The Carey Park Football Club began it’s existence in 1914 as the Young’s Men’s Social Club, with football & rowing as it’s main recreations. Soon the name was changed to the Young Men’s Pastimes Club. The first football team formed by the Pastimes Club was a junior team, which lost all its games in the first season. The senior teams were then Lumpers, Railways and South Bunbury . Railways later became Bunbury.
In 1920 the Club won it’s first Premiership and it’s name was changed to the Pastimes Football Club in 1921. Success came early, for in 1923, they were undefeated to become Premiers and Champions. They won again in 1924 and 1925 and were runners up in 1926. Further Premierships followed in 1932 and 1938. Still functioning as Pastimes, the Club won the Sunday Times Trophy for winning three consecutive Premierships in 1946, 1947 & 1948.
In 1956 it was decided that the Club should center its activities on the growing suburb of Carey Park and accordingly the name was changed from Pastimes. At a special meeting in 1959, members decided that the players of the Carey Park Football Club should be known as the Panthers. Since the name change to Carey Park the Club has won seven League Premierships in 1963, 1973, 1986, 2003, 2006, 2008 & 2009. This was the first time since becoming known as Carey Park that the club had achieved back to back league premierships.
It took many dedicated members to get Kelly Park to become the home ground for the Club. It wasn’t until 1971 that the Club was able to open its first premises at Kelly Park and a further 4 years to have a licensed bar and lounge that abutted the existing hall. The new bar and lounge were officially opened on 30 th October 1975 .
The Club had its headquarters at Kelly Park but still had to share Hands Oval with South Bunbury as its home ground. After being first told that Kelly Park could not fit a football oval on it, the Club finally gained approval from the Bunbury Town Council to start construction of fencing, scoreboard, press box and ticket box to make Kelly Park the Club’s home ground. After many voluntary hours the Carey Park Football and Sporting Club (Inc) played its first home fixture against Busselton on 23 rd April 1978 .
In 1980 a new building incorporating two change rooms, gymnasium, showers and first aid room were opened and then in 1983 the Oval Room was created to cater for any type of function.
The Carey Park Football Club has a long and proud past and this cannot be highlighted better by the fact that the award for the best and fairest League player each year was inaugurated in 1947 by Mr. Tom Harris, in honor & memory of his two brothers who with Tom played for Pastimes. This award is still sponsored by Tom’s family.
Over the years the Club has produced many great footballers, including Keith Hough and Sammy Clarke who both went on to win this State’s highest award, the Sandover Medal. Our most recent high achiever has been Jamie Bennell who was drafted by the Melbourne FC at pick 35 in the 2008 draft. He went on to debut n his first season in 2009. Another player to have played at the highest level has been Paul Barnard who played for both the Hawthorn & Essendon Football Clubs and achieved the ultimate team goal in 2000 by being apart of the winning AFL Premiership side. Troy Ugle who represented the West Coast Eagles and triple East Perth Premiership Captain Jeremy Barnard are other players to have passed through our system.