From mining to the soccer field, they quickly made Mount Isa their home and in return gave the community the home of European entertainment The Concordia Club.

Joe Helf was working in the mine and I dont know how he got the piece of land from the mine and then thats when it started in 65, recalled spritely, 93-years-young, Dora Schulz.

All the building was done by volunteers and it took four years to build."

Her husband, Werner, Harry Morgan Snr, Franz Born, Joe Helf, and Gerd Bretschneider were among the early volunteers who started work on the foundations. And on weekends, Paul Pankratz and Joe Schmider would carry on with the brickwork.

It didnt matter that the new club in town was called the Austria-German or Concordia, either way locals couldnt get enough of the new social scene.

But taking advice from Jim Foots, the general manager of Mount Isa Mines, the new club formalised its name to Concordia to include membership of people from many European countries.

To mention The Concordia evokes memories of social dances with the resident band The Dominos, Bingo and Oktoberfest for its beer, beer, glorious beer.

Mount Isa had never experienced anything like the Oktoberfest; a party celebrating German beer, German bratwurst sausages, sauerkraut and the oomph-papa knee slapping Germanic national dances.

And dont forget our dolls! said Dora who would dress the dolls in national costume and sell to raise funds for the club.

In an interview with The North West Star in late 1965, Werner Schulz said, The proposed clubhouse would be a combination of old and new.

We hope to retain our national customs and at the same time help newcomers to Australia and Mount Isa to intermix more freely and to become happy and settled members of the community.

Dominoes, International Revue and Checkers were just three of the local bands that regularly lured social goers onto the dance floor on Friday and Saturday nights while Baggins Disco would spin the latest hits at the Sunday sessions in the Beer Garden.

And once the social hall was extended to hold 300 people there was no stopping the scope of entertainment hosting functions for Miss Australia Quest entrants, Bar Attendant of the Year and various talent quests.

A further extension on the southern side included a barbecue and beer garden area which regularly became a shooting gallery for air rifle enthusiasts.

Under the careful eye of Bob Wilcocks and Robin Hull, of the Mount Isa Sports Depot, the new sport quickly found a regular following, including enthusiast Tina Drent, who helped to establish the Concordia Air Rifle Club.

The Germans not only loved their national beer, they loved to sing.

And in the mid-seventies, they formed a choir, Gluckauf, which is a German miners greeting meaning good luck.

Their dulcet tones were made sweeter when Rachel Bohlen (a Sydney Conservatorium of Music mezzo soprano graduate and wife of the club manager, Hans) joined the choir along with local identities, Gail and Peter Beard.

The Concordia Club upheld the adage of behind every good man there is a good woman which in this case referred to the womens auxiliary whose president for the lifespan of the club, was Dora Schulz.

The consistency of Werner and Dora Schulzs commitment to the Concordia never faded as Werner held the position of secretary (until his death in 1981) and Dora continued to fundraise for the clubs many projects.

Val Pinsker (Mount Isa Mines project artist) and Franz Born (Concordias first president) ensured the authenticity of the club décor from the timber lined main bar through to the European style restaurant.

But the piece de resistance was Vals distinctive three metre high and one metre diameter beer stein sitting proudly on the roof line above the Concordia Club name.

And such was Franz Borns persuasion that he convinced the owners of the Eidelweiss Restaurant, situated in Camooweal Street, to transfer their kitchen to the new club.

I was really happy when Wally and his partners (at the Eidelweiss) agreed to move to the club, said Dora.

Because they brought their recipe for Vienna schnitzel it was my very favourite and everyone else liked it too.

But it wasnt long before the restaurant had outgrown its size and a new one was built on the northern side.

Always at the fore of the club was its commitment to the community; either by way of providing a venue for fundraising functions or the introduction of German and European festivals and customs such as Karneval each February and Oktoberfest in October for the enjoyment of everyone.

Just about every German national in Mount Isa has held office as a committee member of the Concordia Club including Joe Schmider, Egon Buehler, Hans Bohlen along with Pippenbacher, Drent, Fueg, Marsiske and Gnoth.

With a variety of entertainment, from Bonanza Bingo with its weekly $1000 Jackpot, to 50-50 music at the social dances, air rifle shoots and the Gluckauf choir to a taste of German cuisine, The Concordia Club extolled friendliness at every corner.

So it was with great sadness that the club closed its doors in the late 90s; not for want of entertainment but rather the generational move to a new outlook on community involvement for payment.

With sadness in her eyes, Dora said, It closed because there were only a few of the old ones left and the young ones didnt want to work for nothing; nobody wanted to work with no pay. Today they all want to be paid and it doesnt work this way.

For Dora and her husband Werner and their countrymen, they knew all too well the meaning of money, but more importantly they knew the meaning of community and thankfulness; for without either Mount Isa would be poorer without the memories of oomph-papa-ing to the Chicken Dance at The Concordia Club.

Researched and written by Kim-Maree Burton.

Visit www.kimmareeburton.com

Information sourced from the archives of the North West Star with personal recollections of Dora Schulz.