sheds, and then the next day can be heartbreaking by not being able to save them and watch them being destroyed.
Peter told of the water fill located at the Cobden Airstrip, where there is enough water to fill several planes, and has been used many times.
Each plane can hold over three tonnes of retardant or foam, and releases at 250Km per drop - a huge force.
Peter spoke of the Grampians fire, where he faced many daunting tasks flying through thick smoke and the tough terrain of mountains and steep gully - a mammoth job to try to contain.
Another was the Peat fires at Cobrico - Peter said it was one of the fastest fires known.
A huge job and weeks of bombing retardant - sometimes inside the plane the temperature was extremely hot and with the swirling winds can be a very challenging time.
Peter’s work has taken him all over Australia - and also travelled overseas learning how other countries prepare and the different ideas of tackling fires with aeroplanes.
President Margaret presented a small gift of appreciation to Peter, and thanked him for the service that he does, not only to the Cobden community but all over Australia.
All members thoroughly enjoyed his display of different types of planes, and informative talk.
Our guest speaker for October is Karen Hepworth who works for the Forensic Disability Service, and is also a talented artist.
Our next meeting is Thursday, October 10th Heytesbury Room at the Cobden Civic Hall at 10 am. All are most welcome to attend.
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