Back in 2004, Paddy Allen from Maranoa Oilfield came up with the idea of putting on an Oilfield Golf Day in Toowoomba. I believe Paddy had close ties with the Roma Oil Patch Golf Day, and thought a second golf day in Toowoomba would also work.
He rang around a few guys in Toowoomba working in the Oil and Gas Industry, and from then we had our first meeting at the Toowoomba Golf Club.
Attendees at the first meeting were, Paddy Allen ( Maranoa Oilfield) Marty Curly (QGC), Aleena Jensen (EWG), Troy Beetson (Origin), Wayne Hatfield (Then Mansell’s), Barry Wright and John Weldon ( Ensign).
It was at that meeting we formed the first committee, having as President Paddy Allen, Secretary and Treasurer Aleena Jensen, and the rest of us just sat around and drank.
It was at the first meeting we decided on the Toowoomba Golf Club as our venue, and they have been very receptive to that day for the last 10 years. Also decided was to hold the golf day in February of each year, and it has been a success ever since. We wanted the day to be approx. 100 players, and try to have as much middle to senior management from all the oil and gas companies, so as all could get together on the day.
In our first year, the day was sponsored by Mr John McPhee from General Petroleum Oil Tools, and John also donated the Annual Perpetual Oil Patch Trophy. Every year since, General Petroleum Oil Tools has helped us out with a donation or prize to be won on the day. By the way, the winners of the first Toowoomba Oil Patch Day was won by Tony Belgrove and John Weldon.
If it wasn’t for Paddy’s insight and hard work in the beginning, this day would never have eventuated. There are still a few on the committee now that were there in the beginning, Wayne Hatfield, Troy Beetson and John Weldon, all three still sitting around drinking. None of this would have happened also without the support of every company that has donated and supported the day by showing up and sponsoring.
