After well and truly putting the scourge of neo-Nazism and race-hate back in its hole, the residents of Toowoomba got down to the serious business of lawn bowls.

We tip our flat caps to you Toowoomba; what an ingenious way to build bridges.

No sign of bias at lawn bowls event

18.07.2005

IN THE midst of troubling rumours of white supremacists at work in the community, an Aboriginal elder from Toowoomba has extended a hand — and a bowl — of friendship to the city’s international community.

Mr Jim Hagan, a member of the West Toowoomba Bowls Club, came up with the idea of hosting a multicultural lawn bowls event as a way to forge closer ties with people from diverse cultural backgrounds.

“Toowoomba has its social justice problems,” Mr Hagan said, “but we have to accept that our population is multicultural.

“This event is a start, and lawn bowls is a very good, friendly game.”

At least 35 people took part in the event, including many from the city’s Aboriginal and Sudanese communities.

“Most people think lawn bowls is for older people, but it’s an activity for young and old,” Mr Hagan said.

For most participants, it was their first attempt at lawn bowls.

Hong Eng Goh, a Chinese USQ doctorate student from Singapore, said she found the game challenging.

“It is slow and therapeutic,” Miss Goh said.

“I’d like to play it again.”

For visiting Turkish academic, Perihan Guner, who arrived in Toowoomba on Saturday, the event was her first impression of the Garden City.

“It is very good…interesting,” she said.

Garang Dut, from Sudan, said he wasn’t very good at the game, but was having fun trying.