The Australian Academy of Martial Arts was established at Wishart by Graham Keleher and operated continuously under his leadership in the Mt. Gravatt district for 42 years. The Club has faced challenges with the loss of its training hall (Dojo) since Shihan Keleher (now 75 years old) retired from the financial and day-today operation of the Academy.

The AAMA Karate-Do Club Inc. assumed operation of the Club as a fully volunteer operated, incorporated not-for-profit, community club in January 2015. Prior to this time the AAMA Committee searched for 9 months to identify a suitable, financially viable, and secure long term leased facility. It is extremely difficult to find a timber floored hall where our training mats can be in place for 5 days per week. After 19 unsuccessful inspections we secured a medium term lease with Mt. Gravatt Hawks Soccer Club. This terminates in December 2018.

We have developed a strategy to utilize a local venue in Upper Mt. Gravatt as a financially viable and stable, long term, leased facility. This was supported, in part, by a Federal Government Community Development Grant with the aid of MHR Ross Vasta, and a grant from the Queensland Government Development of Sports and Recreation with the aid of MLA Corrine McMillan. The AAMA Club Committee developed a staged plan to construct the new Dojo on Council land with the assistance of funding from multiple levels of Government and our own building fund - The AAMA Karate-Do Club Foundation.

The AAMA Karate-Do Club has demonstrated a sustained record, over a 46 year period, of delivering programs that enshrine courtesy, respect and self- discipline in its students of all ages (from 4 to 79 years old). Additionally students develop the capacity to focus on the task at hand. Our quieter students ‘develop a voice’ and our boisterous, athletic and well coordinated students become more accepting of the capabilities and developing capacity of others. This all contributes to a cooperative environment devoid of egos, which is an antidote to bullying in our Club and in the community. The most rewarding feedback our instructors receive, is when parents tell us how their children have become more courteous and respectful towards their parents and siblings, and how they are more self-disciplined and focused with their studies.

This project will enhance our capacity to deliver these attitudes, skills and capabilities to more students because, through success with this funding drive, we will have the opportunity to complete construction our new Dojo on Council leased land and thus dramatically increase our training area and offer improved facilities for our Club Members and their Parents and help our volunteer operated, not-for-profit, Club increase participation in our Sport.

Please make a Tax Deductible Donation to our AAMA Karate-Do Club Foundation today and support us in building our new facility in Mt. Gravatt.