About Us
About Us
Our Club History
The Lions Club of Canberra City, sponsored by the Queanbeyan City Lions Club, was chartered on 30 June 1958. Our Club went on to charter 5 other clubs: Kambah, Belconnen, Cooma, Woden Valley, and Canberra Valley.
During the 1960s and 1970s membership of the club blossomed with as many as 80 members. The projects undertaken were very ambitions, overseen by members with trades expertise while other members and their families pitched in to deliver successful outcomes. The club restored and resold damaged caravans, and even built houses to raise funds. The club commenced what would later become the Canberra Home and Leisure Show, built a dip pool for Marymead, and gave support to Koomarri. A fire engine that now resides in the ACT Fire Museum was restored and rebuilt by the club, and members of supported Sailability assisting young people with disabilities to learn sailing.


Canberra City Lions were early supporters of the Canberra Festival and the Food and Wine Fest. An annual art show to highlight the work of young and emerging local artists was held for 20 years in the 1980s and 1990s. Golf days were held to raise funds for Guide Dogs, and fun lawn bowls events were also held as fundraisers. The annual World Festival of Magic, or Magic Show, was first held in Canberra in 1992 and sponsored by Canberra City Lions, and continues to this day providing an afternoon of entertainment to needy families in the Canberra region. While in 2017 Lion Rhondda Edwards became the first female member of the Club, which now boasts that one-third of its members are female.

2024/25 Club Executive Members

President
Troy Stevens
President | Pat Cullinan |
1st Vice President | Tony Farrell |
2nd Vice President | Karen Doyle |
Secretary | Pat Cullinan |
Treasurer | Simon Scott-Findlay |
Membership Chair | Bill Edwards |

Secretary
Tony Farrell

Current Life Members
John Edmonds
Mick Brice
Melvin Jones Fellowship Recipients
Melvin Jones founded Lions in 1917. His intention was to launch a club that had community service as its primary aim. The first Australian Club was formed in 1947 and today Lions worldwide has a membership of over 1.3 million in more than 200 countries. The Melvin Jones Fellowship Awards recognize the outstanding persons who have made a significant contribution to Lions.
Melvin Jones Fellowship recipients include:
Mick Brice
Ron Coffey
Jack Cook
Bill Dunn
John Edmonds
Bill Edwards
Rhondda Edwards
Reginal Frankel
Tony Golby
John Gorman
Keith Gould
Peter Guild
Peter Kobold
Paul Murphy
Rick Scheeren
Margaret Wilson
Pat Cullinan
Troy Stevens
Tony Farrell
Robert Johnson of Hardwickes Accountants
Past Presidents
Year | Name |
---|---|
2024-25 | Patrick Cullinan |
2023-24 | Troy Stevens |
2022-23 | William Edwards |
2021-22 | Anthony Farrell |
2020-21 | Anthony Farrell |
2019-20 | William Edwards |
2018-19 | William Edwards |
2017-18 | Rick Scheeren |
2016-17 | Rick Scheeren |
2015-16 | Rick Scheeren/Glen O’Hara |
2014-15 | Bill Dunn |
2013-14 | Reg Frankel/Bill Dunn |
2012-13 | Barrie Cole |
2011-12 | Barrie Cole |
2010-11 | Rick Scheeren |
2009-10 | Rick Scheeren |
2008-09 | John Hayhoe |
2007-08 | Reg Frankel |
2006-07 | Peter Kobold |
2005-06 | Keith Gould |
2004-05 | Keith Gould |
2003-04 | Ron Coffee |
2002-03 | Ron Coffee |
2001-02 | Jack Cook |
2000-01 | Jack Cook |
1999-00 | Reg Frankel |
1998-99 | Des Curnoe |
1997-98 | David Royle |
1996-97 | Rob Colson |
1995-96 | Brian Robinson |
1994-95 | Bill Gargill |
1993-94 | Patrick Brown |
1992-93 | Eric O’Sullivan |
1991-92 | John Edmonds |
1990-91 | Peter Hill |
1989-90 | Eric O’Sullivan |
1988-89 | Ron Coffee |
1987-88 | Gary Dengate |
1986-87 | Peter Kobold |
1985-86 | Bill Dunn |
1984-85 | Nick Guides |
1983-84 | Tony Tonkin/ Darryl Organ |
1982-83 | Tom Van Lent |
1981-82 | Ron Coffee |
1980-81 | Jim Lyndall |
1979-80 | Ian McLaren |
1978-79 | Peter Sullivan |
1977-78 | George Lloyd |
1976-77 | Eric Lee |
1975-76 | Michael Richards |
1974-75 | Peter Pilka |
1973-74 | Ian Robertson |
1972-73 | Bruce Livingstone |
1971-72 | John Gorman |
1970-71 | Graham Edwards |
1969-70 | Barry Kirk |
1968-69 | Ken Hardwick |
1967-68 | Max Wheeler |
1966-67 | Tom Colquhoun |
1965-66 | Gordon Bowdon |
1964-65 | Gordon Cameron |
1963-64 | Arnold Forrest |
1962-63 | Bruce Bowen |
1961-62 | David Pitt |
1960-61 | John Hunter |
1959-60 | Arthur Smith |
1958-59 | Bill Graham |

Lions Clubs are part of community life, in metropolitan cities and in country regions. Clubs are easily identified by our distinctive Logo, the trademark of our International Association, and the ‘We Serve’ motto.
Lions Australia is part of an international association, with people who are joined by the common desire to make their communities better, by using their creativity, enthusiasm and energy.
Lions Clubs International membership currently stands at over 1.4 million in around 45,500 clubs in approximately 202 countries. During the year, individual Lions Clubs perform over 1,500 services each day in their local areas, bringing the association to a level of service never before known.
We are part of the greatest humanitarian service force that has ever existed.
Membership is open to all people of the community in good standing, 18 years and older.