Brief history of the
Rotary Club of Kingaroy
It was the year 1948, the Berlin Airlift was well
under way and the first Holden had rolled off the assembly line at the
Fisherman's Bend plant of General Motors. It was also in that year the
Rotary Club of Kingaroy was formed by the Rotary Club of Gympie. The
club was chartered on 8 December 1948. There were 22 members present
at the Church of England hall on Saturday night, 26 February 1949 when
Bert Broad, the Governor of Di strict 56, presented Charter no. 7121
to the first Club President Jock Nesbitt. In July 1954, Arch Blue and
Doug Rea produced the first issue of the  .
(Click to see image.)
The first ever District Assembly was held at Kingaroy
on 12 July 1975. In that year, Rotary Park was completed and handed
over to Kingaroy Shire Council, with the club working in following years
on improving and extending facilities. The fountain in the park was
completed and the time capsule sealed in 1978. However, with prolonged
droughts in the early 90s, and the fountain no longer functioning, the
club decided to change the fountain into a 
(click to see image) with barbecue and
seating facilities. This was accomplished during the 1996-1997 Rotary
year.
In 1976, the inaugural Rotary 4SB Expo, a trade fair
for local businesses, was organised by the club. Our District changed
its name from 260 to 960 in 1977 with subsequent changes to territorial
boundaries.
Another milestone for Rotary in Kingaroy was the
formation of Kingaroy-Taabinga Rotary Club in 1979, with the charter
dinner being held on 29 August 1980. During 1979, our club also awarded
its first Paul Harris Fellow to Lady Ramsay. Other recipients during
the years have been Tom Thorp, Lady Florence Bjelke-Petersen, Ray Moore,
Reg Day, Julian Mullins, John McKewen, Ray Black, Tom Alford, Gerry
Meijer, Brian Smith, Lex Petersen, Elaine Black, Jeff Lax, Howard Leisemann,
Phil Benjamin, Ron Roberts and Geoff Hosking. Other current club members
who are Paul Harris Fellows are Lloyd Hooper and Bill Ewen.
Of great benefit to the youth of Kingaroy was the
construction of a BMX track & support for formation of a BMX club in
1980. Also in that year, the first Rotary sponsored careers information
night was held at Kingaroy State High School.
The club was very proud to have two of its members,
Gerry Meijer and Ray Black, selected as District Governors for 1986-1987,
and 1989-1990.
District Conferences were held in Kingaroy in 1986
and 
(click to see aerial photo).
In 1991, club members enhanced facilities at St Aubyns
Aged Care Centre by building a gazebo and landscaping the grounds. As
part of the Paint Your Heart Out Australia project in 1992, club members
painted the exterior walls and roof of a needy home owner in Kingaroy.
International toasts, a regular and very informative
feature of club meetings, were begun in 1993.
Kingaroy airfield was a major base for RAAF training
during World War II, and in 1994, the club assisted in the renovation
of the heritage war-time aircraft observation building.
On Saturday 20 February 1999, the Club celebrated
its first fifty years with a 
(click to see photo of past presidents)
at the Kingaroy Town Hall, with keynote speaker, Sir Clem Renouf, Past
Rotary International President.
Members of the club assisted with the establishment
of a Probus club in Kingaroy during 2000.
From 2001, the club has managed the canteen at the
Kingaroy Town Hall for Blue Light discos.
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