ACQUIRING THE LAND
The current location of Magpies Sporting Club was originally farm land. The club experienced some difficulties with the lease agreement because of the restrictions involving licensing on sporting grounds. A group got together to form a complex incorporating all Magpie Sporting Clubs for the purpose of raising funds and acquiring free hold land. The committee consisted of President Les Greenhill, Secretary Gar Houston, Vice Presidents Ray Toomey and Stan White, Treasurer Syd Duncan, Charlie Jensen, Charlie Ogilvie, Herb LeGarde, Col Kingsbury, Stan Sologinkin, Ernie Mooney and Bill Gibson.
Magpies had been fortunate some time earlier, when Les Greenhill, a former Wynnum Manly footballer had joined the club and agreed to accept a position on the building committee. Les had been transferred to Mackay as the principal of the TAFE College and was an ideal choice for president when the new committee formed. Les made a room at TAFE available to the committee for their meetings and because of his own experience with the Wynnum Manly Club he was able to offer sound and practicable advice. In time the Wynnum Manly constitution formed the basis of the Magpies constitution.
In addition to raising money, the committee also handled a multitude of negotiations with the Government and the Pioneer Shire Council with regard to obtaining freehold and leasing rights to the land that would be needed. The Government advised the committee that a consortium of several sporting clubs with similar interests would be necessary before approval for land ownership would be given.
The complex gradually absorbed other clubs, Walkerston Magpies Aussie Rules, Farleigh Magpies Cricket Club, Hockey and Touch Football. Some of these clubs were looking for grounds to train and play on, plus a place to hold meetings and enjoy social drinks. The Glenella Hotel was the local drinking hotel. An application was made to lease the grounds, after lengthy negotiations a special tenure lease was granted from the Queensland Governments Minister for Lands Mr Bill Glasson on 19th June 1981. This gave approximately nine hectares to build the licensed premises. The land was a freehold title, a considerable portion was reserved for recreation and agistment and right in the centre of the block owned freehold by the Chenoweth family. The Chenoweths deeded this block to the Pioneer Shire Council who in turn made it over to Magpies to be incorporated into the proposed lease. Magpies Football Club already held the lease to the land where Sologinkin Oval sits, Magpies Football Club surrendered its lease of this ground so the whole area on both sides of Glenella Road could be incorporated into the one lease, now granted to Magpie Sporting Complex.