Projects

Our club supports both the Goolwa Secondary College and the Goolwa Primary School and regularly engages in on school activities, assists with sports day and other event BBQS and sponsors specific projects within the college/school community. At the College we have held morning teas and talk for student leaders, sponsored a team of female students for their participation in the October 2023 Operation Flinders project. At the end of year the College award night we present a Lions, Student Good Citizen Award and prize to the student who over the year has consistently models good conduct and supported others. At the Primary school we have engaged students in Lions events such as, The Mad Minute, where students compete in fun, five-minute, public speaking, and Lions Peace Poster design. The club also presents all reception students at the year with a book, and all graduating students at the end of the

The YCE program has been around for 60 years. A Service Project in which Lions Australia and Lions International work together. The project is comprised of two major parts: international exchanges and international camps. Exchanges typically last for 4-6 weeks with the help of host families (Lions or non-Lions), sponsor clubs and host clubs. Camps last for 1-2 weeks and are operated voluntarily by the hosting Lions club. YCE gives youth from countries around the world, Including Australia the opportunity to travel around the world for the first and potentially the only time. In January 2023 two young travellers Alex, from New Zealand and Leo, from Texas shared a week living with Lions club members prior to them joining the formal camp. The concept is during their time with a host family they experienced daily life in Australia. Which they did and enjoyed. On the 17 January 2023 they joined

The Lions Club of Goolwa is concerned about the increasing rate of homelessness in the region. The club provides protection from the cold and basic toiletry needs to the homeless of Goolwa through our “sleeping rough” project. Our Lions Club purchase and delivers Swags within the community via Goolwa Uniting Church, Open Door. We also collect donations of toiletries such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, deodorant, tissues, combs, and brushes, which are made into packs and delivered. It is not unusual for there to be a knitted beanie in the pack when the local knitters get busy. We love it when the community supports the project by leaving a variety of donations in our book shed. Every donation helps. Everyone has toiletries gifted to them that are not what they would normally use. Why not pass them on? Lions are always happy to accept donations to support more people in need.

The Goolwa community donate used stamps to our club where they are trimmed, sorted, and packed ready to send off to the Australian Chapter of the Lions International Stamps Club. They then go to auction in Sydney by The Philatelic Association of NSW who provide stamp collectors with a wide range of services. The total money raised from donated stamps donated to the Australian Lions Childrens Mobility Foundation where it assists with the purchase of walking and other mobility aids with the aim of getting children out of a wheelchair and on to their feet. Their motto is “Walk with pride.” In 2022, with the support of Lions Clubs across Australia, the Stamp Club gave a cheque for $60,000 to the Foundation to assist in purchasing and donating needed mobility devices. Please ask your family and friends to save and pass on their used stamps to Lions for this worthy

For about 30 years the Lions club of Goolwa were responsible for coordinating the Goolwa Christmas pageant. As we know pageants were halted due to Covid restrictions and have not re started. However, this has not kept Santa away. Every year our club hires a magnificent horse and carriage, decorated for the occasion. We persuade Santa, who loves Goolwa to visit the local primary school, children’s centre, and Community Living Australia, where he and his helper, (a Christmas fairy) hand out ice blocks. Santa also rides in his carriage down the main street of Goolwa to the oval where he joins the Christmas celebrations, greets the children in his grotto and hands each one a gift. The Lions Club of Goolwa Santa is much loved. To see the reaction of the local community, both children and adults, is priceless.

The Murray Smith Park is located at Dawson St in Goolwa. A place to enjoy the amazing scenery and the sounds of wildlife while sitting in a large gazebo, overlooking a small lake. A medium-sized fountain in the middle of the lake provides the calming, serene sound of running water. the park has BBQ and Toilet facilities and is dog friendly. The striking Gazebo was provided and built by the Lions Club of Goolwa. A great place just to sit and gather your thoughts or to share a BBQ afternoon with family or friends.

Locally known as “Used Spectacles” the project has been operating for over twenty-six years. It has delivered over seven million pairs of refurbished spectacles to people in need throughout the world. Even with the impact of Covid, collections in Goolwa have remained constant. Last year the club was able to dispatch an amazing 5000 pairs of used spectacles. Collection points in Goolwa include Pharmacies, Opticians, and the Lions Book Market. Thanks go out to members of our community for their continued support of this vital cause. The Lions Club of Goolwa is proud to provide this essential service and assist in providing vision to impaired people worldwide.

Also known as the Lions Park. Situated at Currency Creek, 5kms from Goolwa on the Strathalbyn Road the Lions Park is a perfect spot for a family picnic amongst the tall gums with the backdrop sound of the running creek. The picnic area and the walking trail were built by the Lions Club of Goolwa and opened on 15 May 1977. The park has clean facilities and is well visited by locals and travelers, especially those who enjoy a not too strenuous hike. Things to see and explore include a waterfall, an old railway viaduct built in 1884, an old copper mine, canoe tree and a cemetery with the first headstone dating 1850s.

The Lions Club of Goolwa is privileged to be part the Lions Hearing Dog Project. Our club has in recent times sponsored two dogs, Zorb and River. In addition, several dogs have been fostered by club members before they begin their official training, to socialize with the dogs and give them the basics. Members have also been trained as volunteers to, under supervision, oversee the dogs during probationary training. Both Zorb and River have passed their training and final assessments, they are now assisting their companions Anthony and Trish by supporting their abilities to enable daily living activities. The Lions Hearing Dogs program is truly amazing and is now being partnered by a new Medical Alert Program.

As you will probably know Goolwa is a relatively small town even now. Like most small rural towns, we do not have our own newspaper and any local news fights for page space in the newspapers of the Southern areas or Fleurieu region. In 1982 the Goolwa Lions Club commenced a project, the Community Newsletter, to deliver free news, and promote local events and items of interest to the residents of Goolwa. The newsletter is produced monthly and is now distributed broadly, with five hundred copies being produced. One popular feature in the newsletter is, Around the Town, historical stories and events described by local historian and Lions Club of Goolwa Charter Member Frank Tuckwell OAM. But there are many more historical, community and general interest stories. The newsletter also prints reports from other service clubs in the area and advertises local businesses and stores. All profits from the project

The on-line store started in 2021, although the developmental work commenced a little earlier. Set up and run by Lion Andrew Schiller during Covid, the on-line store provides an opportunity for book collectors, readers looking for specific topics and students to search through hundreds of books, buy on-line and have them delivered to their homes. The books are sorted by Andrew from the vast number of general books donated to our Book Market. Books sold for the year 2021-2022 numbered between 600-700 supplementing funds raised by our book market. In many cases the valuable books sold online are being purchased by international clients.

Often referred to as the Lions book shed the market has become a local icon. When it first started it was a small outlet selling popular fiction to Goolwa residents. It was staffed by Lions members and a substantial source of fundraising. Now, the book market has a huge, diverse range of books, fiction, non-fiction, and wonderful children’s books. There are also CD’s, DVD’s and puzzles available. The book market now has a roster of around 25 volunteers, both Lions and people who just love books. Money raised annually now is probably five times what it was when the market opened. Although the Book Market is a major source of fundraising for our club it has become more than that. It’s about people, it is loved and visited regularly by our residents and those in surrounding communities. It is also much loved by holidaymakers and weekend visitors who can’t come

A very well constructed and maintained bird hide situated on Barrage Road Goolwa a short distance from the Goolwa barrage. It is a wooden hide, set low amongst surrounding reeds looking into a small lagoon on the Murray River. It was a project supported by the Department of Tourism, local Council and Signal Point. The hide was built, funded, and constructed by the Lions Club of Goolwa in July 1987. The hide is popular with bird watchers and photographers from all parts of Australia and overseas. It is open from 8.00am till 5.00pm, has wheelchair access and bench seating inside. The site has countless species of resident birds and many visiting migratory birds depending on the season.

As part of the Alexandrina Council Australia Day Celebrations, you can start your day with a tasty breakfast with the Goolwa community hosted by Lions Club of Goolwa. Traditionally from 8.00 till 11.00am on Australia Day, at the Goolwa Bowling Club residents and visitors can enjoy a traditional Australian breakfast including, cereal, juice, eggs, bacon, sausages, baked beans, toast, coffee, and tea. Cooked lovingly by Lions members. All profits raised are used to support community projects and donations to charities.

Each year at 6.00am on 25 April, Lions members attend the Goolwa RSL – The Cuttings Dawn Service to remember and honor those who served and died, in all wars and conflicts and peace keeping operations and all those who have suffered. The Lions Club of Goolwa lays a reef in remembrance.