General News
27 October, 2025
Albert Holland guest speaker for Probus club
The October 6, 2025, regular meeting of the Combined Probus Club of Hopetoun was held at the Hopetoun Co-operative Church Hall.
President Alan Malcolm welcomed 20 members and noted 4 apologies.
Tony Naylor read the Probus prayer.
Entertainment Officer Gwen Malcolm introduced this month's Guest Speaker Mr Albert (Bert) Holland of Ouyen, a long serving councillor who spoke of his friendship with Sir Ninian Stephen, Governor General of Australia 1982-1989.
Bert was the contractor whom during road construction unearthed the largest Mallee stump in Australia on record and this is part of one Ouyen’s tourist attractions situated in Blackburn Park.
The stump measures approximately 10.69 meters in circumference.
This stump is also recorded in the Guiness book of records.
ABC Back Roads did a feature on Bert and the history of the Mallee stump.
Bert, being a councillor, was requested to host a stay over in Ouyen by Sir Ninian Stephens and his wife Valerie for dinner that evening.
We all chuckled with his rendition of the night.
The next morning Sir Ninian got the directions to Bert’s farm for a tour of ‘Real Australia’ in Sir Ninian’s words.
This then became a lifelong friendship for Bert and his family until Sir Ninians death on October 29th, 2017.
Bert has met many dignitaries over the years including members of the Royal family, Charles and Diana also Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip, whom Bert described as down to earth, and they were all happy to have chat and showed great interest in our country.
Bert, during his time as councillor, was active in raising money for projects in Ouyen.
The kindergarten, CWA hall, the new CFA fire station and most of all he is very proud of Pattinson House, which is an ex-motel and has been turned into the aged care facility.
Janette Smith thanked Bert Holland and presented him with a Probus pen.
The next meeting of the Combined Probus Club of Hopetoun will be our final meeting for this year on Monday, November 3, 11am at Lake Lascelles at the first BBQ on the left entering the park.