~ Mallet Sports Club Inc~ 24 Bowls Street,

The first public meeting ments for new croquet clubs as seeking expressions of interest set by Croquet Association in the formation of a croquet (CQA) and estab- club was held on the 21st March lished that most requirements 1998. The meeting was held at were being met. Seven matters the Sporting Com- were still to be resolved. This plex under the chairmanship of process commenced later that Mr Brian Dorey, President of the day - the first Management Cooee Bay Sports Complex Committee meeting determined Progress Association. Eleven that the first day of play would persons attended. Having as- be 20th May 1998. Fees were certained interest two hoops set at $120 per annum and a were set up and 11 coaching bank account established. The sessions held over the next name chosen for the new club week. The Morn- was The Yeppoon Croquet ing Bulletin published an article, Club. The requirement for a with photos, of the clubs forma- minimum of seven members tion on Saturday 28th Mach was met when 10 persons paid 1998.The Capricorn Coast Mir- their membership. Later Green ror published a photo on the Fees for visitors was estab- 22nd April 1998. lished at $2. The first meeting was Arrangements with held on 16th May when the Pa- Cooee Bay Sports Complex tron (local Member of Parlia- Progress Association included ment Mr Vince Lester) and Ex- that the croquet club would pay ecutive were elected. Mr Bill $42 per member per annum. Moore (of Rockhampton Cro- The Progress Association would First members 22nd April 1998 quet Club) outlined the require- undertake to erect a shade

Croquet: A Game for Life—Capricorn Coast 1 shelter and storage shed and cepted and has remained an complete remedial work to the active and very supportive Pa- court area so it would be suit- tron. able for playing croquet. The Club’s first Life Following the purchase Member, Mrs Fern Mason, was of equipment and the formal appointed in 2007. setting out of Court 1, regular A special 10th Anniver- play on this court began on 12 sary Lunch was held on the 5th December 1998. The second April 2008 to mark the coming of Court was established by 5 Sep- Croquet to Yeppoon. Over the tember, 1999, but both Courts years the memberships re- were rather uneven. The mem- mained a small devoted group bers bought five umbrellas for a of between 7 and 17 persons. shade shelter. However by 30th June Capricorn Coast Mallet Sports 1999 there were only two finan- Club Inc. cial members. It was proposed The promotion of Cro- Croquet Australia, 2000, December to convert the club to a social club, with no membership fees to be paid, but green fees to continue. Money held in the bank account dispersed to 10 members ($45 each) and dona- tions returned to Bill Moore, Nell Boyle and Rockhampton Cro- quet Club. The Sum of $24 55 was kept to run the Social Club and the Yeppoon Croquet Club was dissolved. A second public meet- ing was held to reinvigorate the club on 20th November 1999. The bank balance at this time was $253.75. The third green was created in November 1999.

Members accepted the Yeppoon Croquet Club’s Consti- tution on 8th March 2000. Incor- poration was granted on 1st May 2000 and affiliation with CAQ approved 24th June 2000. The first Annual General Meeting recorded in the minute book was held on 3rd March 2001. 2001also saw the selection of the diagonal stripe hatband and a Club Newsletter was begun. The first shade shelter was erected, with the remaining four shelters were built in 2002 with funds supplied by Livingstone Mrs Jean Renew with sign at Yeppoon Croquet Club, Cooee Bay. Shire Community Grants, Irons Hardware and Timber, and the quet and the attraction of new ricorn Coast Mallet Sports Club Yeppoon Community Markets. members has always been a Inc. A new logo was adopted In March 2004 the Pa- major challenge. In June 2008 over the later months of 2008 tron, Mr Vince Lester, retired the Club adopted a change of and in 2009 our new brochure and Mr Paul Hoolihan MP, State name and new constitution. On was released to coincide with Member for Kepple, was invited the 8th August the Yeppoon Cro- the opening of the new grounds. to be the Club’s Patron. He ac- quet Club Inc. became the Cap- It is hoped that this will widen

Croquet: A Game for Life—Capricorn Coast 2 Above: The Club’s Shed and Shelter at Cooee Bay

Right: Pushed for room in the old shelter.

Below: Lawns at the Yeppoon Croquet Club, Cooee Bay.,

the appeal of mallet sports to members of the Flag. In 2006 seven Club members played in the local community. Regional Pennants over a The Building of our Competitive Spirit series of several weeks. Five members played Club competition grows steadily and in 2002 tro- away in other Club Competitions from 2005. In phies where donated by Reef City Ford, Yeppoon 2007 Yeppoon Croquet Club won its first Yep- Lions Club and Yeppoon District Co-operative poon Lions Pinefest Trophy. Society for divisional club Championships. In In 2005 Lew Fitchen was selected for the 2008 a trophy for non Association Croquet Mallet state Development Squad and in 2008 George Sports was donated to encourage those who Budd was selected in the Central Queensland played ricochet and Golf Croquet, and in 2009 Regional team for the State Championships. In the inaugural Patron’s Trophy Invitational event September 2005 Lew Fitchen and George Budd was held to mark the opening of our new Com- played in the Queensland finals of the Medal plex. Competitions. Participation in Interclub Competition began slowly. The first Pennants game at Yep- Financial poon took place in May 2000 and in 2005 Yep- In order the help keep fees as low as poon Croquet Club Inc. took out its first Pennants possible, from 14th July 2000 a monthly Raffle of

Croquet: A Game for Life—Capricorn Coast 3 Above: The new club house begins to take place Below: Clubhouse complete except for landscaping

Above: Turning the first Sod—Mr. Paul Hoolihan MP, Livingstone Shire Councillor Mrs. Desley Rial, Club President Mr. George Budd

generosity of our Patrons, Yeppoon Community markets, the local Council and business groups. Members have also been generous, do- nating chairs and umbrellas in the early years, then plants at the new grounds.

Gateball for Schools In December 2003 approval for the purchase of equipment for Gateball was given. This arrived by March 2004 and demonstrations of Gateball as a sport for school-aged children and for Ser- vice Clubs was offered to groups. Farnborough State School was the first school to take up the challenge of playing Gateball during August a $50 Meat Tray from Bayside Meats has been 2004. Yeppoon Primary School followed later held at the local shopping center that year. After several years of no change in fees, From 2005 to 2007 over 700 children the fees for 2003 were increased to $135 per received coaching. This culminated in the playing annum. In 2005 they increased to $185; 2007 to of the Livingstone Council Keppel Coast Primary $195 and in 2008 to $240. The biggest expense School Gateball Challenge, in which 55 children was the fees payable to Cooee Bay Sports Com- in seven teams from five schools competed - plex who also took all but $1 of the visitor’s fees State School claimed the title. which by 2007 had risen to $7. The minutes show that the Club made Relocation applications for grants to fund buildings, court In August 2004 the first talks of relocation topdressing and fertilizer. Equipment has been a took place with Livingstone Council- Croquet constant - the Club has benefited greatly from the Club’s members were dissatisfied with Cooee

Croquet: A Game for Life—Capricorn Coast 4 The Capricorn Coast Mallet Sports Club’s entrance

Opening Day at the New complex

Bay Sport Complex and its re- Council on land adjoining the for the plot of land at Lot 53, curring, significant fee in- Bowls Club. On 1st November Bowls Street, Yeppoon. creases. 2007 a 2 year lease was signed An application to the In June 2007, serious with Livingstone Shire Council Gambling Community Benefit talks were held with Livingston Fund Grant for a 9x6 meter

Croquet: A Game for Life—Capricorn Coast 5 Mr. Paul Hoolihan, Rodney Ross, John Dargel, May Feddersen, Dianne Close

Storage Shed was successful This was followed by our equipment from the Cooee and for some time it looked the pouring of the Slab of the Bay Sheds to the new Shed at likely that this would contain our foundations of the new Club Bowls Street. In January 2009 Clubhouse and toilet. However, House in January 2009. The the shade shelters at the end of The Rockhampton Regional earthworks setting up the three the Cooee Bay courts where Council did find the funds to greens and drainage and irriga- moved with the help of The erect a Club House with kitchen/ tion pipes were then installed. Council. office area and two disabled Work on the greens be- The first day of play on toilets. gan in November 2008. Weeds the new courts was in April During the first week of were poisoned and Stolons of 2009. April 2008 the land in Bowls grass laid between 17th Novem- The new Capricorn Street was cleared and on the ber and 3rd December. Many Coast Mallet Sports Club and 5th April, the Turning of the Sod weeks of hand weeding and Grounds was officially opened ceremony was held. hand watering were then by the Mayor of Rockhampton The new Shed was needed. Heavy rain in Decem- Regional Council, Mr. Brad erected during November 2008 ber washed soil away and dona- Carter on 18th July 2009. The and was opened by the Patron, tions of turf were laid to rein- Flags were raised and Mrs Mr Paul Hoolihan, on the 6th force the edge of the greens. Dawn Abraham gave a lovely December 2008. The Club Yeppoon Bowls Club has been rendition of the national anthem. gratefully acknowledges the generous in their support, lend- Sixty-five guests enjoyed a bar- sponsorship of the Gambling ing the Club their spreader for beque lunch. Rockhampton Mal- Community Benefit Fund, who top dressing the lawns. let Sports Club provided a dem- provided just over $16,000 for The staff of Rockhamp- onstration of Gateball while Di- the Shed. ton Regional Council assisted anne Close (Gracemere Cro- greatly with the provision of ma- quet Club), May Feddersen Water was connected in chinery to assist in digging out and John Dargel (Rockhampton early November 2008. By the bank, the spreading soil and Mallet Sports Club) and Rodney Christmas 2008, the bitumen advice on turf development. Ross (Capricorn Coast Mallet car park and front fence were On 15th December 2008 Sport Club) played the inaugural erected. the Club began the decanting of Patron’s Invitational Trophy

Croquet: A Game for Life—Capricorn Coast 6 event which was won by John Club Presidents Dargel. The Club followed this May 1998 to April 1999 – with a general opening morning W H Moore of Coffee, Cake and Croquet at April 1999 to July 1999 – which there 11 visitors new to Mary Adams (acting) mallet sports and a return of a Club Dissolved previous member. Nov 1999 to Dec 2001- Lew Fitchen 2002 to 2004 inclusive - George Budd

2005 to 2007 - Lew Fitchen

2007 to present –

George Budd Farewell to Yeppoon Croquet (Information provided by Glenys Club, welcome to Capricorn Amey and Dot Budd, with thanks) Coast Mallet Sports Inc.

Celebrating 10 years of croquet in the Yeppoon area

Croquet: A Game for Life—Capricorn Coast 7 Some History of Early Clubs on the Capricorn Coast

From Mr. Richard Robinson’s memories for Farn- occasions. borough outside Yeppoon. Mallets and hoops were kept in the barn Richard’s father bought his property where the Clydesdales were stabled which were “Bloomfield” Robinson’s Dairy in 1919. used for the building of the sugar mill at Farnbor- Richard was born 1925 and remembers horses ough.in the 1800’s. and sulkies brought people in the early 1930’s for The house on the farm was brought from social occasions and to play croquet at the farm. Mount Morgan in late 1800’s as well to Tanby A paddock of blue couch was rolled and used for Rail head and taken to farm on bullock wagon as these games. writing of this found under roof ridge capping The 2nd World War saw the end of these when new roof being put on.

From "A HISTORY OF THE ". The article relating to croquet at Emu Park (part of the Capricorn Coast) reads:

"By the turn of the century a wide range of sporting activities were available throughout the Shire. Emu Park offered lawn tennis, golf, croquet and bicycle racing. Two croquet clubs, the Hewittville and Emu Park, were advertised in a 1917 promotional booklet. The cost of playing cro- quet was not high and both clubs offered visitors the use of a court at 3d. a visit and 6d. if using a club mallet. Both courts were consistently used until the late 1930's when interest in the sport waned."

Croquet: A Game for Life—Capricorn Coast 8