Summary

Lions International is a not for profit, volunteer organization conducting community and humanitarian work throughout the world. In 2023, there are approximately 1.4 million members world-wide.

Lions Australia (Lions International District 201) is Australia's largest service organization with more than 1300 clubs in Australia and Papua New Guinea. Lions Australia promotes youth, supports medical research, provides aid to people with disability and facilitates disaster relief.

District 201 Q2 covers the large and geographically diverse area of North Queensland (reaching as far south as Sarina) and Papua New Guinea. Currently there are 64 Lions Clubs, 3 Branch Clubs and 6 Leo Clubs working with the community throughout the district. In Papua New Guinea there are 5 Clubs in Tabubil, Port Moresby, Madang, Lae and Lae Lioness.

In 1942 the first Lions Club for District 201 was established in Buna, Papua New Guinea followed by North Queensland with the formation dinner held in October of 1956 for the Cairns Lions Club.

In 2022, District 201 Q2 donated to JCU Library Special Collections 5 large Albums (each one approximately 66 x 62 cm) housed in their own, individual custom-made boxes. Each Album presents a chronological history of various Clubs' events and projects through a compilation of information from a variety of sources including District Governor's reports and notices, meeting minutes, occasional newsletters, photographs, news articles, event invitations and programmes.

In total the Albums document the history of the Lions Clubs in this region of Australia and Papua New Guinea from 1956 through to 2003. They include the activities of Clubs in District 201 Q2 and 201 Q4 as during this time (1991) the geographical boundaries were adjusted to remain in line with Lions International's operating rules. Note that in 1972 the re-districting of District 201H into two separate districts – District 201 H and 201 T, was enacted. These were then renamed to 201 Q2 and 201 Q4 (respectively) in 1977.