Bundaberg Lions Charter

One Tuesday afternoon early in October 1964, a number of Bundaberg businessmen met in the Civic Centre meeting Room where the Mayor, Ald, C. J. Nielson, introduced three visitors, Jim McLardie, Secretary of Australian Lions, Jim Casey, President of Maryborough Lions Club, and Kev Clifford, member of Maryborough Lions Club.

Jim McLardie announced that he was in Bundaberg to assist Maryborough in forming a Lions Club in Bundaberg. After addressing the gathering it was generally agreed that a club should be formed. Two former Lions now resident in Bundaberg, Col Bourke (headmaster, West State School) and John Male (manager, Woolworths) along with John Crossley became the local committee to identify potential members for a new club.

The next meeting was held at the Metropolitan Hotel on 14th October 1964, attended by 15 potential members. Some of the motions passed at that meeting included

The Lions Club of Bundaberg be formed.

The joining fee be 4/10/ – ($9) minimum;

Annual dues be 8/ – / – ($16) minimum;

Dinner meetings be held on first and third Thursdays of each month;

Elected officers: President Guy Day-Lewis

Secretary John Crossley

Treasurer Bob Cook

15 Lions were inducted at that meeting.

Over the next four months leading up to Charter Night, there were many meetings to organise the new Club. All were attended by Jim Casey and Kev Clifford along with several other Maryborough Lions. On several memorable occasions every single member of the Maryborough Lions Club was present.

By 27th February 1965 another 10 Lions had been inducted into the Bundaberg Lions Club, making a membership of 25 on Charter Night.

The Chartering of the Club was held in the Anglican Parish Hall and was attended by a total of 255 people, comprising 130 Lions, 83 Lions Ladies and 16 Club guests and 26 other citizens. The Lions in attendance travelled from Wide Bay area, Brisbane and surrounds, Sunshine Coast, Darling Downs, Gladstone, Rockhampton, Mackay and Home Hill.

The young Lions Club found it difficult to raise funds and for several months the Lions Club of Bundaberg worked on an overdraft, thanks to a very understanding bank manager (who was also the Club Treasurer).

Researched by Lion David Dempster

Bundaberg Lions Condensed History

The Lions Club of Bundaberg was formed on the 16th October, 1964, having been sponsored by the Lions Club of Maryborough. There were 25 members when the Club chartered on the 27th February, 1965, four of whom, Lions Ron Glass, Graham Plath, Noel Searle and Jim Anderson are still active within the Club and were honoured with the presentation of Life Membership on the 2nd May, 1997. Prior to his passing, Harvey Gahan was also awarded Life Membership in December 1998. Charter President was Guy Day-Lewis, Secretary John Crossley and Treasurer Bob Cook. The Charter Members of the Lions Club of Bundaberg are listed in the previous report, with the Past Presidents of the Club listed at the end of this report.

Over the years our Club has provided many very capable District officers, one of the most notable being the late Lion Frank McNamara, who in 1972/73 was Governor of the then District 201K. This District, known as the “Big K”, gave him 72 Clubs under his jurisdiction. Frank was honoured with life membership in June, 1985. In 1971/72, our club received the Governors award for Champion Club of District 201K. We have hosted two very successful district conventions and at the 1971 convention, 900 Lions, Lions Ladies and guests attended the Governor’s Banquet in the Bundaberg Civic Centre. The Club continues to participate in District projects such as Miss Personality Quest, Youth of the Year, and the Youth Exchange Program to name a few, and has been very active in promoting Lions within our area, sponsoring the charter of the Lions Clubs of Bundaberg Hinkler, Childers, Gin Gin and Bargara and the Bundaberg Leos Club.

The Bundaberg Club has worked on many and varied projects over the years, one of the largest being the construction of the Activity Therapy Centre in Killer Street (now Salvation Army Tom Quinn Community Centre). Another major project was the bricking over of the old wharfies hut in Targo Street. Our Lions and helpers completed this job in one weekend with the building becoming the inaugural headquarters of Meals on Wheels, being known as Sunshine House.

We were responsible for converting the unsightly wasteland under the traffic bridge at North Bundaberg into a picturesque park area. One of the nice surprises of this project was the unexpected arrival of six bikies at one of our early working bees. These same men continued to help at other times, although they obviously weren’t interested in the next phase of this project as they never returned after the toilet block was completed. We also developed the Lions Park in Takalvan Street (now Lions Remembrance Park), and when the Pioneer Home was built, our Club was responsible for the landscaping of the grounds. The light towers at the Bundaberg Showground were constructed and erected by our members, as was the Lions Club building, which was built at the Showground for fundraising at Show time.

The Club has conducted very successful Glaucoma Clinics, and provided a Seeing Eye dog for a Bundaberg resident. Club members also repaired donated toys and distributed them to needy families. Construction of awnings for the pensioner units in Barolin Street, installation of bus shelters and provision of medical equipment to the hospital have been rewarding Club projects.

The most recent major project was the construction of the Rats of Tobruk Monument in Takalvan Street. The Club’s association with Meals on Wheels, Bundaberg Activity Therapy Centre, Lions Park, North Bundaberg and Rats of Tobruk, Lions Memorial Park, Takalvan Street is described in detail later in this bulletin. Ongoing projects include the active and financial support of Meals of Wheels, the installation and maintenance of smoke alarms and the provision of reflective house numbers on kerbs. Fund raising projects have included the children’s Cubby House raffles, the collection of waste paper for recycling and hundreds of chook raffles at local hotels. Our famous hot beef rolls provided to Show patrons still contribute a large portion of our annual income and the Melbourne Cup Sweep proves very profitable for the Club each year.

Our famous Lions Christmas cakes and Lions Mints are also a steady source of income. For 40 years the Ladies Auxiliary of the Lions Club of Bundaberg has supported our Club in our fundraising ventures. During 28 of these years, they organized the very successful annual Fashion Fantasia with this project alone raising close to $150,000. Many needy organizations have benefited from our Ladies hard work, and it is with sadness that we note that our Ladies Auxiliary no longer exists.

Members and their ladies enjoy many social functions throughout the year. The District Governors visit, our Club’s birthday dinner and Christmas party provide some of the special outings. The fellowship and harmony of our 32 Club members contributes greatly to the successful operation of our club. Personally, it has been a pleasure and a privilege to be a member of the Lions Club of Bundaberg for the past 40 years.

Compiled by Charter Member Lion Jim Anderson for 40th Anniversary.

Sadly, we have lost Lion Ron Glass and Lion Noel Searle since this was written. Now 2023 we are in our 58th year since charter.