Club Development Program 2006

A recent report, Dropping off the Edge: the distribution of disadvantage in Australia indicated that on a range of indicators including social distress, health, community safety, economy, education and community engagement, Mount Morgan is one of two towns in Queensland suffering greatest disadvantage and at most risk of intergenerational poverty.

The Mount Morgan community is faced with numerous challenges in providing for its sport and recreation needs.  One of the issues for the community is the lack of incorporated sport and recreation organisations.  Lack of incorporation reduces the capacity of community groups to apply for funding to conduct activities or develop facilities.

After working with Mount Morgan Shire Council and community groups over a period of two years, Sport and Recreation staff conducted a funding workshop to promote CDP 2004 and Minors 2004.  Unfortunately, no applications were received. 

Continued liaison with community groups and the two schools and placement of no cost events such as GAQSP and a Locker Room into the community, allowed staff to continue to engage with organisations to identify and address issues. 

Finally, in 2006, Mount Morgan Golf Club submitted a successful application under CDP 2006.  The Club was funded $4,000 to conduct a participation project over a number of weeks to encourage junior members into the Club.  At time of application, the Club had no junior members.     

The golf program ran weekly with ten to twenty children from Mount Morgan Primary School attending.  The funding allowed the Club to hire a golf professional to attend the weekly sessions to provide instruction to the children, purchase some golf clubs for use by the children and provide drinks during the activities.  As a result of being introduced to the sport and to the Club in a supported manner, five junior players including two females have registered with the Club.  One of the Juniors has gone onto compete in the Open Juniors in Rockhampton. 

In addition to new Junior members, the additional publicity from the project has resulted in the Club registering twenty new social players.  The additional members are vital for the long term financial viability of and volunteerism within the Mount Morgan Golf Club.