What’s happening?
Brothers Leagues Club Townsville is taking part in Community Clubs Awareness Week 2026, which launched statewide from 14 to 18 September. The campaign recognises clubs as places where people can gather, form relationships and participate in community life.
Clubs Queensland has placed face-to-face communication at the centre of this year’s campaign. The focus responds to growing concerns about loneliness and social isolation across Queensland.
Why it matters
Community clubs are membership-based, not-for-profit organisations that provide services for members, local residents and regional visitors. Their operating surpluses return to communities through financial support, non-cash benefits, shared assets and volunteer involvement.
Clubs Queensland CEO Kelly Egan described clubs as an important source of personal contact.
“Community clubs are still Queensland’s real social network, providing that one-on-one connection that is increasingly missing in people’s everyday lives,” Mr Egan said.
He also said clubs allow people to spend time together through activities or informal social contact.
“Community clubs are a true means of connecting people and uniting communities, allowing people to participate in a vast array of activities together, and to simply socialise,” he said.
Local Impact
Brothers Leagues Club Townsville gives the awareness campaign a direct link to the local community. Its involvement places Townsville within a broader discussion about the importance of meeting people in person.
Mr Egan said Queenslanders use many different clubs as regular gathering places.
“Queenslanders meet every day at our community clubs whether they be sporting clubs or surf lifesaving, RSL, cultural, ethnic or special interest organisations,” he said.
That contact can extend beyond planned activities, as staff sometimes notice when regular members stop attending.
“Clubs are that social hub, a central point for their community, whether it be giving someone a chance to volunteer with a new group or providing the platform for them to build new friendships. So often there are cases where a club employee has noticed a member’s absence and will check in on them to see if everything is okay. That’s the kind of community presence we foster at all of our clubs.”
Mr Egan said the awareness week offered an opportunity to recognise this community role.
“These clubs offer so many positive social aspects and Community Clubs Awareness Week provides the chance to spotlight these contributions.”
By the numbers
- Queensland has more than 1,100 community clubs, which collectively account for 5.6 million memberships. Among almost 1,000 surveyed members, two-thirds preferred face-to-face communication.
- The industry provides employment for more than 34,000 Queenslanders and receives support from 42,000 volunteers.
- Clubs return over $549 million in community contributions while generating more than $2.5 billion in annual economic activity.
Zoom In
Clubs Queensland surveyed members about their communication preferences during a period of increased digital media use. The results showed that speaking with people in person remained a major reason for visiting clubs.
Mr Egan said people were increasingly seeking social contact through familiar local venues.
“Queensland’s community clubs continue to go from strength to strength with members increasingly turning to their ‘local’ to obtain that social interaction and a great visitation experience,” he said.
While digital devices provide constant communication, Mr Egan said they cannot always replace the familiarity of a local club.
“In an age where people are increasingly turning to their devices for company, it is nice to know there is that mainstay around the corner where people not only know your name but know your story and feel part of that story.”
Zoom Out
Loneliness and isolation have received greater government attention as physical interaction declines within communities. However, community clubs continue providing places where people can spend time together.
Their presence also extends throughout Queensland, including regional communities such as Townsville.
“Our network of clubs is perfectly situated to help with these physical connections with a presence in almost every town and city across Queensland,” Mr Egan said.
What To Look For Next?
Community Clubs Awareness Week will continue placing local meeting spaces within the wider discussion about social isolation. In Townsville, Brothers Leagues Club provides residents with a local connection to the statewide campaign.
The focus may encourage more people to join activities, volunteer or spend time with others through their local clubs.
