Mooroolbark Bowls Club
170 Hull Rd
Mooroolbark 3138
Postal: PO Box 150, Mooroolbark 3138
Phone: (03) 9725 3131
Mooroolbark Bowls Club is nestled in the heart of the Yarra Ranges in Melbourne’s east. With its stunning backdrop of the Dandenong Ranges, it’s easy to get caught up in the environment and forget about everything else.
The club was formed in 1980 after a meeting of interested locals acted on an earlier agreement with Lilydale shire council to lease the site for a bowls club. This led to the construction of two greens and a clubhouse, which were then opened on November 26th 1983. A third green was built in 1985.
Boasting about 300 members, the club has a total of 11 teams in pennant competition and has hosted the Australian blind bowls championship 4 times.
Notable champions of the club include: blind bowls champion Dave Buyars, former Victorian champion Margaret Bedford, veteran singles champion Roy Thompson and Ian Harper.
The name Mooroolbark comes from the Aboriginal word ‘Mooroolbeek’ which translates in English as ‘The Red Earth.’ Up until 2001, the suburb of Mooroolbark each year hosted the Red Earth festival; however it has now been replaced by a smaller ‘Celebrate Mooroolbark’ day. Mooroolbark Bowls Club has celebrated this event with an annual tournament including other local bowls clubs.
In 1995, Mooroolbark Bowls club put forth a proposition to buy the land off the council which then went forth. The club then spent the next ten years paying off the mortgage required to buy the land.
Due to great support from club members and the community, Mooroolbark Bowls Club has been able to buy the land and ensure that the club will be around for many years to come.
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