In 1958, our club decided Roma's older people deserved somewhere to live.
Nearly seventy years later, we're still running it.
Pinaroo Roma Inc. is a not-for-profit residential aged care facility on Bowen Street — started by this club, and directed by this club to this day.
It began with a club meeting, a handful of raffles and a borrowed truck. Here's how it grew.
Roma's Rotary Club proposes pensioner cottages for the town's older people.
Fundraising begins under President Rex Gray — raffles and community events. Norm Smith famously secures a truck to shift supplies.
Bill Ewan becomes chairman and helps fast-track approvals.
Built on loans and community support. Roma's older people finally have somewhere to live.
A $100,000 bequest from Mrs McGowan — granted on the condition the project was actually operational. It was.
12 single rooms and an amenities block, officially opened by Queensland Premier Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen. Government subsidies matched $3 for every $1 the club raised.
Opened by the Member for Roma, Hon. K.B. Tomkins MLA.
More rooms, upgraded facilities, better accessibility.
The Lions Club leads the committee for a decade — service clubs working together.
Formally incorporated, with committee membership limited to Rotarians and their partners — locking in club stewardship.
26 new units, a commercial kitchen and a 12-bed Special Care Wing. A $10.5 million project, with $7.7M from the Commonwealth.
Two more wings constructed, and a wing renovated as a future second Special Care Wing.
After a land swap with St John's School, the club revives the old school canteen at Pinaroo into its own clubhouse — opened 1 April 2026 by the Hon. Ann Leahy MP — Member for Warrego, Minister for Local Government and Water, and Minister for Fire, Disaster Recovery and Volunteers — with Cr Wendy Taylor, Mayor of Maranoa Regional Council, in attendance.
Pinaroo isn't something we did once and walked away from. The management committee is made up of Rotarians and their partners, and members are still on the tools.
Club members at a Pinaroo working bee, September 2023 — planting out the gardens at the independent living units.
The Pinaroo management committee is drawn from the Rotary Club of Roma — chaired by Howard Hobbs AM, with Greg Gibson, Kate Field, Paul Anderson, William Sheehan, Marisa Grulke and Norm Fowles.
Day to day, Pinaroo is led by CEO/Facility Manager Melanie Calvert and her team.
Recent club work includes the Pinaroo playground and soft-fall project, funded through a Rotary District Grant.
Our clubhouse sits at Pinaroo — inside our own biggest project. It used to be the St John's School canteen.
Cutting the ribbon at The Engine Room, 1 April 2026.
After a land swap with St John's School, the club inherited the school's old canteen — a tired little building on the Pinaroo site. Members set about reviving it.
It's now The Engine Room: the Rotary Club of Roma's own clubhouse and meeting space. Fitting, really — the club's home now sits within the project it started back in 1958.
Officially opened on 1 April 2026 by the Hon. Ann Leahy MP — Member for Warrego, Minister for Local Government and Water, and Minister for Fire, Disaster Recovery and Volunteers — with Cr Wendy Taylor, Mayor of Maranoa Regional Council, in attendance.
Our flagship project and our vocational award keep pointing at the same people.
CEO & Facility Manager, Pinaroo · Jim Baker Medal recipient, 2019
Melanie leads the club's largest project — and in 2019 the club recognised her with the Jim Baker Medal for Vocational Excellence, our highest vocational honour. Lesley McCormack, Pinaroo's Domestic Supervisor, was a Jim Baker nominee in 2018.
“All persons needing care are of equal value and should be admitted regardless of race, creed, colour or social status.” — from Pinaroo's mission and philosophy
Residential aged care, independent living units, and the Pinaroo Injune Retirement Village. For care enquiries, availability and careers, visit Pinaroo directly.
Visit Pinaroo Roma → Call 07 4622 1061
50–66 Bowen Street, Roma QLD 4455