THE ORIGINS OF MACKAY DISTRICT BOWLS ASSOCIATION AND CLUBS

The early history of bowls in Mackay was contributed by the late Dr C E Williams prior to his passing but the late Mr George Cameron may aptly be described as the “Father of Bowls” in Mackay. Mackay, City, North Mackay, Suburban, Sarina and St Helen’s were opened between 1906 and 1949 but Mackay bowlers journeyed to Rockhampton and played with Central Queensland.

Rockhampton started a move to form an Association in 1924 and Central Queensland formed in 1926 and took in clubs from Mackay in the north to Gladstone in the south.

A meeting was held in the pavilion of the Rockhampton Bowls Club on 13 August 1926 with 50 bowlers present. Colonel D Dawson was elected President, Paul Maries (Rockhampton) was elected Secretary and Dr C E Williams was elected Patron, a position he held until 1937. Much of the travelling by bowlers was on coastal steamers or by car over very poor roads.

In 1942, pennants and club championships were restricted because of the war. Mackay instituted a series of local competitions such as the Pratt Cup, Vickers Cup, the Fosters and Gilbey’s Cups.

In 1949 the Mackay District Bowls Association was formed with Mr J Manning of City Club the inaugural President.

MACKAY BOWLING CLUB

Early in the 1900’s, Mr George Cameron and other business men played bowls on a grass tennis court situated on Brisbane and Gordon Streets, property owned by Dr Williams. When this site became unavailable, bowls were played on a dual bowls/tennis court on the site in Shakespeare Street where the City Bowls Club now stands.

A Mr Tom Brown, along with others, organised a meeting in 1903. A committee was formed and a site chosen in Wood Street for a bowling green next to the Theatre Royal. Mackay Club remained there until 1962 when they shifted to the present site on Nebo Road and George Street. The new club was opened by Mr Jim McCracken, President of the RQBA.

MACKAY CITY BOWLS CLUB

After Mackay Club had been in existence on Wood Street for about 15 years, it seemed the right time to form another club. City Club was officially opened in 1922 on a site on Gordon and Sydney Streets. On 13 December 1958 the Dr C. E. Williams’ green was officially opened on the present site of City Bowls Club by MDBA President Mr J Johnston and the clubhouse was opened by Sir Arthur Fadden.

SUBURBAN BOWLS CLUB

The founders of the Suburban Club were Norman Bennett, Alex Hamilton, Bill Retchless and Charles Bagley. In 1941, work started on a new club Suburban, and was officially opened in August 1942 by Mr Norman Bennett, the manager of the Racecourse Sugar Mill. A new clubhouse was built in 1975.

SARINA BOWLS CLUB

In Sarina, the first bowls club formed was known as Millampa and grew from two rinks to eight rinks in the grounds of the Plane Creek Mill. Membership was open only to employees of the mill or power alcohol and it closed in 1954.

In early 1936, Sarina Bowls Club was formed on ground near the Plane Creek Bridge and was opened in 1938. When this site became unsuitable because of poor drainage, Mr and Mrs Ray Petersen presented the club with land on the Sarina Beach Road, enough for two greens and a clubhouse.

NORTH MACKAY BOWLS CLUB

In 1946 Mr Alf Ungerer, a member of the Suburban Club, was responsible for calling a meeting with a view to forming a bowls club in North Mackay.  The first clubhouse was a barracks from Farleigh Mill, and the green was opened in 1948 by Jack Manning, first President of the MDBA. The inaugural President was Mr Henry Maplethorpe.  Since then the club has expanded with a new clubhouse and three greens.

PROSERPINE BOWLS CLUB

In 1938 a meeting was held in the local School of Arts (now occupied by the Soldiers Memorial) with a view to forming a bowls club in Proserpine and the first committee meeting was held on 22 April 1938. The club’s inaugural president was Mr C C Robinson. Proserpine now has two greens.

ST HELEN’S BOWLS CLUB

In 1944/45 work completed a green and clubhouse on the then Bruce Highway.  The clubhouse was enlarged three times and finally removed and a new clubhouse built and opened on its present site on 24 August 1984.

MARIAN BOWLS CUB

The construction of a green at Marian was first noted at a meeting held on 11 October 1948. The directors of Marian Mill assisted with finance and the club was officially opened in 1952 with Mr E E Doyle as the inaugural President.

PIONEER VALLEY BOWLS CLUB

In 1962 Arnold and Merle Harvison donated land near Cattle Creek and a green and a clubhouse constructed. The Pioneer Valley Bowls Club was officially opened in November 1963 by MDBA President Mr Jack Comelli.

ETON NORTH BOWLS CLUB

At Eton North, a meeting was held on 22 October 1968 to discuss the forming of a bowls club. On 4 December a public meeting was held. The inaugural meeting was held in 1971 and, on 21 May 1972, the green was opened by the Chairman of Directors of North Eton Mill, Mr Ron Creber. The foundation President was Mr Frank Baulch.

MORANBAH BOWLS CLUB

The Moranbah Bowls Club was formed in the early 1970’s but the men’s club was not part of the MDBA while the ladies’ club was a part of the MDLBA. The men’s club was admitted to the MDBA in the 90’s.

 SEAFORTH BOWLS CLUB

At Seaforth, ground was cleared in 1973 and construction on a green commenced.  The old Suburban clubhouse was shifted, in 3 parts, to Seaforth and is still in use as their clubhouse, with moves afoot to build a new clubhouse in 1996.

RSL MEMORIAL BOWLS CLUB

In 1978 land was obtained at Slade Point for the RSL Memorial Bowls Club and work commenced on the construction of 2 greens and later a modern clubhouse.

AIRLIE BEACH BOWLS CLUB

Land at Airlie Beach was obtained and a green constructed which was officially opened by RQBA President, Alec Sinclair, in 1992. Since then a large clubhouse has been added.

NORTHERN BEACHES BOWLS CLUB

A new addition to the district was the Northern Beaches Bowls Club in 1993. It was officially opened on 24 April 1993 by RQBA President Kev Herbener.

BROTHERS BOWLS CLUB

At the district meeting held on 13 August 1987, affiliation of the Brothers Club was granted. The club is attached to Brothers Leagues Club. The club folded when the Leagues Club was closed because of financial difficulties.

GLENDEN BOWLS CLUB

To be added