Stephens opens centenary gates and celebrates a busy 2024

Stephens Croquet Club loves welcoming people to the club and now has a distinctive new entry, the Centenary Gates. The club's Centenary celebrations continued when the gates were officially opened on the 101st anniversary in October.

Club Patron Cr. Nicole Johnston supported the club's application for a $1000 grant from the Lord Mayor's Community Fund through the Tennyson Ward. Durable metal gates were refurbished and decorated with croquet mallets and balls, while the existing signage and gate frame were also refurbished to complete the upgrade.

Cr. Johnston said the gates were one project in a long line of improvements at Stephens over several decades. She said she was proud to support the many community sporting clubs in Tennyson Ward and proud to be Patron of Stephens Croquet Club, describing it as an amazing sporting club full of fun, fellowship and great competition.

The original Horse & Plough 'event' - turning the first sod of the Stephens Croquet Ground at Yeronga Park, October 15th 1923.

It is not all cake and sausage sizzles at Stephens. The club also plays croquet well, with several Queensland trophies and the Metropolitan Pennants won by club members. Several new players have been welcomed during 2024.

The club also welcomed complete strangers through bookings such as Finn's 21st, where old school friends reunited and tried something new. The guests thanked Jacky, Val and the Stephens team for the use of the club and for member volunteers patiently taking croquet novices under their wing.

Finn's 21st - party booking - old school friends re-unite and try something new.

Another facet of croquet is travelling to play in Croquet Australia events. Jacky Lynch (Vice Captain), Chris Borlase and Heather Knight have been selected to represent Queensland in the 2025 Eire Cup, the interstate teams competition for Association Croquet.

Stephens is always pleased to see friends from other clubs. Association Croquet is played on Wednesday and Saturday, Golf Croquet on Friday and Sunday, and both Association Croquet and Golf Croquet are played under lights on Tuesday evenings.