A brief history of our club

On the 18th August 1962, the Ipswich Lions Club received its Charter, Number 226, from District Governor 201A, Lion Tom Magnus. This was the beginning of a rich history of service to the Ipswich community. The first President was Lion Mick Callaghan, and there were twenty-seven (27) Members. It was sponsored by the Lions Club of Brisbane. In 1977, New Districts were formed, and Ipswich moved into 201 Q1, then in 1991 moved into District 201 Q3, with Lion Bill Whitestyles as District Governor.

The very first Project ever performed by the Club was a small street carnival, which later during the late ’60s and early ’70s became the huge and lucrative Lions Hockey Christmas Carnival, run in conjunction with the Ipswich Hockey Association. Many of the Club Projects reflected the personal preference of the incumbent Presidents, this was aptly demonstrated by an appeal run and donations made in President Kev O’Brien’s year to the Ipswich Ambulance, with a “state of the art” emergency vehicle valued at $33,000. The Club’s strength lay in its performance of Projects!. A great legacy to the early members is the lookout tower at the top of Limestone Park. The building commenced in 1969 and took several years to complete. The tower still stands today.

Of the 27 Members, four (4), Lions Mick Callaghan, Gordon Duncan, Phil Fallu and Clyde McKean passed away while still active Members, three (3), Lions Clyde McKean, Jack Williams, and Vic Loetzsch were presented with Life Membership of the International Association of Lions Clubs.

Ipswich Lions Club has sponsored the chartering of three (3) other Lions Clubs, Ipswich Redbank Goodna 1973 (801), Ipswich Bremer River 1974 (913) and Boonah Lions Club 1965 (349). Two Clubs, Ipswich Redbank Goodna, and Boonah Lions Clubs are still very active. On three(3) occasions Ipswich has sponsored the formation of Leos Clubs.

Membership in 1975 was in the high sixties, when it split with some members forming the newly Chartered Bremer River Lions Club, by 1976 the Membership recovered to its former strength in Members, but it slowly dwindled over the years to a low of twenty (20). Membership is currently thirty-one (31) Members.

The Ipswich Lions Club organized and ran a District Convention in the late sixties, called The New Look Convention, bringing over three hundred (300) Lions to our city for three days.

Our members past and present have a proud history at a higher level with many serving as District Cabinet Officers. The more notable of these was Lion Vic Napier, had eight years for distinguished service as District Historian and Minute Secretary. Lion Keith Townsley made his way to Vice District Governor.
Lion Norm Moore as Club Care Chairman.
Lion Bob McGreevy was Zone Chairman 5 times,
Lion Robbie Unsworth was Regional Chairman and Zone Chairman 3 times, and webmaster and IT Chairman 10 times, Lion Ted Scovell, Lion Idris Frattini, and Lion Vanna McGreevy served Zone Chairman. Lion Vic Loetzsch received the National Public Relations Award at the 1965 Adelaide Convention, and Lion Gordon Duncan won the International Award for outstanding contribution to the promotion of Lion Clubs International.

The following members are Melvin Jones Fellows
Lion Vic Napier (Deceased) –
Lion Robbie Unsworth – 2008
Lion Arthur Witheyman – 2008
Lion Idris Frattini –
Lion Robert (Bob) McGreevy –