Clive Brooks arrived in Alice Springs in January 1971 with his wife, Natalie and family of 3 children. The whole family took an instant liking to the town and soon friendships and acquaintances were made with many locals.
Clive and Natalie eventually bought a home in Bloomfield Street in the late seventies and took great pride in growing fruit and vegetables in their back yard. After purchasing some laying hens, Clive joined the Poultry Club which Roger Vale was running at the time. Clive became heavily involved with the club and was the instigator of bringing a judge up from Adelaide for the Alice Springs Show. By bringing in an inter-state judge, it was hoped to raise the profile of poultry breeding and inform local breeders of new trends and practices. This was to become a regular feature for the Poultry Section at the Alice Springs Show.
The Alice Springs Show was still being held at Traeger Park in this period and the Poultry Pavilion was a very basic tin shed with no frills whatsoever. The club did the best they could, but funds were in short supply. When the decision was made to shift the Showgrounds out to Blatherskite Park, the Poultry Club physically moved their tin shed from Traeger Park.
Once the shed was set up at Blatherskite Park, the Poultry Club swung into action with Clive at the helm. Working bees were held regularly with new cages built, painting done, a lean to added on the western side and another extension added to the eastern end complete with a cement floor. The members of the Poultry Club were a very social, dedicated group who were passionate about fostering awareness of breeding and raising poultry in Central Australia.
In the early eighties, the prizes for winning entries in the Show were donated goods rather than cash. Clive’s son, Anthony, remembers winning a toolbox and an electric blanket at different times for his entries.
Clive was steward of the Poultry Section of the Alice Springs Show from 1980 to 1986 and stepped down from the position due to heavier business commitments with Territory Business Suppliers. He often spoke of time spent with the Poultry Club folk with great enthusiasm, affection and humour and he was pleased to have given back to the Alice Springs community which provided his family with a great lifestyle and hometown.
