John Stokes
Commodore
John was appointed Commodore at the AGM in 2015 and has been a Director on the Board since 2012. John came to Townsville in January 1993 and did his first Townsville to Dunk Island race on Waithara IV skippered by Rollo Rolleison. He has been a member since then and owned Border Reiver a Cavalier 32, Diablo a Farr 11.6 and now sails Mach 1 a Bravaria Match 38. John and his wife Betty have enjoyed the friendship and camaraderie of the Townsville Yacht Club for many years. John believes the club should be for all of us that enjoy the sea, enjoy our yachts and foster the pursuit of good seamanship. He has raced and cruised for many years and tries to understand and support the principles that make membership of our club a great pleasure.
Mike Steel
VICE COMMODORE
Mike was appointed to the Board in June 2015. Mike has been an active member of the Townsville Yacht Club since 2005. Prior to this he had crewed on yachts at the club in the 1980’s and off the beach racing at the Townsville Sailing Club during the 1990’s. As a member of the Townsville Yacht Club, Mike held the position of Sailing Captain for two years from 2010. After this role he continued as the clubs representative to the SeaLink Magnetic Island Race Week executive committee. Mike continues to be an active racing competitor with his Dufour 36 ‘Boadicca’ and is a marina berth owner at the club. Mike is a partner in RLA Finance which specialises in commercial equipment and property finance products.
OWEN STANLEY
TREASUrer
Owen was appointed to the Board in June 2017. Owen was appointed as Treasurer in February 2020. He has been a member of the Club since 1986. Initially he sailed and raced Teddy Bears Picnic, a Farr 37 and now Tap Dancer, a Farr 11.6. He and Jen have always enjoyed the friendship that the club has provided. Throughout his working life, Owen was an academic economist, but undertook consulting and managed a consulting company. At one stage he was head of a University School which employed over 100 staff, and involved managing the School in campuses in Townsville, Cairns and Singapore, and teaching arrangements in Sydney, Melbourne and China. Owen is now retired and is keen to see the club continue to develop its boating and business activities, and its friendly culture.
Murray Whitehead
Secretary
Murray was appointed Secretary in June 2012 and previously held the position of Commodore for 3 years from June 2007 to June 2010 and has been a Director since 2003. Murray is a retired Environmental Planner and Manager with extensive experience in state legislation, statutory process and project management. He has been instrumental in achieving security of the clubs land and lease asset base and managing the marina construction and shore side upgrade. Besides his strong involvement in the business side of the club, Murray is a very keen supporter of strengthening the club and family participation in the sport of boating and is active in supporting School Team Sailing with his children and he is the Club’s Discover Sailing Principal. Murray and his young family are keen sailors on ‘Savanna’, specializing in cruising, island exploring and the occasional race. Murray was appointed a Life Member of the Club at the 2014 AGM.
Tony Muller
Rear Commodore / Director
Tony served as Commodore from 2012 to 2015 and he is a Life Member of the Townsville Yacht Club. Tony has been a Director on the Board since 1990 and also held various Flag Officer positions as Vice Commodore from 2010 to 2012 and Treasurer from November 2000 to June 2010. He is a Certified Financial Planner and a partner of FINPAC, a local investment and insurance advisory firm, where he manages the insurance practice. Tony and his wife Selena have enjoyed their return to sailing since purchasing their yacht "Brava".
Mick Malone
Director
Mick was appointed to the Board as a Director in December 2013. Mick is employed as a Tug Master within the Port of Townsville. He has been an active member and volunteer for the TYC since 2005, when he fell in love with Townsville after sailing here from his hometown in southern Tasmania on his 31ft yacht. He grew up on the water and has extensive experience on both yachts and motor boats including trips to Antarctica, Sydney to Hobart races and delivering boats to many different destinations around Australia. Mick and his wife Cherie have previously volunteered on the Townsville Cruising Yacht Club committee and currently own a 42ft power catamaran, in which they are actively exploring the coastal waters of Australia.
Terry Price
Director
Terry was appointed to the Board in June 2015. Terry holds a Bachelor of Applied Science (BUILDING), a Diploma of Property Operations and is a licensed Electrical Fitter/Mechanic. Terry is a retired Facility Manager with 40 years experience in Facility/Property and Project management across northern Australia with Airservices Australia. He has been sailing on & off for 38 years starting on a cobra cat (The Phantom) off the beach at Pallarenda. He has been a member of Townsville Yacht Club since 2000. Being an empty nester, with his wife Rhonda, Terry is keen to get on with the joys of sailing - mainly cruising, island hopping and the occasional race in his current boat My Way.
Vicki hamilton
Director
Vicki was appointed to the Board of the Townsville Yacht Club as a Director in December 2013. In August 2016, Vicki was appointed as Treasurer. After deciding to take a short break from the Board early in 2020, Vicki was re-elected as a Director at the AGM in July 2020. She is also a director of JCU Early Learning Centres Pty Ltd and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Vicki has worked at James Cook University (JCU) since 1995 in various professional roles, and is currently the Director of Planning, Performance & Analytics. Vicki has had a life long association with the Yacht Club, is a keen and experienced sailor. She is currently racing skipper of Akarana, owned by Ian Hamilton, and winner of the Commodore’s Cup in 2019.
MAL CHARLWOOD
Director
Mal was appointed to the Board in 2020. Mal joins us with a strong background in property, tourism and hospitality, and has owned and operated both motels, resorts and game fishing and charter boats. Mal was involved in the establishment and operation of the Country Comfort Motel chain in NSW and southern Queensland before moving to Mission Beach in the late ‘70s. Here he purchased and operated a motel, which he redeveloped (as part of a joint venture) in 1985 and built the Castaways Beach Resort and Dundee Park (which was a crocodile farm and zoo). During this period Mal also identified a need for fishing boats in the tourism realm and purchased two game fishing boats and a 24m Quick Cat. From 1999 onwards Mal managed hotels for friends and has slowed down slightly and is currently a licensed Real Estate Agent and Auctioneer. Mal is also currently a Director of Townsville’s community radio station 4TTT. Mal is berth owner and enjoys time on the water in his 21ft Bertram Caribbean.
CHRIS KERR
Director
Appointed to the board in June 2022, Chris is a Master Mariner and Marine Pilot at the Port of Townsville, and has a Graduate Diploma in Maritime Management. Chris is also a Commander in the Naval Reserves. Apart form his work as a Marine Pilot, Chris has his own businesses as a Marine Compass Adjuster and also as a Mediator and Dispute Resolution Practitioner.
Chris comes from a long seagoing career, having sailed in and commanded internationally trading merchant ships as well as naval patrol boats in Northern Australia. He enjoys recreational boating, has been an active member with the Townsville Yacht Club since 2017. Chris’, current vessel “Blue Horizon” is a 45’ Horizon flybridge motor cruiser which is berthed at the Townsville Yacht Club marina.
In addition to Chris’ working career, he has had a long association with community organisations like Rotary and the Mission to Seafarers, and has held several Board, Director and Leadership positions.
LANCE DENBY
Director
Lance was appointed to the Board in June 2022. An active member of the Townsville Yacht Club over the last 6 years, his association with Townsville Yacht Club dates back to 1989.
Lance has run an innovations business in Townsville since 1995, specialising in satellite communications and many other new technologies. Lance brings experience from several other roles including Senior Vice President for the Nursery and Garden Industry Association of Queensland, of which he was a Board member for 5 years, Board Member with Townsville Sunrise Rotary for 8 years (including a term as President) and an appointment to the Queensland Government Protected Plant Management Advisory Committee.
Lance has been actively involved in both the social sailing and racing activities with his current boat Ostara, a 38ft Bavaria, and currently holds the position of Chairman of the Sailing Committee. Lance has a keen interest in supporting and continuing to develop the strength of the TYC, promote its activities and encourage the benefits of Club participation.
