Lakes Entrance Croquet Club celebrated its 20th birthday last weekend.
From humble beginnings at Lake Tyers Beach Recreation Oval to the club’s prestigious courts opening in Don Road, Lakes Entrance, the club was proud to celebrate how it has grown to its present state.
With a generous number of people interested, who were mainly women, Nancy Hills from Bairnsdale mentored and encouraged them in the rules and skills of the game of golf croquet.
The club was formed with Elaine Hancock as its president, Myra Glassby as secretary and Jeanette Rowley as treasurer. As interest grew, a committee was formed to assist in the setting up of the courts on the reserve at Lake Tyers Beach.
As much as possible, all members worked hard to establish an even field on which to play the game. Equipment was purchased and as the club had no clubroom this was carted in John Hancock’s car each play day.
The club’s noticeboard was a tree and there was a picnic table in the vicinity which allowed members to set up for the morning tea break.
Jim Clement also played an integral part in developing the game. He trained members to be referees and, along with Graeme Howie, encouraged the club to hold its first handicap doubles tournament at Lake Tyers. The club has been holding its doubles tournament each year and later introduced a singles tournament also.
Seeing the need for a better facility, members began a massive fundraising journey. Between sausage sizzles, raffles, duty at the Lions’ Monday evening bingo and numerous other fundraising ideas that came to their attention, the members raised enough funds to support a grant from Vicsport, Gippsport and the East Gippsland Shire.
The shire allocated an area near the Aquadome and when the grant came through and plans were designed and approved, work began on establishing three full-size croquet courts and a clubroom.
This was proudly opened in 2014 and the club grew from being in the vicinity of the township of Lakes Entrance.
Fundraising was not over because it was envisaged that to run tournaments of 24 to 31 players there was a need for more sheltered space. The clubroom was extended with a steel shed and towards the end of last year plans were in the making for altering the workshop area to include an office. This freed up space in the clubhouse during tournaments for catering purposes.
To celebrate the milestone the club invited former members back for a
celebratory afternoon to coincide with the closing stages of their doubles tournament. This allowed all Gippsland croquet players attending the tournament to celebrate with the club.
Julie Drummond made a magnificent birthday cake depicting a croquet court and the club’s oldest member, May Beveridge, was given the privilege of cutting it. May celebrated her 100th birthday this year and still plays two to three games of croquet twice a week.
The club always welcomes any interested people to come and try the game of golf croquet on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday mornings between 9.30am and noon. The courts are located on Don Road off Whiters Street at the rear of the tennis courts.
