A meeting of bowlers was held at the Coorparoo School of Arts on 23^rd September 1929 to consider the formation of a lawn bowls club at Coorparoo.

This followed a previous proposal for a Bowling and Croquet club planned in 1914 for a 1½ Acre site on Old Cleveland Road Coorparoo by Percival Smith and William Smout. This proposal was abandoned owing to the outbreak of the great war.

At the 23^rd September meeting Dr Bechtel was elected chairman and Mr Bill Smout as acting secretary.

It was resolved that a bowling club be formed to be known as the Coorparoo Bowling Club.

This was the start of the club as we know it today!

The first committee consisted of Messrs Nicklin, Smith, Smout, Sibbald, Savage, Watson, Brimblecombe, Buckham, Farquhar, Rees, and Dr Bechtel.

A public meeting was held on 28^th October 1929, attended by 50 interested bowlers. In a short time 2,110 pounds in debentures were subscribed.

In October 1929 the current bowls club site was purchased from Mr Harries in ‘Harries Pocket’, now known as Harries Road for 811 pounds.

The stock market crash of 24^th October and looming depression made financing difficult for the new club, but Bill Nicklin managed to strike a good deal with Mr Harries for the land.

The club colours chosen were Cardinal red with blue facings. The Coorparoo DOVE was selected as our logo, as the suburb was named after the sound of the local dove – coor-pa-roo.

In February 1930 a 7 rink green was laid out in such a position to allow for a future 7 rink green. The land was fenced and a soil shed erected.

In June 1930 the ladies club was formed – 21 ladies had their first meeting at the home of Mrs I. M. Thompson who was elected as the Ladies Club first President.

The first Annual General Meeting of Coorparoo Bowls Club was held on 10^th July 1930 with 49 bowlers enrolled.

The club house was designed by Brisbane Architect Maurice James Guthrie and constructed by local builder Mr W. Ewart to cost in the vicinity of 1,500 pounds.

However, the newly formed club was unable to raise sufficient funds to undertake the grand design. Money was tight and the banks weren’t lending.

The committee had considered building a smaller temporary building, but vice-president Bill Nicklin would not hear of it. He loaned the club the shortfall of funds to allow it to proceed with the grand plans.

The new club house was completed in just 4 months and officially opened on 6^th December 1930.

Coorparoo Bowls Club is a fine example of an interwar sporting facility. The club has continuously served the Coorparoo sporting and social community since 1930. The existing Coorparoo Bowls Club facility is included in the Brisbane City Council Heritage Register, with the site being zoned SR2 Sport and Recreation (District) – Eastern Corridor Neighbourhood Plan (Coorparoo precinct).

In 1940 the club constructed 2 additional 1 rink greens on the eastern boundary. In 1963 these rinks were extended to 2 rink greens after an additional strip of land 12 yards wide was purchased from Council, to take the total area to 6,081 m².

These rinks (where the flag pole is located) were used for beginners, practice, and overflow on busy days.

An extension to the club house was completed in 1977.

On 27^th August 1977 Mr Don Cameron MHR, Federal member for Griffith (retired) presented the Percival Henry Smith Trophy to the club in memory of his Grandfather P. H. Smith, an Alderman of the South Brisbane Town Council, a public minded citizen, and a lover of lawn bowls.

Mr P.H. Smith and Mr William Smout were founding fathers of Coorparoo Bowls Club.

Mr Don Cameron returned to the club on 4^th October 2019 to present the P. H. Smith trophy to the winners of games played on that day, to celebrate 90 years since Coorparoo Bowls Club was founded in 1929.

The P. H. Smith trophy is competed for annually at the club on or near 23^rd September.

The bowling greens were named after two of the original committee members on 30^th October 1954 – Nicklin green after Bill Nicklin (Club Patron) and Rees green after Joe Rees (Vice Patron).

Coorparoo Bowls Club’s greens were considered the best in Queensland for many years resulting in many bowling carnivals and championship games being held at the club.  The club’s Honour Boards include the names of many prominent Brisbane business men and ladies who also excelled in lawn bowls – Cyril Hornick,  Tom Hiley, Joe Box, and Clive Harburg, to name just a few.

Two Coorparoo Bowls Club players were Australian Singles Champions –    J.P. Gordon in 1948 and M.G.S. Davey in 1970.

Coorparoo Bowls Club has become an important part of the Coorparoo social fabric, being the only community club in the area offering reasonably priced community functions, family gatherings, live music on week-ends, and bare foot bowls in a picnic / beer garden / park-like setting, in addition to serious competition bowls. Since 2014, seven bowls clubs in the south-east Brisbane district have ceased to exist, including Balmoral, Cannon Hill, Lyndon, and Norman Park.                                                                                           Coorparoo Bowls Club has survived to benefit these other communities, and will be celebrating 100 years of continuous bowling in 2029.

However, in 2009 Coorparoo Bowls Club encountered financial difficulties. Bowls Queensland offered to assist the club by purchasing the premises for $1.00 and in return, take care of the debt, and lease the premises back to Coorparoo Bowls Club, with a guarantee that lawn bowls would continue at the club at infinitum.

The initial lease period was 15 years (expiring on 17^th September 2024) with an option to renew for another 15 years. Discounted rentals were offered initially gradually increasing to market rate.   

In 2017 Bowls Queensland considered redevelopment of the club premises. This action failed due to strong opposition from the club, local politicians, and more importantly, the community at large. Over the ensuring years the club has installed significant improvements to the premises: new toilets (2020), new bar, coolroom etc (2021), roof repairs (2023), external CCTV cameras (2023), new shade sail and beer garden resurfacing (2024), solar panels (2024), and new outdoor furniture this year.

Now out of a formal lease and on a month-to-month tenancy until 31^st May 2026, Coorparoo Bowls Club awaits Bowls Queensland decisions as to the future of this club for bowlers and the wider community.