Lions Club of Torquay
Victoria, Australia, District 201V2
we serve... service to the community... learning new skills... building lasting friendships...
Present and Past Activities and Projects
Feed Me Surf Coast
Start Date 2020
End Date Ongoing
Feed Me Surf Coast is a local charity that provides food relief for needy residents. Torquay Lions have been transporting the food trays every Wednesday to people from Anglesea to Grovedale.
Working Bees
Start Date
End Date Ongoing
Torquay Lions regularly have people in need of help brought to our attention. These usually involve help with gardening and/or house maintenance.
Lions Charity Bowls Days
Start Date 2016
End Date Ongoing
The Lions Charity Bowls Days commenced at the Torquay Bowls Club in 2016. The Charity Bowls Days have become a regular event held in January each year. Funds raised each year are donated to a single local cause.
Bellbrae Cemetery Maintenance
Start Date 2020
End Date Ongoing
Beginning in 2020 Lions Club members have been preparing plots for the internment of ashes and conducting regular maintenance of the grounds for the committee of management.
Farmers Market Christmas Cakes Sales
Start Date 2020
End Date Ongoing
During the COVID restrictions of 2020, with our usual methods of funds raising curtailed, we began selling Lions Christmas Cakes at the local Farmers Market and on our new Online Store attached to our webpage,
Club Vehicle
Start Date 2020
End Date Ongoing
In 2020 the club decided to purchase a vehicle for transporting equipment and members to events, The vehicle is also used to tow the BBQ and Lions Train Trailers. We have also been using the vehicle to transport food for Feed Me Surf Coast.
Beached Duck Races
Start Date 2020
End Date 2021
During the COVID restrictions in 2020, 2021 and 2022, with our usual methods of funds raising curtailed, we ran 3 Duck Races. The public bought (adopted) ducks at $5 each and then heats and a final were held with the winners receiving donated prizes.
Youth Pod
Start Date 2018
End Date Ongoing
Torquay Lions provided funding for a Surf Coast Shire relocatable drop in centre for the Shire's young people called the Youth Pod. The Pod has been recently refurbished and is presently located in Winchelsea.
Camp Licola Sponsorship
Start Date 2017
End Date Ongoing
Torquay Lions each year support an accommodation cabin and sponsor local children, who would otherwise never get to go on a holiday, to attend the Licola Wilderness Village.
Lions Storage Shed, Spring Creek Reserve
Start Date 2016
End Date Ongoing
Torquay Lions and Rotary Clubs funded the building of a storage facility at the Surf Coast Shire's Spring Creek Reserve to house both clubs' BBQ trailers, the Lions Train and other equipment.
Foundation 61 Sponsorship
Start Date 2016
End Date 2020
Torquay Lions have been sponsoring two rooms at Foundation 61, a non-profit drug rehabilitation centre for men, for 5 years. The club has donated a total of $50,000 to the Foundation.
Sale of Lions Mints
Start Date
End Date 2023
Members of the public are able to purchase Lions Mints in many shops and businesses around Torquay on an honesty basis.
Relay For Life
Start Date Unknown
End Date Ongoing
Each year the Lions Club sponsors its members to take part in the Relay for Life charity event that raises funds for Cancer Research.
Gilbert Street Summer Raffles
Start Date Unknown
End Date 2019
For many years Torquay Lions sold raffle tickets for a BBQ and a hamper in Gilbert Street during the Summer holiday season. Due to dwindling ticket sales this long running activity was abandoned in 2019.
Point Danger ANZAC Day Gunfire Breakfast
Start Date Unknown
End Date Ongoing
Every year at the ANZAC Dawn Service at Point Danger Torquay Lions prepare and serve the Gunfire Breakfast consisting of a sausage sizzle and rum laced hot coffee.
Torquay Schools Scholarships
Start Date Unknown
End Date Ongoing
Each December Torquay Lions award scholarships to a grade 6 boy and girl at each Torquay primary school. We also award the Matt Clay scholarship to a senior student at the Surf Coast Secondary College.
Good Friday Appeal
Start Date Unknown
End Date Ongoing
Each year Lions rattle tins around Torquay to help raise funds for the Royal Children's Hospital Appeal on Good Friday.
Bunnings and Cowrie Market BBQs
Start Date Unknown
End Date Ongoing
Torquay Lions regularly conduct sausage sizzles outside Bunnings in North Torquay and at the Cowrie Markets on Torquay's Elephant Walk. These are major sources of income for the club.
Recycling Spectacles
Start Date Unknown
End Date Ongoing
The Club collects used spectacles from the public and sends then to the Lions national organisation who send them overseas for visually impaired people.
Lions Youth of the Year
Start Date Unknown
End Date Ongoing
Each year the club organises a Lions Youth of the Year competition for local senior secondary students. The winner then goes onto the District Final and so on.
Australia Day Taylor Park Celebration
Start Date Unknown
End Date Ongoing
For many years the Lions Club have organised the Australia Day celebrations in Torquay's Taylor Park on behalf of the Shire Council. We organise the seating, PA system, entertainment and provide a free sausage sizzle for the public.
New Years Day Beach Clean Up
Start Date Unknown
End Date Ongoing
Early on New Years Day each year club members gather on the foreshore to clean away the rubbish from the previous night's celebrations and make the foreshore safe again for the public.
Lions BBQ Trailer
Start Date 2008
End Date Ongoing
A fit for purpose BBQ Trailer was built for the the club in 2008. This enables members to cook sausages in large quantities at events like the Cowrie Markets.
Torquay Lions Train
Start Date 2006
End Date Ongoing
The Torquay Lions Children's Train operates at the Cowrie Markets, school fetes and private functions around Torquay. The much loved little train is a steady provider of funds for the club.
Torquay Lions Retirement Village
Start Date 1999
End Date Ongoing
Torquay Lions organised the building of the Torquay Lions Retirement Village with the help of the Surf Coast Shire, the Commonwealth Bank, Roy Morris Solicitors, the architects, and builders and donations of $51,000 from the Club.
The Club continues to have three representatives on the Committee of Management.'
Analemmatic Sundial
Start Date 1995
End Date Ongoing
The Analemmatic Sundial on the Torquay Foreshore at Fisherman's Beach was designed and made by local artists, using 120,000 coloured ceramic tiles to depict traditional dreaming stories of the Wathaurong indigenous people. Routine maintenance is provided by the Lions Club.
Pub Meat Tray Raffles
Start Date 1990
End Date Ongoing
Every Friday night for 30 years two Lions Club members have sold raffle tickets at the Torquay Hotel for a $50 meat tray.
Deep Creek Walking Track
Start Date 1990
End Date 1991
The track, stretching from the Elephant Walk along the foreshore to Deep Creek then up to Fischer Street and onto the Surf Coast Highway, was built by Torquay Lions, aided by Torquay Scouts. Gravel and equipment was provided by the Torquay Foreshore Committee.
Elephant Walk Playground
Start Date 1985
End Date 1989
Elephant Walk Playground was constructed from 1985 to 1989. Torquay Lions Club members donated over 2000 man hours to the playground, including the BBQ shelter, and rotunda rest area, assisted by the Torquay Public Reserves, and the City of South Barwon.
District 201V2 Convention
Start Date 1983
End Date 1983
The Lions Club of Torquay, hosted their first, and only, District Convention, welcoming over 700 delegates and their wives from Lions District 201V2. A series of large interconnected marquees were erected, located on the camping ground, in Bell Street, Torquay.
Torquay Community Health Centre
Start Date 1974
End Date 1975
The Torquay Lions joined forces with the Shires of South Barwon and Barrabool, and the Senior Citizens Club, in forming a Bush Nursing Centre in Torquay. With assistance from Federal Government funding, a permanent Community Health Centre, was established in Bell Street, Torquay.
Torquay Senior Citizens Club
Start Date 1969
End Date
Torquay Lions helped establish the Torquay Senior Citizens Club and Clubrooms, in its current location, on Torquay Improvement Association land in Price Street, Torquay.
Formation of Club
Start Date 1969
End Date
The Charter Night was held at the Torquay Golf Club on September 13th, 1969, with Laurie Nairn officiating as Charter Chairman, and the Lions Charter presented by District Governor John Newand.
