TOWNSVILLE & THURINGOWA COUNTRY MUSIC ASSOCIATION

MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC WERE INVITED TO ATTEND A MEETING HELD ON THE 3RD JUNE 1980 AT THE VALE HOTEL. A FEW LOCAL COUNTRY MUSIC ENTHUSIASTS, INCLUDING EMILO GOTTANI  FROM ROLLINGSTONE GOT TOGETHER WITH THE AIM OF FORMING A CLUB .. THE AIMS OF WHICH WERE AND  STILL ARE..

[1] TO PROMOTE COUNTRY MUSIC

[2] TO PROVIDE A CENTRE FOR THE ENJOYMENT AND ADVANCEMENT OF COUNTRY MUSIC

[3] TO PROMOTE AND ENCOURAGE NEW LOCAL TALENT.

THE FIRST MEETINGS WERE HELD ON SATURDAY NIGHTS AT THE CASTLE HILL P.Y.C . OTHER VENUES HAVE BEEN CUTHERINGA BOWLS CLUB, DALRYMPLE HOTEL, ROSS ISLAND HOTEL,LAZY ACRES, WESTERN SUBURBS CRICKET CLUB.  WE NOW HOLD OUR MONTHLY FUN DAYS  AT ST. JOSEPHS SCHOOL MUNDINGBURRA.

IN THE EARLY YEARS WE HELD JAMBOUREES WITH  SOME OF THE ARTISTS  BEING SLIM DUSTY, AND HIS FAMILY, GLEN AND BETTY EYRE,  DESIREE CRAWFORD,  EVELYN BURY,  OWEN BLUNDELL,  THE COAD BROTHERS,  THE BRIAN YOUNG SHOW, BARRY THORNTON,  REG POOLE,  AND JOHN WILLIAMSON TO NAME JUST A FEW.

SOME OF OUR ARTIST HAVE GONE ON WITH THEIR MUSIC CAREERS  JUST TO NAME A FEW .   SHERRIE AUSTIN nee KREN

STARTED SINGING AT LAZY ACRES. SOME OF OUR ARTISTS THAT HAVE MOVED SOUTH  ARE WHITELINE,THE GOTTANI SISTERS AFTER WORKING IN THE U.S.A FOR SOME YEARS.ALSO SARAH COLLET, ANNA WEATHERUP.  SOME WHO WORK  PROFESSIONALY AROUND THE DISTRICT ARE PETA- CHERAE KLEEHAMMER AND HER SISTER STEPHENIE BURKE, SARA JANE MOORE nee ALLOWAY , ALSO ANTHONY TAYLOR

SOME OF OUR ARTIST HAVE DONE THEMSELVES PROUD AT SUCH PLACES LIKE STAR MAKERS AT TAMWORTH, NORFOLK ISLAND,  BRISBANE  CHAMPS.

OUR CLUB STARTED THE FIRST NORTH QUEENSLAND CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS IN 1986  FOLLOWING AN IDEA FROM DICK NETTELFIELD AND NEV NICHOLLS. THE PRIZE AT THE TIME WAS A RECORDING CONTRACT WITH NICHOLLS ‘N’ DIMES RECORDING STUDIO. THIS WAS WON BY SADDLE TRAMPS A BAND FROM AYR. THIS FESTIVAL CONTINUED FOR 23  YEARS UNTIL IN 2009 WHEN THE FESTIVAL WAS  CHANGED TO AN OPEN COMPETITION, THUS GIVING MORE OF OUR LOCAL ARTISTS A CHANCE TO WIN THE MAJOR PRIZE.

THE CLUB ALSO PLAYS AT THE BLUEWATER COMMUNITY CENTRE ONCE A MONTH  AND MAKES IT’S SELF AVAILABLE FOR FUND RAISERS FOR NON PROFIT ORGANISATIONS.

ARTISTS OF ALL AGES ARE ENCOURAGED TO PERFORM  AT ANY OF OUR VENUES.