ABOUT AA ON REDCLIFFE PENINSULA
Members of the Moreton Bay North District in Area B, NE Region are celebrating the 70th anniversary of AA on the Redcliffe Peninsula by holding a Rally. While researching the history, we discovered that Redcliffe members had previously held an annual Rally during the late 1980’s and early 1990’s.
The Redcliffe Peninsula is on Moreton Bay, 35 kilometres north of Brisbane and comprises of the suburbs of Clontarf, Kippa-Ring, Margate, Newport, Redcliffe, Scarborough and Woody Point.
Our main source of information comes from the “Your Pathfinder” archives at the Brisbane CSO. We found two articles about the beginnings of AA on the Peninsula. I would like to quote from these articles.
The first is from May 1972, titled “HOW AA CAME TO SCARBOROUGH”. Summary of first part of the article: From September 1955, each Monday night three AA members, Kevin W, Doug B and Matt caught the bus from Scarborough to Sandgate to attend the AA meeting that was held in the Sandgate Town Hall.
“One Monday night in November 1955 the Secretary of the Sandgate Group informed the members present that he had been informed by the Caretaker of the Sandgate Town Hall that the hall would not be available to AA on Monday the 15th as it had been booked long in advance by another organisation. All members were disappointed as AA members rely a lot on their weekly group meetings to help maintain their sobriety. At this point, Kevin W suggested that Sandgate Group come over to Redcliffe on this night and have their usual meeting at his residence. All the members were agreeable for, after all, the boys from Scarborough were making the trip to Sandgate every week.
So, Scarborough had its first meeting on Monday 15th November 1955. It was suggested at this meeting that Scarborough hold a weekly meeting and have it on a Friday night. This would allow them to get in two meetings a week. Sandgate members said they would make the trip over on Fridays to help it get off the ground. Well, it certainly got off the ground. It grew from three members to eight in less than 12 months.
During this period the existence of the group and its fellowship had come to the notice of the Rev. Father Frawley, (now Monsignor) Parish Priest at Scarborough. He very generously made available to the group the use of his VW Kombi Van so that the group would continue to do the good work it was doing and be able to take the advantage of getting to the two meetings each week.
It was not long before this group was growing too big to be accommodated at Kevin’s residence and had to look for new premises. This time we were generously granted the use of a hall owned by the Presbyterian Church in Jeays Street, Scarborough. Scarborough group members are happy and proud to say that there has been a meeting in this hall every Friday night since.”
The second article is from November 1973 titled “SCARBOROUGH BIRTHDAY MEETING – 16.11.73”.
“I have enjoyed the privilege of being present at the inaugural meeting of the Scarborough Group of Alcoholics Anonymous in 1955 and to have belonged to that Group to the present day.
I remember so well our first open meeting in November 1956 which was held in the Scarborough Parish Hall (now a part of the De La Salle College). No one counted the heads, but I do remember that we all agreed that there were well over the hundred present. I do remember that our old friend Dan was one of the speakers and Ernie the first secretary of Central Office also spoke, and he presented to the Group a copy of the Big Book and a copy of the Little Red Book which is still in our possession, a treasured memento of that memorable night.”
Even though there is no longer an AA meeting in Scarborough, AA is very strong and continues to grow on the Peninsula. Currently, there are six meetings a week in Redcliffe and there is still a close connection with the Sandgate members. The oldest group in Redcliffe is the Monday morning “Redcliffe Recovery Group” which started in February 1991. We do not know any members who are still alive and were a part of the Redcliffe Peninsula AA Fellowship before 1991. Hopefully, there might be someone reading this who was and would be happy to share any of their experiences and recollections with us. Or maybe some who attended any of the Redcliffe Rallies from 1989 onwards. You can contact us via email: redclifferally@gmail.com