Bulimba Bowlo’s desperate plea after cyclone shuts down club

A 60-year-old Brisbane bowls club that suddenly closed amid mounting debts and insolvent trading claims has made a desperate plea for public support.

Bulimba Bowlo has closed until further notice after 60 years of operation.

A 60-year-old Brisbane bowls club has pleaded for public support as its mounting debts surfaced after the club was closed in the lead-up to tropical cyclone Alfred.

Bulimba Memorial Bowls and Community Club, also known as Bulimba Bowlo, shuts its doors on March 5 as the cyclone hit the Queensland coast, but the site was unable to reopen as it was deemed to be trading insolvent after missing a payment to the Australian Taxation Office.

The Balmoral club revealed it owes its creditors $37,000 in total, including around $25,000 with the ATO.

Bulimba Bowlo has a burger bar, castle.

Secretary Sam O’Brien said the debts were due to the previous committee’s poor budgeting over years.

“It’s been accruing over time, gradually and being paid off in parts that we can [operate] each week because the budget plan was faculty,” he said.

“There’s been a lack of following a strict budget plan and even setting up a budget plan that fits their weekly turnover.

“We could have paid off lump sums of that bill, but the old committee had poor management when it came to budget planning and forecasting.”

Mr O’Brien said they were handed over a notice of collection for $25,000 by the ATO just after the weather event as negotiations failed.

“We’ve been paying back on a payment plan, but when cyclone Alfred hit, we had a loss of revenue,” he said.

“Because we couldn’t operate that whole week, it meant we missed that payment.”

The ATO said the office cannot comment on the tax affairs of any individual or entity due to its obligations of confidentiality and privacy under the law.

The damaging cyclone was estimated to bring a $1.2bn hit to Queensland economy as a quarter of a percentage point in GDP growth could be wiped off, according to federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers.

The 1966-founded club set up a campaign to call for monetary support as the place housed community functions, from Anzac Day Memorial services to locals’ birthday parties.

It also held a range of inter-club bowls competitions including Pennants and Bulimba Cup.

“There’s a lot of people in the community that have been coming down for generations with their family, and they have their memories,” Mr O’Brien said.

“It’s for us more about keeping those memories there and keeping that home away from home for many.”

Mr O’Brien said the not-for-profit club welcomed a new management committee this year, bringing in a big business proposal alongside a strict budget plan.

“Once we get the money raised to pay off the tax debt, we can open up and start generating revenue to pay off other creditors,” he said.

“We aren’t people that just want to make money. Everything that we make pretty much goes back into the club to improve facilities for the community.”

Greens MP Max Chandler-Mather also called for locals to help after learning the club’s struggles in a community meeting.

“These sort of non-commercialised venues are essential to the lifeblood of our local community and provide an affordable place for the community to socialise, hold events, and just relax on a Friday arvo,” he said.

“I’ll personally be chipping in and my office will be providing free printing for their campaign to save the club.

“If you live in the local area, value community spaces like this and have the capacity to, I encourage you to make a donation.”

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