The Prime Minister’s Cup

Bob Hawke – Gone but not forgotten, the Prime Minister’s Cup continues at Kallangur. For a competition that has been running for 36 years, the Cup has overcome changing fortunes but shows no sign of losing its popularity.

It is the only bowling trophy and event of its kind, with the Charter document elaborately framed and signed by both Bob Hawke and Dean Wells and displayed at the Kallangur Memorial Bowls Club.

In 1984, the then Prime Minister Bob Hawke along with Dean Wells MP established a charter with the most important clause being that the Prime Minister’s Cup remains so named for the life of the trophy. This is a personal trophy, not a government trophy and is intended to transcend all political views.

The Cup was originally inaugurated at what was then the Redcliffe City Bowls Club. However, through changing financial times and the merging of the Redcliffe City and RSL Services Club, the newly named Redcliffe City RSL Bowls Club met the provisions of the Charter and the trophy continued.

Unfortunately, the club closed its doors in December 2010 due to concerns about the aged clubhouse, which was 84-years-old. It was

the oldest club on the Peninsula. Mr Wells agreed to add a clause to the Charter to allow Deception Bay Bowls Club to be the venue for the 2011 cup.

In 2015, the Deception Bay Bowls Club won the Cup, but unfortunately, this was the year the club closed due to financial problems.

Again, Mr Wells amended the Charter to agree to allow Kallangur Memorial Bowls Club to host the Cup from 2016.

In 2019 the event was an invitational mixed fours competition. Nineteen clubs in the Moreton Bay District were invited to compete with 18 teams playing on the day.

The winners were a team created on the day with Kallangur’s Jo Gatt, John Orr and Scarborough’s Val Hanson and Dorothy Field. Runners up were Jo Edwards, Linda Mitchell, George Sahlauts and Kerry Mitchell from Pine Rivers. Kallangur’s Wayne Dickson, Gavin Scannell, Lyn Miles and Iris Dickson took third place.