RAY HUGHES

Community Profile: QNews interviews people in our community who provide services and create and also help other community groups with fundraisers and much more.

This issue we went to Merthyr Bowls Club & Norman Park Sports & Community Club and spoke with Ray Hughes who supports many community organisations.

What is your position?
Treasurer/Manager of Merthyr Bowls Club and Norman Park Sports & Community Club

How long have you been involved?
12 years

How did you first start working with Merthyr Bowls?
I was a member of the club for quite a while, but the club ended up in all types of strife, so they asked me if I would give them a hand. So I started doing things here and there but ended up taking the job on full time because it was just getting so busy.

How were you able to turn the club around?
Well we had to convince the bowlers that the club couldn’t be run as a bowls club, that it had to be run like a business if it had any chance to survive.
The Bowlers at the time didn’t want anybody else there. If somebody else walked through the door they were always making excuses not to serve people – silly things like membership or rules about gentlemen wearing hats inside. We got rid of all of that and really improved the meals. The club was opened to everyone and it became ‘the local’ for many people.

How did the bowlers react to change?
Well they embraced it in the end because for the first time the club had money and they had things that they never had before. We were able to wipe the green fees for the bowlers so they liked it and we ended up with more people coming through the doors than ever before.

How has the face of Bowling changed over the years?
Younger people are now more aware of bowls; it was always considered an old man’s game. These days the Queensland bowling team is actually younger than the Queensland cricket team. People come in and have a game with their friends and find that it’s a lot of fun.

Merthyr is now famous for its Barefoot Bowls and parties, how did that all start?
Some people wanted to have a party here and they asked if they could come in costumes. It turned out to be a big hit all day, and as it was happening everyone was walking past and looking over the fence checking it out. After that we got a couple more and it grew from there. Now we are known for it.
We started it back in 1998, and I don’t know of any other club that was doing it before we did – certainly not on a regular basis anyway.

How do the older bowlers get along with the bare foot bowlers when sharing the green?
Oh, they get along great. Quite often we see some of the old fellas showing the younger guys the best way to bowl and giving tips and advice. Not to mention that many of the older ladies don’t mind having some of the younger guys around.

How did Merthyr become involved with Norman Park Sports & Community Club?
They were just about ready to close and we were approached. So we took the club over 3 or 4 years ago. Norman Park had about a million dollars spent on it and now it’s growing and growing. There is a great function centre there and not so many noise restrictions.

What do you put the success of the two clubs down to?
I think it’s the friendliness of the staff, and they almost never leave. Some of the staff have been here 20 years. Good food, friendly atmosphere, cheap drinks and great locations. Merthyr has the best river views in Brisbane and Norman Part has a great parkland setting.

For people who have never given bowling a try, how can they get involved?
Give us a call and make a booking. There is always someone here to show people how it’s done.