Southport hosts regional Christmas celebrations and welcomes the Queensland AC team

Southport hosted the Gold Coast Tweed Region Christmas Party in December. President Charlie Ernst welcomed representatives from all seven clubs. The weather was good, and players mixed on the courts for games full of fun and friendship.

After lunch came pennants trophy presentations. Burleigh Heads Palm Beach won the Association and Ricochet Pennants, and Southport won the Division 1 Golf Pennants.

Burleigh Heads Palm Beach Ricochet players with the 2024 Pennants trophy.

Burleigh Heads Palm Beach wins AC Pennants.

Southport held its own Christmas Party at Emerald Lakes Golf Club. Winners from the three codes received trophies, and badges were awarded to members of 10, 15 and 20 years. Golf Croquet winners were Mary McMahon in Division 1, John Turner in Division 2 and David Booth in Division 3. Association Croquet winners were Dennis Backer for the President’s Trophy and Eunice Frater for Division 3. Eunice Frater also won the Ricochet Handicap.

Southport members at Emerald Lakes Golf Club.

The Queensland Association Croquet team booked the Southport courts on 25 and 26 January to practise on fast-running courts. Not all team members were available, and on Sunday there were no Australia Day celebrations for them. Games were organised against visiting AC players from Brisbane and the Gold Coast. The weather was hot, but the players stayed dedicated and intense.

Members of the Queensland Association Croquet team practising at Southport.

By Barbara Northcott, Southport. From the Croquet Newsletter, January/February 2025, pages 32, 33.