Graceville Croquet Club Archives - Over The Walter Taylor Bridge

After More Than 100 Years, Graceville Croquet Club Continues to Thrive

Did you know that Graceville Croquet Club was established in March 1919, at a time when a number of returned servicemen from the First World War settled in the area and their wives were looking for their own sporting activities?

Read: Graceville Croquet Club Is 100 Years Old!

Graceville Croquet Club is a small sporting club dedicated to croquet, a low-impact and social sport that involves hitting wooden or plastic balls with a mallet through hoops.

The first members of the club, consisting of 12 women, played the game in their lawns. This set-up continued until 1920, when they were given a lease of the piece of land at Graceville Memorial Park.

Graceville Memorial Park circa 1930 (Photo credit: Brisbane John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland)

The club’s first Patron was Thomas Murray Hall, a former member of the Queensland Legislative Council and alderman of the Brisbane City Council, who was known as a big supporter of numerous varied social activities and sports in the Sherwood Shire.

Until 1923, the three lawns remained as rough grass and the clubhouse was constructed between 1924 and 1929.

The club only consisted of women until the 1950s, when men also became enthralled with the sport.

The Graceville Croquet Club was added to the Register of Significant Places in the National Trust of Queensland in 2005.

At Graceville Croquet Club, games are played in three disciplines: association croquet, golf croquet, and ricochet croquet.

Association croquet is the traditional form of the game but golf croquet is more popular because of its less simpler rules compared to the former. Ricochet, on the other hand, is said to be a fast and fun way for beginners to learn about the game.

The club underwent refurbishment in 2018 due to Council grant, providing new facilities for the kitchen as well as wheelchair access. This was just in time for their 100th year celebration in 2019.

Today, the club’s patrons are Councillor for Tennyson Ward Nicole Johnston, State Member for Miller and Transport/Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey, and Federal Member for Moreton Graham Perrett MP.

Read: World’s First United Cup Tournament Launches in Tennyson

Still thriving up to this day, the club warmly welcomes new members and visitors who are interested in learning to play croquet. Their clubhouse can also be hired for events. For more information about the club, visit their website at gracevillecroquetbrisbane.com.au.

Graceville Croquet Club is located at 53A Appel St, Chelmer, near the Graceville Railway Station and the bus stop.

Published 27-January-2023

Graceville Croquet Club Is 100 Years Old!

The Graceville Croquet Club on Appel Street has reached a milestone this year as it recently celebrated its centennial with a thriving membership and a refurbished clubhouse.

Established in 1919, the Graceville Croquet Club is mostly made up of female members until 1965. Today, there are over 50 active members who continue to take part in the regular Come and Play Saturday afternoon games to encourage the younger generation. The membership base has also remained steady in the last 30 years.

In 2018, the Council granted the renovation of the clubhouse to add wheelchair access, function rooms and a kitchen suitable for cooking and prepare food for the events.

*Photo Credit: Graceville Croquet Club/Facebook*

Games and activities are held year-round in three of the club’s full-size courts. These lawns are also rented out to private functions like hens parties, birthday parties, team building, and other celebrations.

Located near the Graceville Railway Station and the bus stop, the club hosts the following schedule every week if you’d like to check out the activities:

Saturday 9:00 to 12:00	Association
Sunday 1:30 p.m.	Golf
Tuesday 1:30 p.m	Golf
Wednesday 9:00 to 12:00 p.m.	Association, Golf and Ricochet
Wednesday 1:30 p.m.	Golf
Friday 2:30 p.m.	Golf

The Graceville Croquet Club was added to the Register of Significant Places in the National Trust of Queensland in 2005.

Graceville Croquet Club Gets $98k Council Grant

As part of the Building Stronger Communities Grants Program of the Brisbane City Council, Graceville Croquet Club has received $98,065 to help improve its facilities.

Graceville Croquet Club is one of the Building Stronger Communities Grants 2017-18 grant recipients who received funding to help in developing their facilities and improving their governance and long-term organisational sustainability. A total of 69 organisations were granted a total funding of $2,509,597.66.

The Council’s Building Stronger Communities Grants Program focuses on helping community-based, not-for-profit organisations in linking residents to recreation and promoting their wellbeing.

It supports community facilities that promote community sport, recreational, cultural and social activities that help in strengthening the physical, cultural, mental, and social well-being of the community.

The program has three categories comprised of Community Facility Maintenance, Community Facility Development, and Organisational Development.

The funding granted to Graceville Croquet Club will be used to improve their facilities. Specifically, it will help in replacing the flooring and facilities in the kitchen, toilet, and storage area of the clubhouse to improve safety and accessibility of their facilities. This will also help in increasing the use of the facility at Graceville Memorial Park.

The program is part of the Council’s efforts to achieve Brisbane Vision 2031. Organisations that qualified as recipients under the Building Stronger Communities Grants Program help in creating an active, healthy, safe, and friendly community.