The Loyal Lodge of the Manchester Unity Independent Order of Odd Fellows No. 204

A number of local members of the Hall Committee at first made their way to the Rose of Canning Lodge in Caboolture, and then decided-“why not have their own Lodge in Wamuran?” Lew Salisbury and E. Gordon were two of these. Meetings were held in the Albert Hall. Being a benevolent mixed Lodge, people joined first for the benefits and found friendship, love and truth.

In 1927 the Lodge helped in fund- raising for the Hall at a gala day in 1927, their first Queen, Mrs Melville, raising £129. The Banana Queen Miss Bell Eden raised £ 71 and Miss S Whiting, the pineapple Queen, raised £68. Thanks to this QUEEN Carnival the Hall had become free of debt in 1927. The queen was Miss whiting in the middle

During the war in 1940 the Lodge raised funds for the Miss A.I.F. Competition

The Wamuran Lodge amalgamated with Caboolture on June 23^rd 1952.

Front- Ruth Gamgee & Thelma Jackson

Back –Roy Mollenhagen, John Sellin, Jack Kennedy, Nev Sellin, Albert Sellin

QUEENSLAND COUNTRY WOMENS ASSOCIATION

WAMURAN BRANCH–

 Reprinted from the article in the” Albert Hall” Booklet written by Phyllis Embrey

The inaugural meeting of the Wamuran Q.C.W.A. was held in the Hall (original Albert Hall) in 1960. Mrs Childs –President, Mrs I.M. Lindsay and Mrs P. M. Embrey- V Presidents, Mrs Weirsma –Secretary, Mrs De Zwart –Treasurer.  Mrs Bye, Mrs L. Davis, Mrs B. Grigg, Mrs K. Murphy, Mrs S. Hull, Mrs F McNeill, Mrs E. Kirkwood, Mrs D. Carseldine, Mrs J. Hewitt, Mrs M. May, and Mrs T. Briggs were present at this meeting.

Membership increased reaching 38 in 1963.  In 1964, the CWA was successful in having a reduction of speed to 35 M.P.H. through Wamuran.  The establishment of the opportunity (special) classes in Caboolture was helped along by the C.W.A. , also many donations were made to the Hall, School, Ambulance, Emergency House Keeper Scheme and other worthwhile charities. Catering for cattle and pig sales was Wamuran’s speciality.

The cookery contests were always successful starting in 1961 with Mrs Clayton judging 10 entries. Our 1966 contest saw record entries. Our Branch raising the most money and having most entries, received two beautiful rose bowls as trophies.

The CWA flourished in Wamuran till the mid 1970s but the numbers dwindled and Wamuran closed circa 1977 and members remaining joined Caboolture CWA. Here some continued with cooking competitions and learned many craft skills.

TENNIS CLUB

December15^th 1921, Mr George Salisbury as President of the Albert Tennis Club announced its foundation and desired certain concessions from the Association (Progress Association) Mr R. G. Wise proposed and Mr. R.  Mole seconded that the Tennis Club be granted permission to erect a tennis court at their expense on the Hall ground. Windows on the court side of the Hall to be netted and the club to make good any damages.- 

Among the earliest committee members of the Hall Committee were:-George Salisbury, Dick Williams, C. Jensen, H. Davis, Ray Whiting, G. Bell, W .Clews, Jim Jackson, J. Jensen, R. Wise, Mr H Behrens, Geo. Bell, W Stevens, Captain Gordon, E. Stern, Mrs Lockart, Mr Bye. The community was small but very cohesive and supportive. Many of these members and their families were amongst the first members of the tennis Association chaired by George Salisbury.

During the period of 20s and 40s there were tennis clubs at Bracalba and a group at Wamuran Basin playing on a court on Moles property.

1950: The Hall committee gave permission for lights to be erected on the tennis courts at the clubs own expense in July 1950. Tennis fixtures continued and Wamuran affiliated with Caboolture Tennis Association. Tennis fixtures were of a Saturday afternoon and Wamuran Club and Dobson’s court at Wamuran, Taylors Court at Wamuran and Dave Lindsay’s court at Wamuran competed against clubs like: – Glasshouse ( & Dick Gowans), Elimbah, Bribie, Woodford and fixtures were held on private courts at Deception Bay (Scudamore & Plant), Morayfield ( Klee, Moorhead, P.J.Lindsay),  Beerwah (C. Early and Reeves), Caboolture –  (Thelma Cobb, Schultz, Stringfellows), Landsborough, (Gowan) and Burpengary at the school and Myers/Wolcott’s/Burpengary Tennis centre. There was considerable travel involved but it was competitive and social.

Names appearing on the books at this time included Svenson, Bill Brodie from Mt Mee, Jim Small, Talbot Dellit, Chrissy Grigg, Noel and Audrey Saxby, Don and Myrtle Lindsay, Perc Embrey, Les Embrey, Bill Warman, C. Wolfenden, Joan and Jim Lindsay, Roy and Ruth Mollenhagen , John Sellin, Pat Galloway, Briggs family and many others

Caboolture Association also played other Associations e.g. Kilcoy, Nambour, Maleny, Palmwoods, Redcliffe and the L.T.A.A at Milton in Brisbane. Wamuran players were well represented in all Divisions .e.g.  John and Betty family, Dobson family, Various Lindsay family members, Perc & Les Embrey & their families, Roy and Ruth Mollenhagen & family, Taylor family, Moorhead family, Warman family, Val Nicholson, Bev Smerdon and many others.

The lights erected in 1950 were deemed unsafe in 1973 and were taken down. The Hall committee gave the Tennis Club permission to build a concrete locked area under the Hall to store the nets cups etc. In 1980 more lights were installed and night fixtures with Caboolture tennis Association commenced. In 1984 all day Saturday trading came into law and immediately this caused a loss of players as they began working Saturdays.

In 1990 there were 64 fully paid up members at Wamuran Tennis Club. However, after Caboolture Tennis Club moved from the Caboolture Showgrounds to the Centenary Lakes in the early 1980s and Caboolture endeavoured to fill all its 12 courts, the rise in new sports available for the community and Saturday work for many, the Saturday afternoon fixtures came to an end circa 1997/1998. Fixtures in Caboolture were moved to Monday and Wednesday nights to cater for the working community. Wamuran courts were still used for social tennis.

Wamuran Tennis Club became incorporated in 1994. Due to ack of interest and players, the Tennis Club was wound upon 12/01/2003and proceeds of $1, 916.62 were forwarded to Wamuran Sportsground Committee as they then had responsibility for the courts. 1998: – Secretary reported progress of courts being built at Wamuran sports Complex by Caboolture Shire Council. The Council were to do all earth works, green covering and foundation for 4 light poles. The Tennis Club paid for a shelter shed, poles and light fittings, coin operated light switch, water to shed and electrical. The Sportsground Committee was wound up circa 2016 and the Moreton Bay Regional Council now has control of the Tennis Courts and the sportsground facilities.

Records since 1949 show there were many long term office bearers. – 1960-73 L.J. Embrey was chairman and also Lionel McClure from 1980-1990. Other members who were short term chairmen included: – Stan Briggs, Ian Lindsay, Col Moorhead, Roy J Mollenhagen, Arthur Taylor and Allan Embrey.

!963-73 R.A. Mollenhagen was Secretary Treasurer followed by his son R.J.  Mollenhagen: – from 19776-98. Other short term Secretary/ Treasurers were J.T. Svenson, Col Moorhead, J.C Grigg, K Svenson, R Wilkins

VOLUNTARY DEFENCE CORPS 1942-1945- WAMURAN

With thanks to Phyliss Embrey who supplied photos and information

The voluntary defence force at Wamuran was formed in 1942 and ended in 1945 after the end of World War 2. There were about 30 men. Cobb was in charge over all.

 Fred Gamgee was the Lieutenant, Bill Kirkwood was the Sergeant.  Henry Nicholson, Roy(R A) Mollenhagen and Roy Beasley were corporals.

Lt Corporals were Arthur Jackson, Fred Jackson and Jack Savery

Privates were:- John (J E A) Jackson, Ernie Paulus, Ernie Behrens, Robert Clews, Dave Lewis, Max Meurant, Fred Ross, Norm Bye, Sam Milfull, R. Koppen, Richard Nicholson, Perc Embrey, Nev Sellin, W Soutter, Syd Childs. D. Waldron in some photos as he visited the Clews family when on leave.

Training was often held in the Hall and a small rifle range was made on Craigs Flat (near Waraba Creek Bridge on Campbells pocket Road).  Manoeuvres were held around the hills

The Cricket Club At Wamuran

Photo taken 1920s at Nicholsons paddock (now in Wararba Court)

Names  are not known for this photo but from the information in “Trove ” of old newspapers the reader would expect this group to include:- D & G Traill, Collins, C. Crowther, Ray Whiting, Norm Dellit, J Hyatt, R Meurant, W Baker, R. Mole, P. Embrey, J Hyatt, Carleton and N. Frampton amongst others.

Nicholsons flat in what is now Glenarba court was selected by the community as the best placed flat land to play cricket in the 1920s. Most of the competition seems to have been run under the Woodford Cricket Association and included teams from Mt. Mee, Stoney Creek, D’Aguilar, Twin View, Morayfield, Wamuran Lodge, Woodford, Caboolture at various times.

This photo was taken circa 1930. Informatiom 1920-1940 is Sketchy

September 1947- Landsborough Cricket Association included: – Landsborough, Caloundra, Peachester, Morayfield, Cedarton, Wamuran and Caboolture. In October 1947 a team from Landsborough Association would play Maleny Association in the FIRST NORTH COAST COMPETITION.

In 1953- Stanley River fixtures: – Glasshouse defeated Wamuran and Morayfield played Caboolture. This is the first time “Trove” mentioned the Stanley River fixtures. The Stanley River Association ran from 1945- 1975.

In the early 1950s Don Lindsay used a mouldboard plough and ploughed round the edge of the field in Nicholsons paddock to mark the boundary. Many fielders tripped over it as it was too deep and the players had to fill it in somewhat to make it safer. Players had to have a collection of the manure in the field area before each days play.  Wamuran had a concrete pitch at Nicholson’s paddock that was not as wide as today’s pitches. The pitch was covered with a heavy canvas mat that reached down to the crease line. There were no facilities at Nicholsons field.

Wamuran ran A Grade on a Saturday afternoon and a B Grade on a Sunday. B Grade moved to the school oval when the new school opened in 1967. A Grade player included Roy and Bill Dobson, Don and Graham Lindsay, John and Nev Sellin, Kerry, Robin and Peter Hewitt, Arch, Ian and Neil Lindsay, Jim Lindsay junior and his son Jim, Russell and Steve Lindsay, Bob McClintock, Bill and Arthur Warman, Gary Krisanski, Len and Nev Crowther, Perc and Les Embrey, Ray Dale Bill McNickle, Ernie Whiting, Lionel McClure and after Mt. Mee stopped playing there were Greg, Len and Barry White, Gary Hewitt , Robin and Kerry Hewitt, Peter Hewitt, Neville Witherell and Daryl Duncan.

B Grade commenced circa 1962. B Grade players included, Norm Kenway, Bill and Lindsay Dobson, Roy Mollenhagen Senior and Junior, Kevin and Col Mollenhagen, Jim Lindsay senior and Russell (captain) and Steve Lindsay, Howard, David, Cameron and Graham Lindsay, Jim Mole, Ernie and Lee Whiting. Gerry Carseldine, Arthur Warman, Colin Waldron, Greg and Lee Whiting, Jim Mole, Paddy Walker, Graham and Bruce Williamson, Noel McEwan.

Some players played in both Divisions and this list is not all inclusive but contains the names of many players.

Back Row-L-R- Peter Muspratt, Bob McClintock (Wamuran), Ken Newton, Kevin Koward, Russell Skerman

Front Row –l-R- Ray McCoy, Frank Lindsay, Don Elks, Perc Embrey(Wamuran), Gary Carseldine, Don McClure

Photo donated by Perc Embrey

Country Week 1971  –  Steve Lindsay, Kerry Hewitt, Peter Hewitt, Jim LIndsay, Ray? Klein, Ken Klein, Cameron Lindsay, Lindsay Dobson, Neil Lindsay, Ian Lindsay, Graham Lindsay

Stanley River Cricket Association finished in 1975 and on November 11, 1987 a reunion dinner was held in Wamuran Hall. See article below from the “Near North coast News” showing the selection of the “Best Team” of the era. After 1975, Woodford joined a Somerset group with Toogoolawah, Esk and Kilcoy. This group disbanded in the 1980s and many Woodford members played for Caboolture Association

After 1975 and till about 1980, Wamuran went to Caboolture and joined them in the Brisbane Warehouse competition where Gerry Carseldine of Wamuran organised about 5 teams.

Wamuran has since joined the Caboolture Club to play in the North Coast competition circa 1980 – 1992. In 1992, the new cricket grounds were operational at the new Wamuran Sportsground.  After 1992, Wamuran, in conjunction with Glasshouse, entered their own teams in the Sunshine Coast competition (not under Caboolture) under the chairmanship of Steve Lindsay and he was followed as chairman by Ray Jones

Wamuran, circa 2017, has merged with Stanley River Cricket Association and is again operating under the Wamuran under the Stanley River Name and playing in the Sunshine Coast Competition.