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Of the Annual meeting 1923 the Star newspaper reported that:  “A large number of oarsmen gathered at the City Hall on Saturday night on the occasion of the 52nd Annual meeting of the Ballarat City Rowing Club. The club flag was draped at the head of the room in which an attractive repast was providedContinue reading “1923 On the way back”

This season saw the return of champion rower and athlete, Charles Suffren to the Ballarat City fold. Charles had learnt his rowing at City and then transferred to Ballarat Rowing Club where he won numerous championships. Under his tutelage there was a marked improvement in the club’s regatta racing. For the season the club hadContinue reading “1922”

The 50th Annual meeting was held at Craig’s Hotel. The president was Mr. A. W. Bennett. At this meeting Mr. E. Balhausen offered to the club a copy of the photo of the Champion Four from the 1870’s of A. Gibbs, J. Fitzgerald, E. Tregaskis, and W. D. Dawson with F. Dawson coxswain. Their timeContinue reading “1921”

I have chosen to copy this report verbatim to give an indication of the social and sporting tone of the club in this era. It is taken from the Ballarat Courier Monday August 30th 1920 The annual meeting of the Ballarat City Rowing Club was held at the City Hall on Saturday night. The presidentContinue reading “1920 Roaring into the 20’s”

Finally the war was over. The boys were at last coming home. Life could begin to return to normal. Sadly the world would never be the same and many of the boys did not return. Of those that did return many would never be the same again either. “With the signing of the armistice andContinue reading “1919”

A meeting was held on Saturday February 9th, 1918 to restart the activities of the club after the war . This notice appeared in the meetings column of the Ballarat Star: BALLARAT CITY ROWING CLUB A meeting of members and intending members of the above club will be held at the boatshed, Wendouree Parade, onContinue reading “1918 Return to rowing”

Forty five names appear on the list of Ballarat City members who enlisted for World War One. There should be many more, as many members previous to 1914 had moved away from Ballarat and enlisted elsewhere or they were older men who were no longer active members of the club when they enlisted. One suchContinue reading “1917”

By the middle of 1916 all three rowing clubs had sent almost all their young men to the Front. Essentially there were only the veterans and young boys left. By October 1916 for example seventy one men had enlisted from Wendouree Rowing Club alone. Ballarat City Rowing Club was in the hands of a caretakerContinue reading “1916 The growing toll”

As I write the blog tonight, Victoria is entering 6 weeks of lockdown because of COVID 19. The boatshed will be shut for another six weeks. In 1915 the club was winding down too but for a very different reason. The young and not so young oarsmen were signing up to fight overseas. Everyone thoughtContinue reading “1915 Winds of War”

“Under ordinary circumstances, Lake Wendouree, with its surroundings, is generally conceded to be a place of rare attractiveness: but on Saturday, with View Point, boatshed balconies, and all other commanding positions occupied by seasonally attired gatherings, and the expanse of water flecked with craft of various descriptions, the spectacle was at once inspiring and interesting.Continue reading “1914 Calm before the Storm”