SPBC Members – Perry Brown (Bowling) & Josh McDonnell (Behind)
Camera IconSPBC Members – Perry Brown (Bowling) & Josh McDonnell (Behind) Credit: Supplied/Jon Hewson www.communitypix.com.au d467800

South Perth Bowling Club celebrates 100th season

Aaron CorlettSouthern Gazette

THE South Perth Bowling Club is rolling into a new century with optimism about the future.

The 2016-17 season was the club’s 100th and was also a successful one for the historic organisation.

Club secretary and treasurer Larry Bandy said parties and events were held during the season to celebrate the milestone.

PerthNow Digital Edition.
Your local paper, whenever you want it.

Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE

Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.

READ NOW

“There was a large cocktail party on January 23 and we had a dinner on April 8, which was a culmination of a successful year,” he said.

“Our second division men’s team was promoted to the first division and our premier league retained their status despite the format being reduced from 10 to eight teams.

“None of our men’s or women’s teams were relegated from their division, so it was a successful season.”

Mr Bandy said the club had experienced many ups and downs through the decades, with four straight championships in the years between 1967 and 1971.

“The 1950s and ’60s were very successful and we were actually quite successful until the ’80s. We were the first club to pay players,” he said.

“Our best players left, though, and the ’90s and 2000s were lean. But we have grown and grown into a dynamic club.

“We have fantastic facilities and we are financially sound. We aren’t the oldest club in Perth; there are some others like the Fremantle Bowling Club, which were founded in the 1890s.”

Mr Bandy said the club was always looking for new people to join the club.

“We have just under 100 members, with about 70 men and 20 women,” he said.

MORE: Street Friends WA founder keeps fighting to help Perth’s homeless

MORE: Fishability bringing the fun of the catch to people of all abilities

MORE: Bayswater, Freo councils vote to publicly support marriage equality

MORE: Secret Harbour hit by sock loving cat burglar