Northies Toowoomba officially opens
In the face of a challenging climate, a historic Toowoomba bowls club has adopted new management, to save it from the brink with an innovative new approach.
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A Toowoomba bowls club has been saved from the brink after being bought by two friends, and now has aspirations to become a social hub for the neighbourhood.
The North Toowoomba Bowls club on Lemnos St, Harlaxton has long been a well-used building, Northies Toowoomba co-founder Tony Cameron said.
For 75 years it was been the site of countless games of bowls, and in the last 25 years has been the meeting place for the Harlaxton RSL sub-branch.
However, president of the North Toowoomba Bowls Club, Cameron King, said while membership numbers at the club had been strong, it had been struggling to stay afloat.
Mr King said the club had become almost entirely dependent on volunteers, and had lost momentum after Covid.
“We tried a few options and Northies came on-board and got us out of where we were, so we can just concentrate on bowls,” Mr King said.
The new management means the bowlers can focus on bowling, while Northies will be in charge of staffing the bar, catering for functions, and has reopened the dining room.
Mr Cameron said he and Chris Head took over management of the club, which would continue to allow both the RSL and the bowls club to continue what they do, while also creating a community space for the neighbourhood.
“As part of that we removed the poker machines,” he said, as well as opening the dining room for dinners at the weekend, as well as allowing the various spaces to be hired for functions.
“Essentially you’re getting the most out of the venue so more people can enjoy it.”
The official opening of Northies Toowoomba coincided with the 75th anniversary of the North Toowoomba Bowls club, Mr Cameron said, a symbol of the synergy between celebrating what was, while also looking toward what can be.
Tim McCrorey president of the Harlaxton RSL said the new arrangement was great for both returned and current servicepeople, because it meant they would have a permanent base to create and maintain connections.
“It’s important to keep that community going because going from veteran life to civilian life can be a stretch for some people,” Mr McCrorey said.
“We need to keep people in touch and connected so they don’t sort of fall through the cracks and get left out.”
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Originally published as Northies Toowoomba officially opens
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