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Our Past

Founded in 1896, Petersham Bowling Club is reportedly the second oldest Lawn Bowls club in Australia and it has a vibrant and diverse history.

The original club rooms - 1896

Just as Sydney erupted not so long ago at the thought of having to pay to go to the beach, sentiments ran high at the end of the 19th century over the public's rights to public parks. Bowling greens could not be put in a public park as was being proposed.

Tempers were running high on the subject as clearly evidenced by editorials of the time:

"One of the most unhappy parks in the suburbs seems to be that belonging to Petersham. Like a New Zealand volcano, (Mount Tarawera erupted in NZ in 1886 and was big news in NSW) it's always more or less in a state of eruption - only it emits red clay and cart tracks in place of smoke and ashes" noted The Standard in somewhat less heated tones that those in a column some three months earlier:

"If anyone can prove that they've ever encountered a project with a bigger junk of idiocy hanging around it than the proposition to form a bowling green on the public park, we hereby solemnly agree in view of the approaching hot weather that upon such proof being shown, we'll forfeit our only pants and join apostle of nakedness McDonald in a tour round the southern Hemisphere."

From such stormy beginnings, the club quickly grew - not within Petersham Park - to be one of the most successful in New South Wales.

The Original Board Executive

WJ Louden (President)

FA  Morgan (Secretary)

P Horden (Treasurer)

As is clear from the above, the club's history is very entertaining and was never dull. Through its first golden years to the war years (1914 - 1918) to years of change and more war years (WW11) and on into the present, the club has witnessed many changes in politics, fashions and attitudes. 

It's like our very own time capsule.