About the Club
Balmain Rowing club is a community Rowing club catering primarily to Novice and Intermediate Rowers from the local area.
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In operation since 1882, the club this year celebrates its 125th anniversary and it will be a celebration of rememberance for rowers passed, laughter for rowing mishaps and hope for many more rowing wins and spills.
Though the clubhouse is small, it is large when it comes to support for fellow members. The club can be found at the bottom of White Street Balmain and shares its position with Elkington Park and the Dawn Fraser swimming pool.
Balmain Rowing Club is always happy to receive enquiries from Junior Novice or intermediate rowers who wish to make Balmain their Club.
The club has a rich and detailed history, with its active and past members boasting numerous state, national and international titles - see below to view a brief history or if you have any historical information or photos of the club please contact the club.
To contact the club by email, please send your emails to mail@balmainrowingclub.com, or click here to use the online form.
Club Location: Lower White Street
Balmain, 2041
NSW, AUSTRALIA
Postal Address: P O Box 15,
Balmain, 2041
NSW, AUSTRALIA
2008 Officebearers
| Co-Patrons: | Don Croot & George Neilson |
| President: | David Longhurst |
| Vice Presidents: | Joseph Grech, Jeff Paterson and Richard Hunt |
| Treasurer: | Anne Craig |
| Secretary: | Lucy Blakemore |
| Captain: | Liam James |
| Vice Captain: | James Waldersee |
| Boat Master: | Peter Hupfauf |
| Selection Committee: | Liam James (c), Lynette Skelton and Jeff Paterson |
| Committee Members: | Matthew Braithwaite-Young Simone Broadfield Patrick Holmes Katrina MacGregor Chris Nelson Robyn Schremmer Alexander Weilsmann |
| Public Officer: | Don Croot |
| NSWRA Delegate: | Alexander Weilsmann |
History of The Club
Balmain Rowing Club was formed on 7th June 1882 at a meeting held at Dicks Hotel in Balmain. This hotel is still operating as a popular watering hole for the Balmain district today.
The meeting consisted of local citizens and the mayor and councillors of the then Balmain Municipal Council.
The first committee was made up of the mayor and aldermen of the council.
The priority of the committee was a suitable sight for the club and the early minutes mention that a boat builder's shed at the bottom of White Street "may be available". The site was considered "the finest in the colony". Pritchard's Boatshed was thus purchased and plans put in hand to build the rowing shed on that site at a cost of £368.
The club is on the same site today.
Other clubs in existence at that time included; Sydney Rowing Club, Mercantile (now Mosman Rowing Club), North Shore and Glebe Rowing Club.
Balmain, like most other rowing clubs at the time, was originally a "white collar" club and manual labourers and tradesmen could not be members.
Enterprise Rowing Club was formed in 1896 to cater for those in the district excluded from BRC. The Enterprise Club was built next to the Balmain Club close in to Whitehorse Point but was blown down in a gale in 1916 and never rebuilt. Evidence of the building can still be seen at low tide. Some members from the old Enterprise Club went on to help form Drummoyne Rowing Club.
The famous black and gold colours of the district were adopted by the Balmain club in its first year of existence. Oral history suggests that the hooped racing Singlet (still worn today) was taken from the Balmain Rugby Union team while the origin of the colours lies not with the tiger but rather with the bark and flowers of the Black Wattle trees which grew in the district.
Many famous names have been associated with the club. Among them are the Pearce family (father and son represented Australia at the Olympics), the Sharp family (local merchants and long serving club members, the JB Sharp Winter Regatta Series bears the name in recognition of the efforts by JB for the rowing community). George Neilson (a member since 1934 and still playing an active role coaching crews).
Women play an active role in the present club but this was not always the case. A separate Balmain Women's Rowing Club occupied a site at Elliott Street but was destroyed by fire in the early 50's. The women then occupied a small section of the current boat shed as a separate entity. Over time, the women members joined other clubs and Balmain Women's Rowing Club ceased to exist .Today, women are full members of the club and contribute strongly to the club's success both on and off the water.
Balmain has enjoyed success over the years with world, Australian and state champions coming from the club.
Balmain Rowing Club is proud of its traditions and place in the Balmain community.
We welcome comment and/or information about our history and are happy to lend historical photographs to groups with a legitimate interest.