Established in 1881, Balmain Bowling Club is the oldest continuously operating bowling club in New South Wales. It has weathered challenges, from dwindling memberships to financial pressures, but remains a cherished hub for lawn bowls enthusiasts and the local community.
Lawn bowls might be one of the oldest games on the planet. The English form of the game, which is played by clubs around Australia, can be dated back to the 13th century, however, the French boules and Italian bocce, which are similar forms of the game, have been traced back to ancient times.
Origins of Lawn Bowls in Australia
In any event, lawn bowls has certainly been a part of Australian sports and cultural tradition for almost two centuries. The first green was laid in Sandy Bay, Tasmania in 1845, and this became the site of the first club in Australia in 1846.
Over the next few decades, dozens of bowling clubs sprung up, mostly in NSW and Victoria. The first all-women’s club was established in Victoria in 1898. Lawn bowls continued to grow in popularity well into the 20th century, reaching a peak after World War II. At one stage, there were 800 registered lawn bowls clubs across Australia.
However, by the 1980s, the sport was seeing a notable decline in participation and over the following decades many clubs were forced to close. Lawn bowls had gained a reputation as being old-fashioned and something that people pursued in retirement; young people weren’t joining clubs.
Overcoming Challenges: Balmain Bowlo’s Fight for Survival
Balmain Bowling Club, the longest-running, still operating club in NSW, was also seeing this decline in numbers. In 2018, having clocked up some 127 years, the club was being threatened with closure; but it wasn’t all due to the decrease in membership. The club occupied a very precious piece of turf in a suburb of Sydney that had gradually become a real estate hot spot.
Thanks to an unfortunately placed zoning boundary, the club was subject to exorbitant council rates — more than four times what another bowling club a mere 500 metres away (but in a different zone) was required to pay.
It was an eleventh-hour amalgamation with St John’s Park Bowling Club that saved Balmain Bowling Club from extinction. Not only that, Balmain Bowling Club was allowed to retain its own identity, which meant its legacy would continue.
A Modern Bowlo for the Next Generation
Modern bowlos (as they are colloquially known) have transitioned into social venues with a broad range of offerings including good quality restaurants, function spaces, live entertainment, weekly games and events and a variety of other things.
Balmain Bowlo offers food and drink from 12 noon, Wednesday to Sunday. Each Saturday and Sunday afternoon you can also enjoy live blues music. It’s also a family friendly venue and on January 5, you can bring the kids in for a Superhero Kids Party.
Of course, bowls is still the main objective, but even there, Balmain (and many other clubs) are pivoting to offer something a bit more. The club has recently applied for approval to install a new synthetic green and overhead rain canopy which will allow them to offer all-weather bowling and bare-foot bowls, which are both very popular now.
Head to the website to find out more about what’s on at the club, and get your wrists primed for some bowling action.
Comments