AVOCA BEACH BOWLING & RECREATION CLUB
A BRIEF HISTORY

Compiled by Garry and Helen MacFadyen

(on behalf of the Anniversary Committee – 2020)

Late in 1959 a group of Avoca Beach residents came together with the idea of forming a bowling club. These discussions culminated in the inaugural meeting of the Avoca Beach Bowling Club. John Haslip was elected Chairman while Bill Doe accepted the position of Secretary. Others present at that meeting were Charlie Barton, Norm Scott, Stuart Taylor, Tom Lukes, Jim Hunt, Charlie Walder, George Ranson and Rick Rickman. With a promise of 300 pound and approximately 50 interested members, a site was selected. Peter Brand was instrumental in securing a ‘cow paddock’ at a very reasonable price from Sandy Smith.

The first General Meeting of the club was held on 6th July, 1960 at the Avoca CWA rooms where all prospective members were reformed into The Avoca Beach Bowling and Recreation Club Ltd. Elected office-bearers were: Hugh ‘Pop’ Jeffrey – President, Peter Brand and John Haslip – Vice Presidents, Stuart Taylor – Secretary, Dick Pickett – Treasurer, while Norm Scott, Bill Doe, Ellis ‘Buster’ Smith, Jim Hunt, Charlie Gray, Tom Luke and George Ranson as committee- men. At this time the Avoca Beach Surfclub was the Bowling Club’s registered office. Also at this meeting plans were formulated to begin work on the club. During August and September the ground was cleared and No.1 green constructed on a contract price of 3,342 pound by Beattie and Frost. Bryant Bros. used their tractor to rip up the couch grass in the paddock of the motel opposite the club. Members bagged the grass and transported it to Jim Chalmers who put it through his chaff cutter. The turf was returned to the club and planted by volunteers. With the assistance of Gosford Bowling Club’s greenkeeper, Des McLean, Sandy Smith took charge of the green and became our club’s first greenkeeper. The green was later fenced with wire netting to keep out the rabbits and foxes. By April 1961 the green was playable and in May of that year the first organised game of bowls commenced at our club with greenfees at 1 shilling.

The ladies were a wonderful support to the men, pitching in with assistance in a range of different activities such as gardening and landscaping. Many happy days were spent on the new green with the women supplying thermos tea and scones on builders scaffolding. Names that were well-known were Thelma Doe, Ethel Slim, Glad Taylor and Ella Scott. The clubhouse building was commenced in May 1961 and members of that committee were Len Slim, Bill Doe, Ray and Albert Winter, Buster and Sandy Smith, Jack Woods, Pat Britton, Ron Way, Ted Johnson, Jim Hunt, Vic Warrington and Tom Lukes.

On the 13th May, 1961 the ladies had their inaugural meeting at the CWA rooms and the following office-bearers were elected: Mrs G. Taylor – President, Mrs S. Hunter and Mrs L. Pickett – Vice- Presidents, Mrs E. Scott – Secretary and Mrs J. Rickman – Treasurer. The Ladies club was affiliated with the NSWWBA in July, 1961 and its official opening took place on March 19th, 1964. On 31st July, 1961 the clubhouse was advanced enough to host its first meeting on its own premises. Britton and Crosland had completed the building on Sept. 4th for about 8,000 pounds (valued at 15,000 pounds). On the 7th October the club’s liquor licence was granted and the bar opened with Resch’s beer on tap and four poker-machines in place. Donations of indoor and outdoor furniture, kitchen accessories, plants, shrubs etc. all combined to give our club its community – friendly appeal right from the beginning. Many women volunteered on a roster basis in these early days to maintain the services of the club at the highest standard and to provide the platform for the hospitality we have become famous for over the years. The first men’s pennant team competed in grade 4 in 1962 while in 1963/4 the women met with outstanding success in winning the No.3 grade District Pennant. Also in 1962 the Clubhouse and No1 green were officially opened while construction of No.2 green began. In this year additions to the club took place with a bowls office and cool-room completed. In July 1963 the clubhouse ceiling was installed and in December the verandah added. In April 1964 No.2 green was officially opened and in Sept. 1966 No.3 green commenced. The third green was officially opened in June 1967.

With a growing social and bowling membership it was decided to extend the original rectangular shape of the club and embark upon a $40,000 project which was completed in 1974. In 1986 the club adopted a 2-tiered system of management with its first Board of Directors elected. K. Oberman was elected Chairman of the Board while A. Lucre retained the position of Men’s Bowling Club President and M. Row, the Ladies President. Further expansion of the club occurred in 1992 when the existing clubhouse shape replaced its predecessor at a cost of $1.2 million. At that time, membership comprised 325 men bowlers, 230 lady bowlers and 1600 social members. At the 1994 ‘Club of the Year’ awards ABBRC won the ‘Financial Achievement in 1994’ category. Club Secretary Marilyn Gibson and Chairman Barry Allen accepted the prestigious award at the presentation ceremony. Without doubt the largest transformation to the club’s appearance and internal facilities came about with the extensions in 1996/7. At a cost of $2.4 million the new club facilities were officially opened on 16th Feb. 1997 by RNSWBA President, Bill Trethowan. Among the special guests were the two surviving foundation members and club stalwarts, Dick Pickett, a former Treasurer and Patron, and Ted Johnson, Life Member and former President. Also present to celebrate the occasion were Ladies President, June Allen and Men’s President, Syd Keane. The new facilities included a spacious, newly refurbished lounge area, a new auditorium, larger main bar area, new and separate gaming and sports bar facilities, and the new Brasserie area. During the 1998/9 financial year, car parking at the club was increased by 100% with the completion of the southern and western carparks including the new entrance to these facilities. It was also at this time that greenkeeper Kevin Bowcock and his team built and planted the many garden and flower beds that surround the club and enhance its natural beauty.

In 2001/2 the building refurbishment program gathered pace and provided the area we now know as the Sports Bar and TAB. The entrance/foyer area also received a facelift and the bistro floorspace extended. In Feb. 2002 the main bar was reshaped into an oval design to incorporate a coffee shop and also a new auditorium bar. The new main bar design was well-received by members and gives the club a more contemporary look and feel.Perhaps the bi ggest challenge facing the entire club industry was the introduction of the Government’s ‘Smoke Free Environment Act’ which came into force on 1st July, 2007. This legislation effectively ended smoking anywhere inside the club premises. Our club’s response was to maintain its policy of catering for all members needs. As a result, work commenced in June 2006 to construct a first floor balcony (The Bellbird Terrace) and ground floor deck (The Greenside Deck) designed to cater for smokers as well as providing an area for non-smokers and diners. It was also the intention to provide an improved visual amenity of the club from Avoca Dr. and to facilitate an external, spectator viewing area of the greens. An enclosed courtyard area and BBQ area off the auditorium as well as the Sports Bar Courtyard were included in the building works. Work was completed by the end of Nov. 2006 at a cost of almost $0.7m and all new facilities have proved popular with members and guests. Currently our club boasts 4,231 members with 117 lady and 205 men bowlers; the remaining members are social. In the 2009 Men’s Pennant season we fielded teams in all grades, 1 to 7 (2 teams in grade 7), while in Ladies Pennants we fielded teams in grade 1, grade 2 (2 teams), grade 3 (2 teams) and grade 4. Lawn bowls coaching is offered on Sat. mornings and our accredited coaches are always happy to see the new and not-so-new bowlers take up the challenge. Like most clubs we have also introduced ‘barefoot bowls’ on a casual basis. The club has recently entered the ‘Corporate Bowls’ era and a variety of packages are available to cater for the needs of business houses. You can design your own package and talk it over with our Functions Manager. The upstairs ‘Bellbird Terrace’ is perfect for such an occasion. We are indebted to our sub-clubs, thank them for their contribution and look forward to their continuing support. Their reports are printed elsewhere in this booklet. The past 50 years have been exciting and progressive and we, as Directors, members, management and staff, believe we have helped to create a bowling and recreational enterprise that continues to serve its community in the same friendly and welcoming manner that our foundation members envisaged way back in the 60’s.