Published July 2025
Brisbane City Council have denied a charity assistance from The Booroodabin Bowls Club despite the club receiving a Community Support award for the partnership in March.
The Boo Bowls Club manager Jeffrey Crawford believes their central location has helped the charity.
“It made it quite easy for volunteers to catch the train to Bowen Hills and wander down to the club after their shift,” he said.
The bowls club and Orange Sky had partnered from September 2024, allowing the charity to park vehicles in their carpark, but the council demanded a formal subletting agreement for this to continue.
“The work that Orange Sky do is awesome, offering their laundering and showering services to homeless people,” Mr Crawford said.
“We had a simple handshake arrangement with Orange Sky, but Brisbane City Council wanted us to have a formal subletting arrangement.”
The charity has parked two of their vans, equipped with washing machines, in The Boo’s parking lot, but now have until August to find another option.
A council spokesperson said, “The Booroodabin Bowls Club told Council’s Connected Communities team they decided to not go ahead with the process of formally subletting to Orange Sky.”
Mr Crawford said the vans would temporarily return to the charity’s offices in Stafford as he believes vacant land in a central location is difficult to come across.
“I’m disappointed that we can’t continue the arrangement with Orange Sky,” Mr Crawford said.
“I also totally understand where Brisbane City Council is coming from, and we certainly wouldn’t want to do anything that would jeopardise the lease here.”
