A piece of Moreton Bay's sporting history

Published 18 October 2021

By Kelly Ashford
Local History, Moreton Bay Regional Council

Founder: Bill McLeod, was living at Margate when he first had discussions with Tom Maule and Hughie Harvey about forming a football club. While working at the Tattersalls Club they would meet at lunchtime in Bill’s car to discuss the team for the next Sunday game.

The first official annual meeting for the club was held in the Redcliffe Council Chambers on Thursday 27 February 1947 at 8pm.

The Redcliffe Dolphins have had a few names, they were first called, ‘Shellgrit’ referring to the shellgrit on the foreshore. Next, they became ‘Redcliffe Peninsula Rugby League Football Club’, then on entry into the Brisbane Rugby League they became ‘The Seagulls’, in 1968 the club executive chose the emblem as a Dolphin which remains to this day. Their club colours were originally gold and blue, in 1952 they changed to maroon and white.

The first place the club would meet was a wing of the original Moreton Bay Hotel they then moved to the Redcliffe Showgrounds.

Players would meet at the showgrounds above the old chook sheds. They later moved to the other side of the showgrounds where a besser block building was built as their clubhouse.

The land where the Dolphins play today was used for the disposal of refuse. The area was initially a reserve from Boardman Road to Ashmole Road and along Klingner Road. At that time, it was anticipated that the area would be used as this for a period of ten years. After this, the area would become a sport and recreation reserve.

Only a specified area at a time was used for refuse and once that reached its capacity the dump site was relocated to the next section.

When the first part of land was made available by the Redcliffe City Council the club managed to secure the area. Before the first match in May 1979, power, sewerage, dressing rooms and toilets had to be undertaken. The run through tunnel from the dressing rooms to the main oval was shipped from Western Australia.

Discover more about Moreton Bay's history online at Our Story: https://ourstory.moretonbay.qld.gov.au/