The Queensland Junior Farmers Organisation was founded in 1947. The name was changed to the Rural Youth Organisation Queensland in the mid 1960s.
Close to 200 clubs provided social and educational resources until 2005, at which time the changing outlook among young people led to the organisations demise.
During the organisation’s 58 years of existence, thousands of lives were changed for the better due to the programs that were introduced and encouraged by a series of dedicated organisers and advisory committee members.
It would be a shame if the story of RY were to pass into history without a record of the important work that it achieved.
There must be thousands of stories of skills attained, personalities developed for the better, citizenships enhanced, public leaders trained for office, friendships formed, lasting marriages initiated and so many lives enriched during those ‘growing up’ years.
A small committee has commissioned the writing of a book, using the residual funds of the defunct organisation to cover writing and publishing costs.
The book will record, for all time, those important years of activity.
Former members are invited to submit their memories, personal impressions and copies of old photos for consideration in compiling this record.
Jan Veacock, who was a RY member in the 1960’s, has already written an account of the events that led to the formation of the Junior Farmers Organisation under the direction of Tom Williams in 1947, as part of her work that achieved her Master of Arts Degree some years ago.
She has been asked to continue the record covering the next 58 years and would be pleased if past members, advisors and past staff members would send her their memories and records of their time with JF or RY.
Your contributions can be posted to her at 28 Walsh Street, Harlaxton 4350 or emailed to janmveacock@yahoo.com.
If you would like to talk to Jan, her phone number is 4632 7741.
She is particularly keen to hear from people who were members in the first 10 or 12 years of the organisation’s existence because many have passed on and those who remain must all be ‘getting on’ in years.
Records of those early years are rather scarce and would be very welcome.
- Ken Gold