Our History

IT ALL STARTED WITH A VISION - 1957

The Clem Jones Centre has a proud tradition of service to the community, stretching back to 1957.

It began when the Camp Hill Carina branch of the Australian Labor Party requested Clem Jones approach the Brisbane City Council to use vacant land on Stanley Rd for community sports fields and facilities.

The Camp Hill Carina Welfare Association was formed to plan and manage these fields and facilities and held its first meeting on 30 June 1957.

At that meeting, the Association decided to lease 5 acres of crown land that could be used for a variety of sporting opportunities for the youth in the area and set about the challenging task of clearing the land to make it suitable for fields and facilities.

CLEM JONES AO 1918 - 2007

A former Lord Mayor of Brisbane
and a passionate community
advocate. Clem Jones helped
secure land and support for sporting
fields and facilities in the Carina
area.
His vision and dedication helped
create a place where everyone can
participate, connect and thrive.

At the time, the site was little more than an abandoned trotting track and illegal dump site – with no water, no electricity, no toilets and Stanley Road still an unsealed dirt track.

Driven by a strong sense of community spirit, volunteers cleared the land by hand and laid the foundations for what would become one of Brisbane’s most important community sporting hubs.

Today, the Centre spans more than 42 acres and supports thousands of participants across aquatics, fitness, sport, health and recreation.

1960's

  • ● 1961 – First bowling green opened.
  • ● 1962 – JP Ryan Memorial Cricket Clubhouse was officially opened, and the first game of cricket was played at the Centre.
  • ● 1963 – Second bowling green added.
  • ● 1965 – Hockey fields, squash courts and 50m pool construction began.
  • ● 1965 – Bulimba Junior Hockey Club played on two fields on the Vencort Oval.
  • ● 1966 – Pool complex officially opened and the 4th Australian Paraplegic Games were held at the complex.
  • ● 1966 – CJ’s Swim Club founded.
  • ● 1967 – Chadwick Hall, the forerunner to the Carina Leagues Club, was opened.

1950's

  • ●
    1957 – First fund raising event held at the Centre was a sports day with track and field and tug of war competitions held between different branches of the Australian Labor Party.
  • ●
    1957 – Brisbane City Council extended the lease to the Association from 5 to 42 acres, but the site had no water, electricity or sewers.
  • ●
    1959 – The Carina Bowls Club was officially formed, and the East Carina Junior Rugby Football Club began training on what is now Alan Ramsey Oval.

1980's

  • ● 1981 – Thompson Estate Eastern Suburbs Athletic Club joined the Centre.
  • ● 1982 – All Gauge Model Railway Club began operating from the Centre.
  • ● 1983 – Redsox Baseball Club was formed.
  • ● 1984 – Netball courts were bituminised.
  • ● 1989 – Basketball Stadium opened and Southern Districts Spartans joined the Centre.
  • ●
    1971 – Carina Leagues Club formed.
  • ●
    1972 – 12m pool heated for ‘Learn to Swim’ classes to commence.
  • ●
    1973 – Carina Junior Rugby League Club opened the Kev Buckmaster clubhouse.
  • ●
    1974 – Outside 25m pool construction started.
  • ●
    1976 – First Crackerjack Carnival was held on Alan Ramsey Oval.
  • ●
    1979 – Tennis courts opened.

1970's

2000's

  • ●
    2002 – Patricia Bellamy Memorial Playground established.
  • ●
    2006 – Clem Jones Centre Sports Club formed to operate the Carina Bowls Club.
  • ●
    2007 – Trevor Bishop Indoor Pool opened.
  • ●
    2009 – Eastern Suburbs Hockey Club joined the Centre.
  • ●
    2002 – Patricia Bellamy Memorial Playground established.
  • ●
    2006 – Clem Jones Centre Sports Club formed to operate the Carina Bowls Club.
  • ●
    2007 – Trevor Bishop Indoor Pool opened.
  • ●
    2009 – Eastern Suburbs Hockey Club joined the Centre.

1990's

  • ● 2010 – Clem Jones Centre Physio and Rehab commenced operations.
  • ● 2011 – Carina Men’s Shed joined the Centre.
  • ● 2012 – Carina Leagues Boxing Shed opened.
  • ● 2013 – Final Crackerjack Carnival held.
  • ● 2018 – Terry Mackenroth Community Gymnasium opened.
  • ● 2023 – Wellness Precinct building completed.
  • ● 2024 – The first medical tenants moved into the Wellness Precinct.
  • ● 2024 – Body & Mind Cafe opened.

2010's - TODAY

OUR JOURNEY THROUGH TIME

LEADERSHIP & LEGACY

PRESIDENTS OF THE ASSOCIATION

The Clem Jones Centre has been guided by vision, dedication and strong community leadership for more than six
decades. From our founding to today, we remain committed to serving the community and creating a place for
everone to particpate and thrive.

YEARS

1957 - 1958

1958-1979

1979 - 1993

1993 -2018

2018 - Present

PRESIDENT

Jack Ryan

Mick Foley

Rowland Cowan

Terry Mackenroth

Kevin Cairns

EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP

Steve Heald became the first CEO of the Centre in 2008 until his retirement in 2024 and was instrumental in steering the Centre through challenging periods including the pandemic along with planning and development of the Wellness Precinct.

Under current General Manager Doug Waller, the Centre has entered its next phase of growth and development. Building on the strong foundations created over many decades, the Centre will evolve into a more integrated and accessible precinct for future generations.