About Us
The Beginning. Panthers are Born
Railway Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1919, after a meeting under the trees on Hinkler Avenue in North Bundaberg near the Railway Hotel. Club colours on the jerseys were blue, with white trim. In later years, the rabbit was adopted as its logo. The Club trained at Hinkler Park, which was administered by a Trust, and as the Club was only tenants, was restricted in expansion. With expansion in mind, Jubilee Park was selected because of its proximity to Salter Oval and, in 1966, Railway Football Club moved to Jubilee Park, West Bundaberg. Millbank Progress Association was only too happy to have the club use these grounds. The Bundaberg City Council assisted in leveling and grading the grounds. The Club installed floodlights for training, but there were no facilities for the players. The only means of raising funds were from "chook" raffles, selling doubles, etc. The Club, with voluntary labour, built a clubhouse on the corner of the grounds for the use of its players and supporters and was the first football clubhouse in Bundaberg. In 1971, Wally Cooper was elected President of Railway Football Club but, unfortunately, inherited a debt from the previous years from the building of the clubhouse. The Coopers bought a small coldroom with their own money to make things a little easier. In 1972, Railways, under the captaincy and coaching of Terry Haggert, won the local rugby league premiership, and the last under the Railways colours. It was apparent that additional fundraising methods were required to support the rugby league club. So, Wally Cooper put the idea of extending the existing, but small, clubhouse and applying for a Liquor Licence so that the Club could open every day to raise this financial support. Unfortunately, with the carry over debt, and the costs of such extensions, a loan from the banks could not be obtained. To make this dream a reality, Wally and Eva Cooper went Guarantor for the club. The previous debt was paid out, the Liquor Licence was granted, the extensions designed, with the Coopers having to purchase a coldroom with their own money to complete the project.
In October 1973, Railway Leagues Club opened, and traded till January, 1974.
The Birth of Western Suburbs.
The Railway Football Club Committee, in 1974, moved a motion, with one member descenting, that, seeing that the Clubhouse was in West Bundaberg, the Club change its name to Western Suburbs Leagues Club and the football club to Western Suburbs Rugby League Football Club and that the Clubs colours be Red and Black and adopt the Panther as its logo. The Leagues Club and Football Club had to become separate identities because of liability and insurance reasons. The primary aim of the Leagues Club, with its separate committee to that of the Football Club, was to raise funds to assist the Football Club and to encourage and support other sports to use the facilities provided by the Club. Wally Cooper was the first President of the Football Club and was the first manager of the Leagues Club. Former Brisbane player, Nev Harman was the first coach of the new club and continued as coach for two years. After the first year as Manager of the Leagues Club, Wally's position was passed on to his wife, Eva, who managed the Leagues Club for four and a half years and, it is believed, that Eva was the first female manager of a Leagues Club in Queensland. The inaugural President of the Leagues Club was Mr Bob Stitt. In the subsequent years, the Leagues Club had its good, and not so good times, with some loyal members going guarantor to assist with financial support and voluntary labour to help with extensions and alterations. The Leagues Club released the mortage documents to the Coopers in 1981 and all other guarantor agreements with its loyal members finalized in subsequent years. Mr Con Ryan has been a member of Railway Football Club and now a Life Member of Western Suburbs Leagues Club since 1948.
And Now.
In April, 2005, agreement was reached with the Department of Natural Resources and Mines for the Leagues Club to purchase a 5200m2 parcel of land so that an enlarged area for the Club building and carpark would be under freehold title. In another agreement with the Department of Natural Resources and Mines, Western Suburbs Leagues Club is now sole Trustee of Jubilee Park.
The Leagues Club provides training and playing facilities for, and financially assists:
* Western Suburbs Senior Rugby League Club
* Western Suburbs Junior Rugby League Club
* Western Suburbs Softball Club
* Western Suburbs Netball Club
* Wests Barbarians Rugby Union Club
* Country Wests Cricket Club
* Knights Soccer Club
* Rumruckers Golden Oldies Rugby Union Club
* Railway Social Golf Club
Special thanks to Eva Cooper, Con Ryan, Claude Appo, Len Winlaw and Lester Marner for their assistance in compiling this history of Western Suburbs.
Darryl Mason
Secretary, WSLC.
October, 2005