‘We’re still here’: Nambour golf charity still swinging after forced move and downsizing

Team members, from left, Cameron and Morgan with Darrell Dalton.

A Nambour charity that uses golf to support people with intellectual disabilities is rebuilding two doors up from its former Currie Street home after months of lease uncertainty forced a major downsize.

Golf Programs Australia Incorporated, run by Darrell and Michelle Dalton, has relocated its shop from Chadwick Chambers to a smaller space the other side of Hologram Zoo (in the old  bank building), keeping its golf retail operation alive while much of its wider program remains packed away.

Mrs Dalton said the move was not a planned expansion or business decision, but a survival step after a dispute with the building’s new owners made the charity’s future uncertain.

“We’re still here,” she said. “That’s the important thing. We’ve been knocked around badly, but we’re still here and we’re trying to rebuild thanks to the overwhelming help of our volunteers and supporters.”

The charity had operated from its former premises for years, using upstairs retail space and a larger downstairs area for storage connected to its programs.

Mrs Dalton said the loss of space had been devastating. “It was a godsend but our new space is only a quarter of the size,” she said. 

The move means GPAI has had to shelve much of what it previously offered, including its gift shop, creative projects, social enterprise training space, golf simulator, Ye Olde Bottle Shop and other activity areas. “The golf shop survived, but the gift shop paid the price,” Mrs Dalton said. “And, financially, the limbs that had to come off are still bleeding.”

She said stock, equipment and materials were now spread across supporters’ homes, garages, containers and temporary storage spaces while the charity worked out how to recover.

“It’ll take us another year or two just to find everything,”  said Mr Dalton. “It was like it was all blown up and we had to find homes everywhere.”

Despite the strain, the Daltons were buoyed by the fact the charity had been carried by community support.

Michelle said a local family with a long connection to her stepped in at short notice to help secure the new shopfront. “They made heaven and earth move,” she said. “We couldn’t be more grateful.”

The charity has also received support from volunteers, families, local businesses, Glenview Par 3 Golf Course and donors to a GoFundMe campaign organised by Julie Smedley of the Nambour Chamber of Commerce, which has helped meet  legal costs of over $10,000.  

The disruption comes after GPAI’s successful inclusive golf events, including its charity Pro-Am and Special Olympics-linked activities, which Mr Dalton has continued to support despite the upheaval.

Mrs Dalton said the next step was to bring customers back through the door and begin rebuilding what had been lost.

“We can’t even afford proper signage at the moment,” she said. “We need people to know we’re here.”

GPAI’s immediate focus was keeping the golf shop operating, developing online sales, and gradually finding ways to revive projects such as Ye Olde Empty Bottle Shoppe.

“We need help to recover,” Mr Dalton said. “We’re doing the best we can in a tiny space, but we’re back. We’re still here.”

Golf Programs Australia Incorporated is now open two doors from its former Currie Street premises, near Hologram Zoo. See Facebook for information and updates and go to www.gpai.org.au.