Big Changes For QCWA

Kingaroy-Kumbia QCWA Younger Set founders Charlene and Brooke Lavaring; the new Younger Set branch will be holding a Come & Try Day on February 9

January 24, 2012

There’s some big changes brewing in the South Burnett branches of the Queensland Country Women’s Association (QCWA).

They include the formation of a new Twilight branch and a Younger Set branch.

They’re changes to meet the times and – in some ways – slight changes of direction, too.

But if all goes well, they’ll be positive and beneficial ones which will help breathe new life into one of Queensland’s most respected and iconic women’s organisations.

90 Years Of Support For Queensland’s Rural Women

The QCWA has been supporting the State’s rural women since it was formed on August 11, 1922.

It’s a non-political, non-sectarian, not-for-profit group with 274 branches spread across Queensland from Wallangarra to Cooktown, and west to Mt Isa.

Although it was originally set up so that only women whose income was derived from the land could become full members, this was later changed.

Today all Queensland women can become members, regardless of their location, employment or income.

The QCWA run classes, workshops and competitions in “traditional” domestic skills like cookery, dress making, floral art, handcrafts, knitting and crochet.

They also run regular cultural competitions in the areas of essay writing and public speaking, music and drama and photography.

At its heart, the QCWA exists to support women – particularly rural women – by providing companionship, educational and community interests in a friendly and supportive environment.

The South Burnett currently has nine active QCWA branches: Hivesville, Kilkivan, Kingaroy, Kumbia, Maidenwell, Nanango, Proston, Wondai and Wooroolin.

In 2010 the former Yarraman QCWA branch closed down through lack of members. And last year – with a great deal of sadness – the Murgon branch did the same.

The problem that has been chewing away at this long-lived group over the past few decades is that its core membership has been ageing and new members haven’t been coming aboard to replace outgoing ones.

At least part of this problem comes from the change in women’s work roles over the last 90 years, especially since the 1960s and 1970s.

When the organisation was founded – and for many decades afterwards – women mostly worked at home. So QCWA branch meetings were held during the daytime when the children were at school and the husband was at work.

However the growth of women entering the workforce which began during World War II means that most women can’t attend daytime meetings these days unless they’ve retired.

A second part of the problem is that while domestic and cultural skills are still important, they’re not quite as important to modern women as they used to be.

Instead, many women are now more concerned about a range of issues that weren’t much of a problem 90 years ago – such as trying to balance work and family life; trying to fit all the things they need to do into a day; or trying to find ways to relax and acquire new skills in a way that fits easily into a hectic schedule.

To tackle the first problem, last year some QCWA branches began experimenting with “Twilight Meetings”, which are shorter than daytime meetings and held in the evening.

This is similar to the style adopted by service clubs like Rotary, Lions, Apex and Quota, and it’s helped to draw in new members.

Next month Kingaroy will be launching its own Twilight Branch, holding its first night-time meeting on Wednesday, February 13 at 5:30pm in the 1913 Council Chambers at the rear of the Kingaroy Visitor Information Centre.

The new branch will be independent from the existing Kingaroy QCWA, which will continue to meet during the daytime on the second Friday of each month at the Kingaroy QCWA Rooms.

But if the Kingaroy Twilight Branch proves successful, then others may appear around the region too in future.

To tackle the second problem, the changing interests of modern women, a new Kingaroy-Kumbia QCWA Younger Set is being formed.

It will be holding a “Come & Try Day” in the 1913 Council Chambers on Saturday, February 9, from 1:00pm to 4:00pm, and organisers Brooke and Charlene Lavaring are eager to see as many girls and young women as possible come along.

Younger Sets are branches of the QCWA designed especially for women under the age of 25.

As well as participating in the traditional skills the QCWA is well known for, Younger Sets provide plenty of opportunities to develop personal and leadership skills; get involved in public speaking, debating, music and drama; learn meeting procedures, become involved in the local community; and develop international ties.

Ultimately, because Younger Set members will also be the ones who shape the future of the QCWA in the 21st century, new ideas are very welcone too.

You can find out more about the new Kingaroy Twilight Branch by phoning Lois on (07) 4162-3824; Marian on (07) 4164-5578; or Elaine on (07) 4163-7167.

You can find out more about the Kingaroy-Kumbia QCWA Younger Set by phoning Brooke on (07) 4164-3000 or by visiting the Come & Try Day’s Facebook page.