FCAQ History

The Feather Clubs Association of Queensland Inc was originally formed in 1959, under the title of “All Feathered Clubs Advisory Council (AFCAC) (Qld).” 

An Interim Committee elected at the time, drew up a constitution based on that of the All Feathered Advisory Council of NSW. The suggested constitution was discussed and approved at a special meeting held at the Exhibition Grounds on Saturday December 5th, 1959. Mr Cliff Edwards of Kingaroy, one of Queensland’s better known fanciers at the time, was elected as foundation President, with Mr Bill Clark filling the Senior Vice President position and Mr Bill Hughes appointed to the Junior Vice President Role. The position of Secretary was filled by the RNA’s Mr Don Mountcastle, then Honorary Secretary for the Queensland Chamber of Agricultural Societies.

The Edwards Presidency period lasted for most of the ensuing decade. Cliff lived in Kingaroy and the meetings in those early days were held in Brisbane. To fulfill what he considered his duty as President, he would drive as far as Rosewood the day previous, after completing a day’s work on his property, and stay overnight with Roy and Merge Kerle. The journey to Brisbane was completed the following day in Roy Kerle’s vehicle, picking up Ipswich Poultry Club delegates en-route. During Mr Edward’s term in office the AFCAC QLD held 3 annual socials, all at a Brisbane venue, and at a time to suit fanciers, who would be visiting the Royal Show on the first Saturday.

Mr Merv Shannon became the second president of the AFCAC (Qld) and Mrs Nola McCullough succeeded Mr Don Mountcastle as Secretary. Mr Shannon was replaced in the role by the AFCAC (Qld)’s longest serving President, Mr Eric Dowdle, often referred to as Queensland’s ‘Mr Poultry’. Eric became the Council’s first direct link between AFCAC (Qld) and the Royal National Agricultural and Industrial Association of Queensland. At that time he was Honorary Chief Steward in the Poultry Section at the Royal National Show, subsequently being appointed Honorary Council Steward in 1982.

The first judges panel came into existence in 1961 and was reported on in the Poultry Newspaper of April 8, 1961 where it was stated “At a recent meeting of the All Feathered Clubs Advisory Council (Qld), a judges panel and breeders directory in booklet form was finalised. Copies of the booklet may be obtained from the Secretary of the Council, Royal National Association, Creek St, Brisbane. The meeting decided to seek information concerning an insurance cover for judges, while employed by showing bodies which, it was stated, could be arranged.”

The position of Judges Registrar was established in later years in the early 1970’s with Mr George Glover performing that function and holding that position until his untimely passing in 1992. Mr Noel Matthews of Toowoomba took over the reigns as Secretary from Mrs Nola McCullough forming a very innovative partnership with Mr Eric Dowdle as President, overseeing a new direction for the organisation. The poultry fancy in  Queensland saw a further move away from the centralised approach previously adopted by the Council and meetings were now held in various country centres around the state.

Noel Matthews was the brains trust behind the organisation of several Annual Shows held in conjunction with the AFCAC (Qld) General Meetings at venues such as Maryborough, Monto, Rockhampton, Mackay and Townsville. It was during this period of time that publicity officer Mr W.E.(Dempsey) Bailey moved a motion at a meeting at Maryborough whereby the judges nominations from affiliated clubs for the ensuing year’s Royal Show would be carefully considered by AFCAC (Qld) committee, with the final submission of three names for each section forwarded to the Royal. This proved to be successful and provided the Royal Poultry Committee with a respected list of judges for their consideration. In those days the annual meetings were held each year on the first Sunday of the Brisbane Royal Show in the CWA meeting rooms in Gregory Terrace, not far from the Royal Show Grounds. Just prior to the passing of Noel Matthews, the Council saw fit to present an award to both Noel and Eric Dowdle, for their untiring services and contributions to the organisation.

With the sad passing of Noel Matthews, the Secretarial reins were taken on by Tony Wonka of Brisbane. During his brief term in office, the organisation saw the move away from an advisory body to an association that has since that time provided a more regulated approach to the administration of poultry in the state of Queensland. It was during Tony Wonka’s term in office that the poultry fancy in Queensland, saw the introduction of an exhibitors registration system to help offset the cost of a public liability insurance scheme for all affiliated clubs. This has proved a very successful revenue earner for the Association allowing it to fulfill its commitment to exhibitors here in Queensland.

With the stepping down of Tony Wonka from the Secretarial position, Mr Dudley Monement of Ormeau took on the position for a few years in the early 1990’s. In late 1990, the Association lost one of it’s greatest supporters, Mr Eric Dowdle and so with him passed an era in poultry administration in the state of Queensland. The following year also saw the passing of Mr George Glover and in the space of 4 years the association lost three great supporters namely Noel Matthews, Eric Dowdle and George Glover.

The Association under the leadership of Bill Gow as President and Dudley Monement as Secretary, saw fit to award life membership to George Glover, Bill Mayer and posthumously to Eric Dowdle in 1991. Sadly Noel Mathews was never provided with this worthy recognition for his services to the association. Under the Bill Gow – Dudley Monement term of office the association continued to hold meetings in the country areas of the state, encouraging support from those outlying centres.

The FCAQ continued to support the Brisbane Royal Show and with the passing of Eric Dowdle generously donated the trophy to be awarded to the Grand Champion Fowl of Show and it became known as the ‘Eric Dowdle Memorial Award’. When George Glover passed away in 1992 a similar award known as the ‘George Glover Memorial Award’ was first awarded at the 1993 Royal Show to the recipient of the Reserve Champion Fowl of Show. In 1993, Rod Lucht of Maryborough, took on the position as President of the Association with Mr Geoff Reimers of Toowoomba elected to the position of Secretary. Under that administration the Association instigated and organised three very successful poultry seminars that were held, firstly in Maryborough in 1995, and Caboolture and Townsville in 1996. They proved very educational and a great social gathering for all those fanciers who were in attendance. Another seminar was held at Greenbank in 1997.

In 1997, John Lingard was elected as Secretary. Owen Glover took on the position as President of the Association in November of 1998, after the mid term resignation of Mr Rod Lucht. In May, 1998, the association awarded Life Membership to Mr W.E. (Dempsey) Bailey for his services to the organisation in various positions including Publicity Officer and State Representative on the Australian Poultry Standards Project Committee, who met in that historic meeting in Melbourne in February of 1998. The FCAQ played an instrumental role in the development of the standard and its eventual acceptance by the poultry clubs and fanciers of Queensland. Dempsey passed away in 2010.

David Simons of Caboolture was elected to the position of Secretary in 2002, with Sue Quantock of Bloomsbury (between Mackay and Proserpine) taking up the reins in 2007. Betty Wilson of Boonah served as Secretary from 2008 to early 2011. Following the mid term resignations of the President and Secretary, an interim committee comprising of Linda Jones (Interim President), Dejonn Simons (Interim Secretary) and George Bissell (Treasurer since 2002) managed the affairs of the Association until the Annual General Meeting in August 2011, when they were elected to the roles, along with a largely new committee.  

Wayne Ingleton was elected to the Committee in the position of President in 2012 and served for two and a half years.  In 2015 the Association gained a new Secretary, Sonja Park, who served for two years assisting the new President, Peter Reinke.  The makeup of the current committee can found on the Committee page.    

There are approximately 60 affiliated member clubs throughout Queensland. A list of member clubs can be found on our ‘Clubs contacts‘ page. 

Secretaries

Don Mountcastle

Nola McCullough

Noel Matthews

Tony Wonka

Dudley Monement

Geoff Reimers

John Lingard

David Simons

Sue Quantock

Betty Wilson

Dejonn Simons

Sonja Park

Beverley Yip

Nathan Maher

Nicole Taylor

Steve Wood