The Early Years 

One Saturday in 1969, during the drive home from Caboolture Golf Club after a regular round of golf, Don Mullen, a leading figure in the Bribie Island community at the time, and Bribie’s Police Sergeant, Jim Jeppesen asked each other why Bribie did not have a golf club of its own – and promptly decided to start one.

In 1969, the number of dwellings on the island was 3,922 which was a significant rise from the early days without the bridge (which opened in 1963). The establishment of a golf club would take considerable funds and assistance from the local community, so Don and Jim set about approaching a number of influential people. Shire Chairman Frank Unwin and two councillors, Otto Fluck and Edwin Schrag, along with Lands Minister, Vic Sullivan and regular island visitor David Nicholson, Speaker of the Queensland Parliament, offered support. Don investigated several possible sites for the golf course and prepared a submission for a piece of land which was set aside as water and recreation reserve at Skirmish Point.

The founding fathers of the Bribie Island Golf Club wanted an expert’s opinion on the land that they sought to build the course on and approached Arch McArthur, professional golfer and greenkeeper. Arch had already designed courses in Queensland and was highly respected in Queensland Golf. After looking at the proposed site, Arch said that it reminded him of his native St Andrews and it was one of the finest sites for a golf links that he had seen in Australia. This was a sentiment that he expressed at the meeting of Bribie residents on Sunday, 15th June 1969, a meeting called to discuss the formation of a golf club and the election of a committee.